A word of warning

[Willie adie]

Didnt know where to post this so if you want to move it please do @llamedos
Just over a week ago I was showing some friends round my cattle when one suddenly kicked out and caught me right on my calf muscle. I went down but quickly got up and carried on, sore, a bit embarrassed and wondering what spooked the cow for it to lash out.
Anyway being a stoic farmer type who's been kicked in the past I kept on working and thought I would walk it off. That evening it was still sore so I put a cold compress on it and hoped it would get better. Next day it got steadily worse but eased a bit when I moved about so I thought it was just a bad bruise. Next morning I could hardly go so we made the long trek to A&E thinking I might have fractured something.
After seeing two different Docters and having an X-ray they sent me for a scan. Now this was when things started getting a bit weird. Instead of the usual polite chat the doctor became quite animated and asked the nurse to page two other Docters to have a look. Much muttering followed they explained I had a rare condition called Compartment Syndrome caused by the hefty blow to a tight muscle the muscle had smashed and was filling with blood and had blocked the vein in my leg so in effect my lower leg was dying. They explained they would have to operate as soon as possible and I may lose part of my muscle or worse case my lower leg would have to be amputated.
Surprisingly they explained everything in such a calm detailed way that I remained calm and signed the papers and was prepared for surgery thinking how can a small kick from a cow result in the loss of a limb.
Two hours later I was ready for the operating theatre and the surgeon explained he would cut my lower leg open from top to bottom and pull the muscles out and slit them to let the blood out and release the pressure. If all went ok they would leave the wounds open and I would get them sown up again in a couple of days once the swelling had receded but they may have to take some skin grafts at that time if the couldn't pull the skin back to gether again. Once I was sown back up I would be given warfarin to thin the blood and hopefully clear all the clots which had built up in my blocked vein.
So the good news is I still have my leg and to date alls gone according to plan, I'm in some serious pain and in n more drugs than your average junkie but back home and building up the warfarin levels to a stable dose. I have lost the feeling in part of my foot and the front of my leg through nerve damage this may come back in time or not the muscles will repair but will never be the same and my blood supply to the foot will be permently reduced but all they have done an amazing job and I won't need a wooden leg.
The photos below show the extent of the surgery but my main reason for posting this is to warn the rest of you to look out for these symptoms if you get kicked in the arm or leg and you get a very hard painful swelling with not much bruising get to the docs sharpish please.

Get well soon. I spoke to the coupe from heatherlea at lairg. You were correct there was an attractive lady in tow with them and her husband!

 

[Old Tip]

Thanks @Willie adie, I there a grand couple and work very hard, nice to see them in the bragging book
Looked some big lots for you and it stayed dry which would be a help

 

[NZDan]

I had a shepherd on a farm I scanned suffer something similar, he was hit in the knee by a ewe, it swelled up and cut off the blood supply.

 

[llamedos]

View attachment 566128

Bloomin heck fella, you are taking a knocking, glad to hear you are OK though, be safe. xx

 

[Old Tip]

Bloomin heck fella, you are taking a knocking, glad to hear you are OK though, be safe. xx

Thanks Carole, just got a bit eager, on some new pain relief drugs and in a lot less pain so doing a bit too much, back to the paper work for a bit I guess

 

[Old Tip]

I had a shepherd on a farm I scanned suffer something similar, he was hit in the knee by a ewe, it swelled up and cut off the blood supply.

Hope he did ok

 

[NZDan]

Hope he did ok

Aye after an air ambulance trip to get in cut open, a bit like yours.

 

[Old Tip]

Just reviving this thread as a young lad near us died a few weeks back of the same condition and my good friend @Creeside Farm had a lucky escape as he remembered my case and got to the hospital in time. He’s doing ok now but he’s going to have some stories to make up for when he next wears a kilt or goes for a swim.
Take care folks

 

[wr.]

A good friend of mine was kicked on the thigh when handling a bunch of heifers 23 years ago. Long story short, clots moving around the bowel, infections after a number of ops to remove dying parts of the intestines and he lies in the cemetery just by my father's grave. 44 years old.
We may think it's only a bad bruise but it can be much worse.

 

[manhill]

Thanks for the warning and good luck for the future.

 

[Razor8]

Was in hospital beside this fella a few years ago. He worked for a dead animal collection business and went to shoot a dieing animal that lashed out with a kick. He had awful trouble with recurring infections even after he had his leg amputated

Someone stole his blade before he ran in the Paralympics

Shane McLoughlin: Paralympian in desperate appeal after thieves steal running blade

The athlete, 42, is due to compete later this month but the missing blade has thrown his career into doubt.

www.irishmirror.ie

 

[Old Tip]

Was in hospital beside this fella a few years ago. He worked for a dead animal collection business and went to shoot a dieing animal that lashed out with a kick. He had awful trouble with recurring infections even after he had his leg amputated

Someone stole his blade before he ran in the Paralympics

Shane McLoughlin: Paralympian in desperate appeal after thieves steal running blade

The athlete, 42, is due to compete later this month but the missing blade has thrown his career into doubt.

www.irishmirror.ie

I was so close to that happening to me, so glad I’ve still got my leg, it’s constantly painful but it’s better than the alternative

 

[Cowslip]

Husband got kicked on Friday helping an elderly neighbour get his cattle in, made him read this thread and told him to be more careful as back there on tuesday and the cattle are a little wild to say the least.

 

[Treecreeper]

Just read back thro' this thread, it's all very familiar to me , cow kick to leg, swelling , blood clots on lung collapse, hospital, pneumonia post viral fatigue. 18month recovery. This was all several years ago and fine now, don't disregard any symptoms afterwards. I was younger and fitter then as well.

 

[JP1]

Just reviving this thread as a young lad near us died a few weeks back of the same condition and my good friend @Creeside Farm had a lucky escape as he remembered my case and got to the hospital in time. He’s doing ok now but he’s going to have some stories to make up for when he next wears a kilt or goes for a swim.
Take care folks
View attachment 928029

Christ on a bike, I knew S had been in the wards and his wife has been holding the fort but I hadn't seen the photos. He was very very lucky