A Logger’S Nightmare: Accident Forever Changes Family

By Carrie Peterman

There was no bright light. No tunnel and no out of body experience. No life
flashing before his eyes and no decision to live or die. Truth is, Branden never saw
it coming. The tree plummeted him, driving him into the ground like a nail. It bent
his body in half in very unnatural ways. Instantly, he knew he was paralyzed. Never
once did he think this was the end. In fact, he told God he was not going to die in
the woods in the cold snow. There was peace. A peace like no other because of
his faith in that same God that spared his life and not his legs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 28, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450058544

Carrie Peterman

Branden owns a Logging Company. On Friday, the 12th of December, 2008, by freak accident, a tree he was felling, created a spingpole effect with another tree that fell on Branden crushing him to the ground. The result of the impact shattered three vertebrae and left several voids in the spinal cord. Branden has feeling from the nipple line up and has complete use of his arms. However, Doctors say he will never walk again. Branden and his family are strong in their faith and appreciate prayers of support. He has a wife Carrie, daughter Addisen – age 7 – daughter Darby – age 3—and new son of 4 days – Esten.

Book preview

ACCIDENT FOREVER CHANGES FAMILY

CARRIE PETERMAN

Copyright © 2010 by Carrie Peterman.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

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This book is dedicated to the memory of Bubba Mike Butler and Rod Stratton. Two very special friends that left us for a better place. Without them, our most crucial times of recovery wouldn’t have been possible. There is a special place for those who touch your life in unspeakable ways. We may not see you today, but we will meet again at the gates of Heaven.

Contents

Day of Accident

Saturday, The Day After

Sunday . . . Day Three

Monday December 15th, 2008

Tuesday, December 16th 2008

December 16th—Moving Rooms

December 16th—Evening

December 17th, 2008 12:00 p.m.

December 17th, 2008—Evening

December 18th, 2008 Morning

December 18th, 2008—Evening

Friday Morning, December 19th, 2008

Afternoon December 19th, 2008

December19th, 2008 Evening

December20th, 2008 Evening

December 21st, 2008 Morning

Sun. December 21st, 2008 Evening

December 22nd, 2008 Evening

December 23rd., 2008 Morning

December 23rd. 2008 Evening

December 23rd, 2008 Evening II

Christmas Eve 2008

Merry CHRISTmas Eve 2008

December 26th, 2008 Afternoon

December 27th, 2008 Evening

Sunday-December 28th, 2008

Evening, December 28th, 2008

December 29th, 2008 Evening

December 30th, 2008 Morning

December 30th, 2008 Evening

December 31st, 2008 Morning

New Year’s Eve 2008

January 1st, 2009 WoW!! Morning

January 1st, 2009

January 2nd, 2009

January 3rd, 2009

January 3rd, 2009 Evening

January 4th, 2009 Morning

January 4th, 2009 Evening

January 5th, 2009 Afternoon

January 6th, Morning 2009

January 6th, 2009 Evening

January 8th, 2009 Morning

January 9th, 2009 Evening

January 10th, 2009 Evening

January 11th, 2009

January 13th, 2009 Morning

January 13th, 2009 Evening

January 14th, 2009 Morning

January 14th, 2009 Evening

January 15th, 2009 Morning

January 16th, 2009 Afternoon

January 16th, 2009 Evening

January 17th, 2009 Morning

January 17th, 2009 Afternoon

January 17th, 2009 Evening

January 18th, 2009 Morning

January 18th, 2009 Evening

January 19th, 2009 Afternoon

January 19th, 2009 Evening

January 20th, 2009 Morning

January 21st, 2009 Morning

January 21st, 2009 Evening

January 22nd, 2009 Morning

January 22nd, 2009 Evening

January 23rd. 2009, Morning

January 23rd., 2009 Evening

January 24th, 2009 Evening

January 25th, 2009 Evening

January 26th, 2009 Afternoon

January 26th, 2009 Evening

January 27th, 2009 Afternoon

January 29th, 2009 Afternoon

January 30th, 2009 Evening

January 31st, 2009 Evening

February, 1st, 2009 Evening

February 2nd, 2009 Evening

Wed. February 4th, 2009 Afternoon

February 4th, 2009 Evening

February 4th, 2009 Evening

February 6th, 2009 Evening

February 7th, 2009 Afternoon

February 8th, 2009 Evening

February 9th, 2009 Evening

February 10th, 2009 Evening

February 11th, 2009 Evening

February 12th, 2009 Evening

February 13th, 2009 Morning

February 14th, 2009 Evening

February 15th, 2009 Evening

February 19th, 2009 Afternoon

February 20th, 2009, Evening

February 21st, 2009 Evening

February 23rd. 2009, Morning

February 24th, 2009 Afternoon

February 24th, 2009 Evening

February 26th, 2009 Evening

February 27th, 2009 Afternoon

February 28th, 2009 Evening

March 1st, 2009 Evening

March, 2nd 2009 Evening

March 3rd. 2009 Evening

March 4th, 2009 Evening

March 6th, 2009 Evening

March 8th, 2009

March 10th, 2009 Evening

March 11th, 2009 Afternoon

March 12th, 2009 Morning

March 13th, 2009 Afternoon

March 14th, 2009 Morning

March 14th, 2009 Evening

March 15th, 2009

March 16th, 2009 Afternoon

March 18th, 2009

March 20th, 2009 Morning

March 21st, 2009 Evening

March 23rd, 2009

March 23rd, 2009 Evening

March, 25th 2009, Morning

March 26th, 2009 Evening

March 28th, 2009 Morning

March 29th, 2009 Evening

April 1st, 2009

April 2nd, 2009

April 4th, 2009 Afternoon

April 5th 2009, Evening

April 7th, 2009 Evening

April 9th, 2009 Evening

April 11th, 2009 Evening

April 13th, 2009 Evening

Aprilil 14th, 2009 Morning

April 15th, 2009 Morning

April 17th, 2009 Afternoon

April 19th, 2009 Evening

April 21st, 2009 Evening

April 23rd, 2009 Evening

April 25th, 2009 Evening

April 27th, 2009 Evening

April 29th, 2009 Morning

April 30th, 2009 Morning

April 30th, 2009 Evening

May 4th, 2009 Afternoon

May 5th, 2009 Evening

May 6th, 2009 Evening

May 7th, 2009 Evening

May 10th, 2009 Early A.M.

May 11th, 2009 For a minute maybe!

May 13th, 2009 Evening

May 15th, 2009 Early Morning

May 16th, 2009 Evening

May 17th, 2009 Evening

May 18th, 2009 Evening

May 21st, 2009 Evening

May 25th, 2009 Evening

May 26th, 2009 Evening

May 27th, 2009 Evening

May 29th, 2009 Evening

May 30th, 2009 Evening

June 2nd, 2009 Evening

June 5th, 2009 Evening

June 7th, 2009 Evening

June 9th, 2009 Evening

June 10th, 2009 Evening

June 11th, 2009 Evening

June 13th, 2009 Evening

June 23rd, 2009 Evening

June 24th, 2009 Afternoon

June 28th, 2009 Evening

July 1st, 2009 Afternoon

July 6th, 2009 Evening

July 10th, 2009 Evening

July 12th, 2009 Evening

July 13th, 2009 Evening

July 14th, 2009 Evening

July 17th, 2009 Afternoon

July 20th, 2009 Late Morning

July 22nd, 2009 Afternoon

July 26th, 2009 Evening

July 28th, 2009 Early Evening

July 30th, 2009 Evening

August 5th 2009, Too Early AM

August 7th, 2009, Evening

August 11th, 2009 AM

August 14th, 2009 Evening

August 19th, 2009 Late Night

August 20th, 2009 Evening

August 23rd, 2009 Evening

August 27th, 2009 Late Morning

August 28th, 2009 Mornin

August 31st, 2009 Wee hours AM

August 31st, 2009 late morning

September 1st, 2009, Morning

September 1st, 2009 Evening

September 4th, 2009 Afternoon

September 8th, 2009 Evening

September 14th, 2009 Evening

September 15th, 2009 Evening

September 21st, 2009

September 27th, 2009

October 3rd, 2009

October 8th, 2009 Late Morning

October 9th, 2009 Afternoon

October 13th, 2009 Evening

October 19th, 2009 Evening

October 22nd, 2009 Evening

October 26th, 2009 Evening

October 28th, 2009 Evening

October 30th, 2009 Evening

November 6th, 2009 Morning

November 9th, 2009 Morning

November 12th, 2009 Afternoon

November 14th, 2009 Morning

November 17th, 2009 Evening

November 21st, 2009 Afternoon

November 30th, 2009 Morning

December 3rd, 2009 Morning

December 4th, 2009 Morning

Tuesday 8th, 2009 Afternoon

December 12th, 2009 Evening

Branden and I would like to express our extreme gratitude to our parents. You have given so much to us. The accident has had ripple effects on you too. To my mother, you gave up so much of your life so that we could find ours. You have all taught us to be strong and for that reason alone, we will never quit fighting to be as normal as possible.

Also to Harvey and Cindy Shick. Words could never express our thanks to you and your family. Cindy, your countless hours of editing were a true Godsend, without your help there would be no book. Whoever knew writing a book would involve more than pen and paper! God didn’t grant me many computer skills, but he did bless us with your friendship.

Todd and Lynn Hetherington, without you guys, I don’t know where we’d pick up all the pieces. Whether it’s an extra set of hands to help Branden, help with the hay, pulling a stuck calf, odd jobs around the house, your love for our kids, or taking Branden on his first fire run, we can always count on you both. Lynn, your advice and laughter have kept my sanity and for that, I could never thank you enough. The friendship you and Todd have given us has been a blessing and a true gift. I absolutely cannot wait for our future walks with the lambs!

God can only give Branden his legs back, but Rob and Beth, you helped get him the next best thing. Thank You for your love, support, and help getting Branden a newer truck to be retrofitted. Your financial gift initially gave us our strength and faith that God would move people to help us. Lord knows we had no idea how our lives would change, but you guys gave us more than just a monetary gift. You gave us the peace of mind that things would be ok. You took the biggest hurdle Branden faced, his mental battle to provide for his family, and you made him feel whole again. We will never forget that.

There is someone that has been sending us money anonymously since Branden’s accident in December. Usually twenty dollars, sometimes more, way more. This happens two or three times a week. The amount is well into the thousands. Your ‘little’ bit of help has been our biggest blessing. To you I say Thank You and may God bless you ten fold. Whoever you are.

I would be amiss if I did not mention our Church family at Stanton First Baptist. Through our friend and pastor, Ryan White, we have made it through what I believe to be the hardest part of our journey. He helps us weekly, giving us his time and knowledge to teach us to follow God’s will, not ours. Our brothers and sisters in Christ have helped teach us through example how to be and make disciples of Jesus Christ. If this book reaches just one person, well, then we are simply fulfilling what we are meant to do here on earth.

Thanks to everyone who played a role in our recovery. Whether it was financial, emotional, physical, mental, businesses or individuals. Our journey has been blessed by too many to mention. In very big ways, so many of you have contributed to each and every page of this book.

MY FRIEND

Some call me K2, I’m also known as Kurt

On the 12th of December, a friend of mine got hurt

A tree fell on his back, crushing him to the ground

But because of his belief in God, the good Lord kept him

around

The Dr’s have said, that he will never again be able to walk

I am optimistic, and will not listen to that kind of talk

In my mind, it is up to God to make that final decision

For it is He that carries out all plans with the utmost

precision.

My friend has more will power than anyone I’ve known

It has a lot to do with the family that waits for him at home

His wife is a proven angel, sent from the Heavens up above

His parents are great people, filled with pride and full of love

Many of his friends surround him most days of the week

Reassuring him that the future is bright and not at all too

bleak

Working a little bit harder, is what he’ll have to do

Now that the day-to-day activities are suddenly brand new

With his kids by his side and with the support of his wife

A never say never attitude, is how he lives his life

Why this accident happened, I’ll never fully understand

But when my friend needed God the most, He grabbed him

by the hand

So whether he’s sitting in a wheelchair, or perhaps some

day standin’

Either way I’m proud as hell of my friend, the friend that I

call Branden.

Kurt(a.k.a.)K2

That week was the roller coaster ride of our lives. One day, we were in the hospital giving birth to our third child. Four days later, we were back in another hospital, but for very different reasons; fighting for the life of that child’s father. The next few days would be a blur, torn between being a mother and being a wife.

I remember that Friday morning. As normal newborns do, Esten was up every two hours. I slept on the floor of the nursery so I could get up with him and not wake the rest of the house. I had been up and down for the past two nights running on autopilot; going through the motions. Deer hunting season was upon us and the usual family and friends stayed with us. Bubba Mike had just returned from a morning hunt. I vividly remember him saying, When the baby sleeps, you sleep. I’ll watch Darby (our three year old daughter) and you go rest. I took Darby with me and we tried to take a nap. The time was about 9:30 a.m. I don’t think I slept a wink, but I must have.

I remember I had left the cell phone in the kitchen. I heard it ring at one point and just thought I was thankful I didn’t have it with me. Next thing I remember was commotion in another room. There was talk of an accident: Where is Carrie? It’s bad. She needs to go now. Fairly quickly I gathered my wits and realized it was Branden that had been hurt. No one knew how bad, but AeroMed had been called and if I met the ambulance in time, I could ride in the medical helicopter to the main hospital. The problem was that our hired hand and another friend were in a pickup behind the ambulance. They did not know Branden’s status. They had no information other than the last words they were told when they shut the back doors to the ambulance to take off for the first hospital. All they would say is, It’s bad Carrie, really bad.

An aunt had already been called and she was on her way to the house. Branden’s mom was on her way from a nearby town. Bubba Mike said he’d drive me, but I let him ride. I had to do something and that something was—keep my cool. Darby had overheard and knew someone was hurt. I didn’t tell her much other than I was going to go find out. Aunt Ranae arrived to stay with the baby and Darby, and Mike and I were off.

As we pulled out of the drive, I remember dialing the phone to a good friend who attended the same church. All I said was, Helen, I need you to start a prayer chain. Branden has been hurt, and all I know is that it is bad. I know a tree or a limb has crushed him and he’s in an ambulance on his way to meet AeroMed. That’s all I had to say and she was on it.

Branden was hurt about an hour from home, an hour north. The hospital he would be taken to was an hour south of us. Not two minutes after placing the call to Helen, another friend and member of the church called. He worked for the local sheriff’s department. Brian was able to get me answers immediately.

The next call was the second from Brian. He had been in contact with the hospital and found out that ‘The Bird’, aka AeroMed, was grounded due to an impeding winter storm. I wouldn’t have been able to ride anyway. But, he was able to tell me that Branden would eventually be transported to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.

The next call was the emergency room doctor at the first hospital to which Branden was taken. He informed me that he thought he had Branden stabilized enough for the trip to Grand Rapids. His blood pressure was holding at 80/54. He told me at this time Branden was not responding to the prick test beneath his nipple line. He said he was critical, but my best bet was to go south on the main highway; not to come north to try to meet the ambulance. He also obtained a brief medical history from me about Branden. You know the usual: Does he drink, smoke, use drugs, any allergies, any existing health issues, etc.?

I hung up the phone and prayed. I prayed so hard for God to save his life no matter what. I didn’t want to be a single parent. That’s when I felt Mike’s hand on my knee, pulling on my jeans, easing my foot off the gas pedal. He said we’d get there soon enough. Twice more I would feel his hand gently on my knee, giving me the signal that ninety miles per hour was a little too fast.

The next hour was a barrage of calls. Mainly from Brian, our hired hand, and John Jr., the logging foreman. Brian frantically telling me that he had to cut the tree off and he didn’t want to move Branden. Then I called my mom and told her the gist of things. Never once did I really think it was real. I figured it was just swelling or bruising. I thought that in a day or two we’d walk out of the hospital, he’d be sore and we’d go about our lives. We had beaten the odds so many times before.

We beat the ambulance to the main hospital by over two hours. When the ambulance finally arrived, I met them outside. I followed Branden in through the big double doors where he was whisked to a triage area and I was whisked off to a private room. The next person through the doors was the chaplin. She was my eyes and ears for the next several hours while Branden was assessed.

The next person to visit the six by six room was the back specialist. I will never forget our conversation. When he sat down, I immediately told him to give it to me straight and not to sugarcoat anything. He said to me, Mrs. Peterman, I think I can save your husband’s life, but I don’t think I can save his legs. He said initial scans showed several voids where the pieces of Branden’s vertebrae blew up his spinal cord. But, he said Branden wasn’t out of the woods yet. He said there was internal bleeding and they were not sure from where. He needed to be cleared for back surgery and that couldn’t be done at this time. I remember asking next if I could see Branden. He said he could give me about one minute. It was imperative that chest tubes be put in immediately and more tests done. They would have to sedate him for that so I was granted a quick visit.

Walking down the triage hall was just like being in a movie, played in slow motion. A nurse whipped back the curtain and there he was lying on the stretcher, on a backboard, neck brace on, covered in wood chips from the chainsaw, and covered with a blanket, one big toe hanging out. I walked up to his side, standing on my tippy toes and leaned over his face. He was shaking horribly, enough to make me wonder if he was seizing. I told him I was right here and we’d get through this. His first words to me were, Who has the baby? I asked what was wrong; why he was shaking. He told me, I’m freezing and I’m going to be in a wheelchair. I had the biggest lump in my throat. I kissed his forehead and whispered, At least it’s not a casket. Dr. Brown was pulling me away. My time was up.

Next we were taken to the waiting room on the floor Branden would be placed in Critical Care. Hours passed. My phone rang off the hook. I just sat. Numb with raw shock. Numb with pure emotion. Hormones racing. At times tears would just flow. They seemed to come from nowhere. Thoughts of Daddy Daughter Dances, playing ball in the backyard, being a fireman, all would trigger emotion. I remember hearing whispers: How’s she doing? What about the baby? Christmas is coming.

Another family in the waiting room heard about our accident. They urged us to set up a CarePages site. This allowed us not only to stop all the phone calls and repetition of giving the same information, but also to allow us to express our emotion. Little did we know it would be such a positive healing process for all of us. That site has led to the following journal.

Day of Accident

Posted December 14, 2008 3:25 p.m.

Branden had a tree fall on him, crushing him to the ground. Brian, Branden’s right hand man, was there immediately to basically save his life as he cut the tree off him. He then drove the skidder across a field, a quarter mile from the road, to a neighbor, and had the neighbor direct help back to the woods. The job site is located north of Remus and South of Barryton. It took approximately an hour and a half to finally get him in an ambulance via a backboard on the tailgate of a truck. Initially the ambulance took him to Big Rapids Medical to meet AeroMed. AeroMed could not be cleared to fly so they ended up transporting Branden by ambulance to Grand Rapids to the Fred Meijer Heart Facility. Since that time he has been assigned a Trauma, Critical Care, Thoracic, Orthopedic, and Neurological Team.

Saturday, The Day After

Posted December 14, 2008 3:40 p.m.

They have determined Branden has a major injury to the spinal cord. Other concerns are internal bleeding, possible damage to the aorta, a broken left femur, broken nose, five staples in the head, several stitches to close a gash on the forehead, gash on nose stitched, possible broken shoulder, and many cuts and scrapes and bruises. By late afternoon, Branden was taken to surgery for the spine. It was then confirmed, medically, that Branden will never walk again, due to several voids in the spinal cord. They have put rods and screws along the spine to keep it stable and straight. That surgery took approximately five hours. Then they called the orthopedic specialist. Since the spine surgery went so well, they gave the green light to repair the femur. So another three hours were spent in surgery.

The broken nose will not be fixed at this time. Branden’s face is very swollen and battered. He is on a vent to rest his