Latest Update: 05-26-2010

Future therapy for my arm will be covered under my local hospital's patient assistance program. They're also covering my September 17th ER bill from when I hurt my back during physical training and was forced to go to the ER instead of my family doctor (which was some bullshit, but whatever). Today is a good day, that plus finding out I'll probably be able to go on unlimited ride alongs as soon as my form comes back and I may get a waiver of tuition for when I return to the academy, so I won't have to pay for anything but the uniforms and books. Today is a good day.

Update: 05-10-2010

I went to the doctor again on April 26th for x-rays (they had to be done 3 days prior to my appointment this time because they were to be read by a radiologist), then back on April 29th to get the word from the doctor himself. He lifted my weight restriction, so I’m able to do 100% weight bearing exercise and therapy now. I got another script for eight more weeks of OT to continue stretching out the muscles and regain my range of motion (ROM). My humerus and elbow socket are now completely healed. The surgery that had been mentioned briefly to me on March 4th sounded terrible once it was explained in detail; they would go in on the front and back of my upper arm, remove bone fragments, scar tissue, cut the tendons and sew me up, then put my arm in a machine to open and close my elbow joint while I’m still in the hospital to keep it from getting stiff after the surgery. There is still stiffness and pain, as well as popping, whenever I move my arm (especially if I try to touch my ear or something with my hand, it starts popping and cracking more the farther back I move my hand). I’m sure it will be like this forever.

I’m planning on going back to the police academy in January 2011. If that doesn’t work out because I’m not ready, then I plan on going in July or August of 2011. My plan for this summer is to get in the best shape of my life (following a set diet and exercise regimen) so the physical fitness training is easier the next time I go to the academy. My biggest problem right now is my upper body is worthless as far as strength; I haven’t been able to work it out for the past six months, so it has turned into total flab. The only place there is any noticeable muscle is in my left bicep.


Original Story:

Saturday, November 28, 2009, my friend accidentally shot me with my Glock 19. He had unloaded it to look at it, and when he was finished, he set it down on my bed and went to do something else. I loaded it back up with the intention of putting it back in my night stand (where I normally keep it during the night) and got distracted by something on the computer. I sat down to respond to the message I received, he came back in the room and picked up the gun. He failed to follow the rules of gun safety and didn’t open the slide and check the chamber of the gun or keep the barrel in a safe direction. For whatever reason, he pulled the trigger, sending a Winchester Ranger SXT 127gr +P+ hollowpoint into my right arm. The bullet entered above my elbow on the right side of the back of my arm, came out on the left side of my forearm right below the elbow, smashed through my computer desk, grazed my knee, bounced off the desk and came to rest on the floor next to my feet. I stood up wondering what he had shot because I didn’t realize my arm had gone numb at first. Once I realized he had shot me, I freaked out (for some reason I thought he shot me with my 12 gauge shotgun as he had looked at it earlier and I was afraid I didn’t have an arm below the elbow anymore).

I ran out of my room, around the house and into the kitchen. After looking in the mirror and seeing my sweatshirt soaked with blood and only two bullet holes in it, I figured it couldn’t be that bad (at least compared to having my arm blown off halfway down by a load of #00 buckshot). I sat down at the kitchen table and he grabbed towels and put pressure on both holes after dialing 911. Thank God the bullet didn’t hit my radial artery, or I probably would have bled to death in the kitchen. My arm wasn’t bleeding too bad, although there was blood pretty much all over the floor, my jeans, and of course my sweatshirt. Time slowed way down while we were waiting for the cops and the ambulance. It probably only took five minutes for the sheriff’s deputies to show up, but it seemed like at least 10-15 minutes. They asked what happened and we explained the situation. I wasn’t in very much pain at all; it just felt like someone had parked a truck on my arm resulting in a LOT of pressure. The ambulance finally showed up, cut my sweatshirt and long sleeve t-shirt off up to the shoulder and checked it out. I remember thinking “what the hell” when they pulled out 4x4 gauze pads and tape, seeing as I have a large box of medical supplies in my closet that I had completely forgotten about in the chaos. I got up and sat down on the stretcher and they loaded me in the ambulance, taking me to the helipad at the sheriff’s office operations center.

I was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital and spent three days there, four if you count Saturday evening. I was taken into Sunday morning at 0900, was awake again by 1600 (and very much an ass due to being thirsty and not liking general anesthesia apparently). I hadn’t had anything to drink since the deputies arrived at my house Saturday night at 2245or 2300 hours. They had me on a pretty good drug regimen after surgery; a shot of dilaudid and two Percocets every four hours whether I wanted them or not. By the last day in the hospital, I was taking just two Percocets every four hours. I was off them completely eight days after surgery, the last three of those eight days being one Percocet a day. The surgeons put two steel plates, 17 screws, and a synthetic bone graft in my elbow.

I was uninsured when this happened, so my total medical bills are in the area of $43,000 right now. I had my hospital bill paid for through a charity, thankfully, because that most likely would have been another $50k to $100k I’m sure. I was in a trauma ward in a major hospital, so it wouldn’t have been cheap. The sheriff’s office did take my gun as evidence and returned it about three weeks later after giving me a little bit of a run-around as far as the case being open and there not having been a detective assigned, etc. I finally contacted the deputy that responded to the call on his agency cell phone and he met me at the operations center 20 minutes later and made them give it back to me (he had signed the paperwork to release it from evidence four days after I got to go home from the hospital). I went up to the academy two days after I got home asking when I’d be able to come back and they told me I would have to quit because of my injury.

Pictures:

Entry wound:



Exit wound:



Pre-surgery x-ray:



Post surgery x-ray:



Post surgery x-ray #2 (top view looking down):



Three weeks after surgery:





Bullet:









My arm in February:

tag

Glad you're OK. How did your friend accidentally shoot you?

did you slap the fuck out of your friend at least?

Well, ain't that a bitch!





 

Do you mean EX-FRIEND?

Wow.  Glad to hear you will mend up, for the most part.  With friends like that, who needs enemies?  

Glad you're OK. It could have been worse. How did he ND? Why was he finger fucking your gun?

Getting shot with your own gun. Ouch.

IN on one.

Did you save the bullet???

Pics of expansion???

Congratulations on not being killed by your friend.

Glad you're OK.  

May I ask why the FUCK your friend had your loaded G19 and was allowed to point it at you?

Don't you mean your ex-friend?



Tag for details.



 

Was it an exploding Glock?  Glad to hear you will pull through.

I'm guessing the Glock functioned as advertised (no malfunction). The friend did not function as advertised.

in for pics

With friends like that who needs enemies

Jeeze, that sucks.   I am glad you are still with us though.  

oh boy

IBDCR



In before the Dick Cheney references...



Glad you're alive, FloridaHunter. Get well!

tag

There's no pics here dammit!

I came here because you promised pics. I see no pics.

oh shit




eta: hope you have a speedy recovery

OP sure does type well for someone who just got shot in the arm.

Yeah, I hope you gave him a swift kick in the walnuts

Twerent no accident.

 

Damn! thoughts and prayers for a speedy and full recovery.

What did your friends wound look like after you got your gun back?

 

Well, damn.

Maybe you should change your carry load; I mean, you're still alive after being hit by one

In on one before the shit storm.



Glad you and everyone else is ok.  When you feel better kick your friends ass.

I'm glad that you're alright. When your friend buys dinner.......order 3 lobsters. He owes you.

In on this one...  

I hope you have a speedy recovery.

Where are the pics?

Damn. Makes me think of the 4 rules of firearm handling post where all the posters trying to ignore some of the rules.

tag for pics and shitstorm

Wow.




I hope you regain use of your arm.



Right elbow or left? Are you right or left handed?

Where the fuck are the pics?!?

Damn!  Glad you are okay.


Hope you make a speedy recovery!!!

in on 1

get well..............


btw wheres the pics?

better get them up or we`re all gonna (accidently) shoot ya.................

No, no,no, no, it's obvious his Glock didn't explode and kill everything in a 10 meter diameter circle. Therefore it's defective and did not perform as expected.

this-  and can your friend shoot you with am HST for comparison?

In on 1