Five years ago, a seemingly ordinary day of snowmobiling took a terrifying turn for Michael, leading to a life-saving Flight for Life helicopter ride and emergency brain surgery at CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital.
"I was out snowmobiling,” Michael recalls. “I didn't really notice anything wrong, although my right hand was getting numb. I told my wife that it must have been tendonitis."
But something was clearly wrong. Michael's speech became incoherent, prompting his wife to call for help.
The diagnosis came as a shock: there was a mass in his brain. The doctor knew Michael needed specialized care and quickly arranged for him to be flown via Flight for Life to CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, a Level 1 trauma center and one of the region’s leading care facilities.
At St. Anthony, Michael underwent an eight-hour brain surgery, a procedure he knew little about at the time. "I didn't really think it would be anything. The idea of having this, they call it a craniotomy, was new to me."
Michael recently returned to St. Anthony Hospital to express his heartfelt gratitude to the doctors, nurses, staff, and Flight for Life crew who all played crucial roles in his care and recovery. The "five-year party" was a testament to his resilience and the exceptional care he received.
"Words can't really describe it," Michael says. "The nurses, my doctor, right on top of it.”
Michael's story is one of hope and perseverance that continues to this day. He's still looking forward to returning to some of his favorite activities - and soon. "
I want to go snowmobiling next year. I want to get back on my feet a little bit more, you know.”
Thanks to the quick thinking of his wife, the rapid response of Flight for Life, and the expert care provided by the team at St. Anthony Hospital, Michael has been given a second chance at life.
“I dodged a bullet there. … I got a new lease on life. I thank every day for that."
Watch and listen to Michael share his story in the video below:
