Erin’s Story

Site created on September 2, 2021

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting.

On Sunday, August 22nd I had a life changing accident. While using a power saw I lost control of the machine and cut off 3 fingers (middle, ring and pinky) on my left hand. I was very lucky to have my brother's girlfriend, Hannah with her who is a trained EMT who immediately helped get me stable and stop the bleeding.

I was transported to North Memorial by a helicopter that landed on Hwy 11 near Longville and brought her to the hospital for an emergency surgery to try and save my fingers. The doctor was able to re-attach her middle finger but the ring and pinky finger were unable to be saved. I learned today that the re-attachment did not take and my middle finger will need to be amputated. 

Thank you all for your generous donations on the Go Fund Me to help put our 2 year old daughter Clara in childcare, and help with food and necessities as I recover. 

Heather encouraged me to start this Caring Bridge to document my journey to recovery and also keep you all updated on my progress. I know there will be good days and bad - throughout all of this I am thankful for all of the outpouring of love and support. I will try to update this Journal often.  

Erin 

Newest Update

Journal entry by Erin Koegel

I got my bandages off and the pins removed from my index finger on Monday. Let me just say that getting pins removed was not pleasant! I go back on Monday to get the rest of my stitches out. I think I will be done with the doctor and just seeing the hand therapist after those last stitches get removed. 

Everyone says my hand is healing really well. The skin on it was pretty gnarly but it looks way better after a few days. The entire hand is really sensitive so my physical therapy has been to try and desensitize it through touch. It is getting better but still hurts quite a bit (especially if I hit it on something!).

Clara has been loving being back in daycare. It is amazing the amount of sand she brings home everyday! Right now she is obsessed with wearing dresses and calling herself a princess! Today she sat in the lazyboy while dad fed her dinner so she isn't wrong! 
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