Leslie Ashbach

First post: Mar 27, 2017 Latest post: May 2, 2017
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Around 11am on Sunday March 26, Leslie and Brayden were in a car accident. We do not know much about what happened to cause the accident, but know it was a single-car accident. It happened on 694 at Victoria. Her car veered into the cement barriers and into the bridge.  Both Leslie and Brayden were brought to Regions Hospital.

Fortunately, Brayden was in his car seat. He only has a broken right arm and left leg. His arm broke just below his shoulder high enough where it cannot be cast so he is in a sling for several weeks. His left leg broke just above the ankle. This was a pretty bad break (I think it was a 20 degree break) and he has a cast up to his mid-thigh. He has been transferred to Gillette, next door, and seems to be doing well. Derek has been by his side almost the entire time. He has enjoyed watching movies and his chocolate ice cream and happy meal. 

Leslie apparently did not have her seatbelt on. She hit the dash so hard that her left knee was split pretty badly. She also has a broken left femur, dislocated right ankle, broken sternum, cracked ribs, fractured C2 vertebrae and internal bleeding on her liver. 


When Leslie arrived, she was given several units of blood. During a CT scan, doctors found bleeding on her liver as well as the broken femur. Priority was given to stop her bleeding liver and leg. She was rushed into surgery immediately after the CT to assess the liver. 2 hours later, they removed 2 liters of blood from around her liver area (there are approx. 5 liters in your body total) and she required more blood during her surgery.  Her liver was torn in several places. Livers cannot be stitched up as the tissue is too soft to hold a stitch and would rip further. Instead, they pack some special sponge-like stuff around liver and eventually your body stops the bleeding. In Leslie's case, this seems to be working. But, if this fails, there are other ways to stop the bleeding which are more invasive and not preferred. While we wait, doctors are not closing Leslie up for a few days. They will have to repack and assess the liver to verify the bleeding is stopping as well as to be able to clean out the liver area with new packing. This could take a day or up to a week or longer.


After the liver surgeon was done, the Orthopedic surgeon took over. He used the wound in Leslie's knee to insert a rod into her leg to stabilize the broken femur. He also cleaned out the wound and she now requires 48 hours of a drip IV to prevent infection in her knee. This doctor also assessed her dislocated ankle. Fortunately, it put itself back into place, but the stretched and torn ligaments/tendons will need several weeks along with casting to heal. She will not be able to put weight on this foot for at least 6 weeks. In all, the Orthopedic surgeon took almost 4 hours.  He did confirm that her lower legs were not broken at all, which they initially thought.

After Leslie was out of surgery, the bleeding dealt with, and she was stabilized, doctors moved her to the ICU and assessed the rest of her injuries.  Leslie got another CT scan or Xray (not sure) of her head and neck. This is where they found the break in her neck. We guess that the force of her head on the windshield caused her head to snap back breaking her C2 vertebrae. For now, she has feeling in all her extremities but this type of break is very serious and she is not able to move her head for fear it could paralyze or kill her. She is currently having a custom neck brace made to wear all the time. 


Tonight, we pray, we wait and hope for another day of healing for both Brayden and Leslie tomorrow.  All prayers welcome. No visitors at this time. 





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