Why Prince George’s hospitals must not close — a personal testimony
The following was posted as a comment by a young man who likely would have died had he not been taken to the shock trauma unit of Prince George’s Hospital. It’s an amazing story of will, medicine and caring.
Share your stories about your experiences at Bowie Health Center, Gladys Spellman Specialty Hospital and Nursing Center, Glenridge Medical Center, Laurel Regional Hospital, Prince George’s Hospital Center and Senior Health Center.
Imagine what could have happened if those health facilities had not been there for you or your loved ones.
Save the hospitals!
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My name is Brian Boyle, I am twenty one years old, and two years ago I was a very sick patient in the shock trauma unit of Prince Georges Hospital. The reason why I was a patient in there is because I was hit by a dump truck on my driver’s side door on my way home from swim practice and my body was crushed from the impact. The force of the crash knocked my heart across my chest, damaging all of my organs, losing over 60% of my blood, collapsing one of my lungs, and also breaking several ribs along with my clavicle and pelvis. I was trapped in my car at the accident scene and it took the jaws of life to get me out of the vehicle in just enough time to get me flown out. I remember being told later by my parents that I only had fifteen minutes left to live so time definitely was of the essence that day.
When I arrived at shock trauma, the main concern was my heart and to get the blood to stop flowing into places where it wasn’t supposed to be going, and after several operations, there was nothing else to do but wait. As each day went along in my hospitalization period, they said that I was in God’s hands; it was unsure whether I would leave my hospital room in a wheelchair or a body bag, and the day that everyone knew that I would live would be the day that I left the shock trauma unit. In all actuality, my parents told me that I was the worst patient in the unit for many weeks besides those who were on their way to the morgue. I was in room nineteen for over two months, and for those months I was on the brink and slipping fast. In a chemically induced coma, I laid there on my back paralyzed and in a state of total confusion. I woke up not knowing how I got there because of all the medication and amnesia that was given to me.
It was a horrifying experience, especially when I tried to look out of my room and saw nurses pushing stretchers by with white sheets covering the other patients because they were not as lucky as me. My parents would come into my room and would stand there and hysterically cry the whole time, and try and explain to me the situation that I was in.
I will never forget the day where I learned how to talk again. After several attempts to get me to saw a few syllables, one lucky day it just happened out of nowhere. My respiratory therapist hooked this object up to my neck, and I struggled to sound out a few words and all of a sudden I just starting talking. I could not believe I was talking, and neither could anybody else because there was a possibility that I had brain damage. All the nurses and doctors came running in and they all broke out in tears instantly when they saw me. My parents came running around the corner because they had just arrived for visiting hours, and they were awestruck. I remember telling my dad that everything was going to be okay, and he couldn’t keep his composure and just burst into tears. As for my mom, I don’t think she stopped crying for the entire time that I was in there. The day that I learned how to talk again was truly a miraculous day.
After fourteen surgeries, thirty-six blood transfusions, and 13 plasma treatments, things were finally looking positive for me again. This all happened two years ago, but it all still seems like yesterday to me. I honestly wouldn’t be here right now if I didn’t have the support and determination from the amazing faculty and staff of Prince Georges Hospital, especially Dr. Catavenis, Dr. Daee, Dr. Naficy, and all the wonderful people in shock trauma who went above and beyond to save me. I am forever grateful for all of your support.
As I look back at it all, I will never forget those two months where my life was on standby. Room nineteen in the Shock Trauma Unit of Prince Georges Hospital is not just a room to me, it is the place where I was saved, and is also the place where I found out that miracles happen to those who believe, and I want to thank my family and the Shock Trauma Unit for believing in me…
Currently, I just finished up my second year in college, and I am also swimming on the college swim team. I am writing a book and am a full time personal trainer at a local gym. Besides that, I am training to compete in the Ironman triathlon and I am hoping that my story will be broadcasted on NBC when the Ironman premieres so I can get my story out there to gain more support for Prince Georges Hospital Center. Ever since I left the hospital I have been trying to figure out why my life was saved and now I think that reason is to save the hospital that saved me…
To learn more about my story you can check out my two websites below which will also keep you up-to-date on everything that I am doing and when I will be on T.V. doing interviews about my story and recovery.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=17655643