A small hole in Neil Winan’s foot started a journey he never expected to take. Neil’s physician diagnosed him with an infection known as osteomyelitis, a serious infection of the bone. The vicious chase to excise the infection led to amputation, which began conservatively but ultimately led to the removal of Neil’s whole leg.
While on vacation in Mexico, Fidencio Minjares started to feel “off” and “weak.” After three days of this sensation, Fidencio began to experience shortness of breath and lost his ability to talk. Then, the strength and function throughout his body faded away. He sought medical assistance from three specialists while in Mexico, but they could not provide the care he needed.
Early one morning, while attempting to get out of bed, Paula Montana tripped over one of her dogs. Paula fell hard to the floor and hit her head aggressively on the floor. Initially, she only experienced a massive egg on her forehead. But as a result of the blood thinners Paula was on, her injury escalated significantly.
Out for a ride on the back of her boyfriend’s motorcycle, Amaya Hernandez and her boyfriend, Brandon, were struck by a car coming in the opposite direction. The vehicle hit them head-on while attempting to pass the car in front of them, an error that would change Amaya’s life forever. The collision resulted in Amaya losing her leg and Brandon losing his life.
The car accident was one of those that would change everything. In the accident, Marlyn sustained significant injuries, including fractures of her pelvis, hip, and left leg. She was rushed by ambulance to the community hospital, where Maryln received word that she would be paralyzed for the rest of her life.
Teah Bautista lives a very active life, working for Amazon, studying criminology, and creating art in her spare time, including painting. But one day at work, everything changed rapidly. In the middle of her shift, Teah began to feel off-balance, overheated, and “all around bad.” She went home, thinking she had a cold or the flu.
Katheleen Demas is no stranger to recovering from back surgery. In fact, if you ask her, she’ll tell you she’s become entirely too familiar. After each procedure, Kathleen worked hard to regain her strength and manage her pain. However, her most recent surgery — her fifth overall and third in just over a year — proved to be the most challenging yet.
For many years, David Chavez struggled with back pain. Seven years following an initial surgery, doctors presented David with the option of another procedure. This surgery, though major, offered the potential to decrease his pain by 75% while also giving him a high probability of walking without an assistive device. David couldn’t refuse such impressive odds and decided to proceed.
Keaton Baker left Iowa to work on trail maintenance in Yosemite National Park. “On the weekends, though you’re still in the wild, you can do pretty much whatever you find pleasing.” On one of those weekends, Keaton was having some fun rock hopping. When he stepped out of the river and onto the shore, a rattlesnake was sitting in the shade, likely asleep. Disturbed by Keaton’s sudden appearance, the rattlesnake bit Keaton on the foot.
One hot summer day, Veronica Cabrera and her children visited her parent’s home to gather and beat the heat. She intended to relax in the pool, but after a short 30 minutes, an overwhelmingly uneasy feeling came over her.
