[ghfromaltonbay]

My Dad, who went on a blood thinner in June 2016, bumped his head on 8/12 while he was staying at our camp in Alton Bay for the summer. He complained after lunch of a headache, and we arrived on that Friday afternoon at Huggins ER around 3 pm. He checked himself in at admissions and Dr. Dan Steele the ER doc took his history and immediately sent him for a CAT scan. There was intracranial bleeding and Dr. Steele didn't waste time trying to get Dad transferred for neurosurgery to either Portsmouth or Maine Medical in Portland. Portsmouth couldn't take him, and the weather wasn't good for an airlift, so Dr. Steele made arrangements for transfer by ambulance. Dad lost consciousness and to ensure no breathing problems en route to Portland, Dr. Steele had Dad intubated and put on a portable respirator. Thank goodness that Dr. Steele knew the severity of the situation and acted fast! Dad arrived at Maine Medical late that night and after a 2nd CAT scan was immediately scheduled for surgery to start about midnight. By 3 am he was in the ICU and made such a fast recovery that he was sitting up and eating soup at 5 pm Saturday evening! He was transferred to a regular room on Monday (the ICU nurse said she never saw anyone of any age rebound that quickly) especially someone who is 87! Dad was discharged on Wed. and then spent 9 days back at Huggins in their Rehab Unit. I can't say enough good things about the great room, the terrific therapists and nurses during his stay in Rehab. I am so thankful to Dr. Steele and to the therapists who got him back on his feet. The excellent neurosurgeon in Portland said another hour and it would have been too late, so Dr. Steele was spot on in getting him to Maine Medical ASAP. Dad is back in NJ, driving again and except for his barely visible scar, he is his old self again.