Paige’s Story

While enjoying a snowmobile ride with her family, Paige, a 35-year-old Dyckesville resident, got into an accident that nearly took her life and one of her legs.

“I hit a tree and found myself on the ground, unable to get up,” said Paige. “I remember being so thankful that my son, who was riding with me, was okay. But I knew I had injured my leg really bad because I couldn’t stand up on my own. It was serious.”

Expert trauma care with HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and Prevea Health 

Paige was quickly transported via ambulance from Denmark, Wis. to HSHS St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay – home to the HSHS St. Vincent Hospital Regional Trauma Center.

HSHS St. Vincent Hospital Regional Trauma Center is one of just 13 trauma centers in Wisconsin to be verified by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). It is verified as a level II trauma center, which is the highest ranking a non-university-affiliated emergency center can receive. 

Prevea Health surgeons specializing in trauma surgery provide the highest level of rapid and comprehensive evaluation and treatment at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital Regional Trauma Center. 

 
To save her leg, they had to act quickly.

“My team let me know that I needed surgery immediately,” said Paige. “I had severe artery damage and a fracture in my leg. My doctors told me if we didn’t get to surgery quickly, I may lose my leg.”
 

Paige’s team of surgeons included Orthopedic and Trauma Surgeon, Dr. Daniel Severance, Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Daniel Metz and Vascular Surgeon Dr. John Hutto. Through several surgeries, and with the help of the specially trained trauma team at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital Regional Trauma Center, these surgeons repaired Paige’s damaged artery to restore blood flow to her leg, stabilized her knee injury, and repaired her fracture. 
 

“I was later told by my doctors it was one of the most traumatic injuries they had ever repaired.”

Journey to a full recovery

Paige spent 12 days at HSHS St. Vincent Hospital, where she had access to all the care and support needed to recover and rehabilitate from her traumatic injuries. 

Five months later, she was walking without crutches, helping her husband around the house with various chores and being more active with her three young children than she had been in months. Paige looks forward to continuing to gain more mobility as she moves towards a full recovery from her accident.
 

“I hope everyone knows that if you do have a traumatic injury like I did, you’re in good hands with HSHS St. Vincent Hospital Regional Trauma Center and Prevea Health,” said Paige. “I feel so lucky to have had a team of certified nursing assistants, radiologists, X-ray technicians, nurses, wound care specialists and surgeons who all worked so quickly to save my leg and make my stay as comfortable as possible.”