|
Jennifer Larson
Community Editor
The road to recovery for Janine Allen has been marked by steps of progress and some set backs after the Columbus Elementary School educator lost her left leg as a result of a motorcycle crash while en route to the annual Sturgis Rally this summer.
She may be minus a limb today but Janine is incredibly thankful to even be alive.
On a crystal clear, sunny afternoon, Janine along with her husband Bruce “Bernie” Allen were traveling one mile west of Keystone, SD on Aug. 7 when a bike operated by a man from Anoka, collided with the couple. According to police reports of the accident, the other motorcyclist crossed over the yellow line and hit them almost head-on.
J anine, 58, and Bernie, 59, were accompanied by their friend Jeff Lundin. His quick thinking could very well be one of the reasons she is still here; Jeff used his belt as a tourniquet around her leg, holding it there for over an hour.
“Both Bernie and I realize that Jeff’s actions certainly saved my life,” said Janine. “With my leg nearly severed, I would have bled out at the scene by the time the EMT’s arrived if Jeff hadn’t acted decisively.”
Janine and Bernie Allen during a happier moment of their 2008 trip to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.
(Allen family photo)
She was transported to the Rapid City hospital via helicopter. Janine’s blood count was at .4. Transfusions are usually administered at .8, she said. The Allens were later informed by Lundin that he typically faints at the sight of blood.
“He gives credit to God working through him,” said Janine, “and to this day will not take credit for saving my life.”
Bernie’s injuries consisted of a broken knee cap, fractured tibia and fibula, broken toes and foot – all on his left leg. Bernie needed eight wide stitches to close the deep, to-the-bone laceration on his left calf.
“Specialists say his healing process will take an additional year, at least,” said Janine. “Pain is an ongoing challenge for him, throughout the day and night.”
Loss of a limb
She awoke from a coma four days later to see their children Heather, 27, and Seth, 28, at her bedside. Upon returning to Minnesota, family and close friends met with Janine at the University of Minnesota-Fairview to discuss whether she should try and keep her mangled limb.
Janine recalls, “My friend Mary Kowitz simply said, “I would choose life.”’
If she would have kept her left leg, it would have been “dead” – meaning Janine couldn’t use it to walk and there was a good chance that it would become septic and further endanger her life.
“There was just too much risk in trying to keep it,” she said.
The first amputation on Aug. 15 took all of Janine’s left tibia, fibula and foot. Because her knee was so shattered, surgeons attached a stainless steel plate and four screws under her knee to give it additional strength.
After an examination five days later, surgeons found that the tissue in and around the knee area was either dead or dying. They recommended either another year in the hospital with six to eight more surgeries, whereby tissue and nerves from parts of Janine’s body would be grafted to the knee area – with no guarantees as to its effectiveness.
She choose the other option – to have a second amputation above the knee, performed on Aug. 25.
Recuperating
After a month-long stint at hospitals in South Dakota and the Twin Cities, Janine spent one week at Fairview’s rehab center. The hospital sent a nurse and physical therapist for three visits each during the first two weeks she spent recovering at the Allen residence in Ham Lake.
Once home, Janine had to learn to navigate using a wheelchair, walkers (on each level), crutches (for steps) and eventually a cane. When she receives her definitive socket that fits around her limb and C-leg, Janine will have six physical therapy sessions to learn how to use it on steps, uneven terrain and in other situations.
“I have a tremendous amount of phantom pain to this day,” she said, noting the pain is mostly at night. Janine says that she don’t mind the sensation of feeling her “invisible shin or foot or toes” but finds it difficult to sleep when her limb and invisible leg burn. Pain medications help to a huge degree, she said.
To make matters worse, they are finding that Janine’s insurance, which is primary for Bernie, is not as comprehensive as they once thought. The financial amounts are daunting, she said.
“We find ourselves not only victims of a traumatic accident through no fault of our own but also victims of being “under insured” or “not insured” by our insurance company,” said Janine.
Because of the collision, the Allens realize there will be ongoing medical treatments, pain medications and long-term health care costs will never cease.
Out-of-network expenses are accumulating as well as quality prosthetic costs. She noted that it’s a well-known fact that above-knee amputees generally need a new prosthetic every three to five years. Providing personal funding from anywhere between 20 to 43.63 percent of the prosthetic costs each time is overwhelming.
A primary concern for the Allens at the moment is getting a “leg up” with a microprocessor knee over the standard prosthetic. Janine said that walking with a manual, hydraulic knee took not only intense concentration on her part for each step taken but she felt unbalanced too.
A better alternative
“Using that type of prosthetic forced me to throw my hips in an unnatural way,” said Janine, adding that the parallel bars at the Tillges Prosthetic facility in Maplewood came in handy more than a few times.
Walking with a C-leg is far easier and safer, she said. It’s also pricey costing $58,900. That includes the experimental sockets, definitive socket, foot, pylon, microprocessor knee, flesh-like leg covering and prosthetic work/training.
The insurance company is paying for the above knee prosthetic totaling $31,391, or 42.6 percent. The Allens are responsible for the microprocessor portion amounting to $27,509.
With a C-leg, Janine won’t exert as much as energy, walking will require less concentration and it doesn’t buckle. She can also move laterally.
To help with the cost for the microprocessor, a benefit sponsored by Dennis Kirk, Inc., is planned for Saturday, Jan. 17 from noon to 5 p.m. at Fatboy’s Bar & Grill in East Bethel. Come for the all you can eat chili and beer. Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 12 and under.
In addition to food, there will be live entertainment and raffles held every 20 minutes, which have all been donated. All proceeds from the event will go to Janine and Bernie to fund the C-leg prosthetic she needs. This will be the third benefit held.
The time spent recuperating has negatively impacted the growth and stability of Bernie’s business. He started his own company, Impact Powder Coatings, based in Spooner, WI. During the week Bernie is away from home but Janine is not alone.
She gets daily assistance from Seth who works from home, making it possible for Janine to recover there. And Heather is just a few miles away. She has been her parents anchor through all of this.
Their daughter facilitated getting Bernie and Janine transferred via private jet from South Dakota to Minnesota as well as coordinating their medical care.
Heather has kept our spirits up and has blossomed into a strong, passionate, loyal advocate, said an emotional Janine.
“We are both extremely humbled that so many people have been looking out for us,” she said.
Finding normalcy
Returning to work as a Gifted Resource Teacher & Technology Specialists at Columbus Elementary is something Janine is eager for. She has been pushing through her therapy with the goal of getting back to work in late-February.
From her good rapport with students, staff, parents and volunteers to Janine’s giving and vibrant personality, Buesseler says that her co-worker is “definitely a shining star at our school.”
Janine has been employed at the school since it was built in 1975. With classes starting in less than a month when the accident occurred, Principal Neal Fox had to fill that position. Media Specialist Carla Buesseler filled that void. Steve Ekdahl, a retired educator at Century Junior High, was hired in the interim to fill that void created by Buesseler stepping in for Janine.
Currently, there is a long-term sub in the media specialist position until Janine is welcomed back next month. Fox said he is often questioned about Janine and her well-being.
“It’s a void that we have filled this school year,” said Fox, “it will be nice to get Janine’s energy and presence back in the building.” He also noted the school, with its open floor plan, is handicap accessible.
As far as the future, the couple doesn’t think their lives will ever be “normal” again. Janine and Bernie are both athletic and can’t visualize being involved in power volleyball, softball or slalom waterskiing.
“Both of us realize that we’ve both lost some of our independence and self-reliance,” said Janine. “We now need to wait for help because of our physical limitations. That’s a big obstacle to try to overcome for two people who have been fiercely independent all of their lives.”
Both agree they can’t see themselves owning another motorcycle; the Harley was a totaled in the accident.
But if they should own a motorcycle, neither of them would ever be involved in a rally where any number of cyclists would be traveling in mass. Police officers at the scene indicated to witnesses that Bernie saved himself, Janine and Jeff. His last-minute actions diverted a head-on crash whereby all three would have been killed.
There are plans to resume some kind of normalcy. Janine plans on auditioning for a spot on a premiere handbell ensemble this month. If she makes it, Janine will be playing with Doc Severinsen once again during December 2009 as well as touring with the group in Arizona.
She’s also going to use the C-leg during aerobic exercising and 10-speed bicycling. Mowing the yard and maintaining the house are all things that Janine believes should be attainable. We just have to work towards meeting those challenges and goals, she said.
Part of a plan
The Allens feel that God has spared their lives for a reason and they feel driven to understand the purpose and mission he has planned for them. In one of Janine’s journal entries on CaringBridge.org, she wonders if becoming an advocate for voiceless AK (above the knee) amputees is one reason this has happened to her.
Along the road to recovery, Janine said that four “P” words have become very evident: Pain, Prayer, Patience and Perseverance.
“We aspire to practice and reinforce the last three,” said Janine, “and with the help of wonderfully supportive people, we are able to do just that.”
For more information on this month’s benefit, visit www.janinesleg.com or www.caringbridge.org/visit/janineallen.
|
