After farm accident, Beacon patient turns recovery journey into mission helping amputees > Beacon Health System
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After farm accident, Beacon patient turns recovery journey into mission helping amputees

When we shared Laurie Hayn’s story in 2022, she had just been adjusting to life after losing her left leg and most of her left arm in a farming accident. Through expert trauma care at Beacon, determination and a resilient spirit, Laurie was back to farming within just one year.

Since then, she has travelled abroad to Paris and continues to pursue hiking, an activity she had begun just a few years before her accident. And perhaps most importantly, Laurie has discovered a passion for helping other amputees. We caught up with Laurie to talk about her recovery and the inspiring path she has taken from patient to mentor.

The accident

Laurie knows firsthand the dangers that come with life on a farm. Her accident happened out in the field, unreachable by ambulance. Friends and neighbors quickly worked together to get her to a waiting ambulance, which took her to a helicopter and finally to Memorial Hospital of South Bend.

At Memorial, a team of trauma experts was ready for her arrival, and Laurie was quickly taken to surgery. The trauma surgeon’s expertise proved critical, particularly in preventing severe phantom pain. “If those nerves aren’t ended correctly, they’ll just fire 100 times more than they should,” Laurie says. “Having a trauma surgeon on my team is what saved me.”

Within three weeks, Laurie left the hospital and was on the road to recovery. The nurses and rehabilitation specialists who cared for her helped Laurie cope with and adjust to her body and prosthetic limbs.

Finding her people

When Laurie first left the hospital, there was so much to learn. She quickly realized she needed to accept help in order to recover. Determined to live life to the fullest, she connected with a community of doctors, physical therapists, prosthetists and others for care, support and advice.

The Amputee Coalition provided invaluable resources and guidance, inspiring her to help others. Now a certified peer visitor, she regularly visits or talks with new amputees – about a dozen people every year, referred through Beacon doctors, physical therapists, the Coalition and her prosthetist.

“Sometimes you need to see another amputee making progress to know that you can, too,” says Laurie, who is thriving in her volunteer role. “I like meeting new people. I like being an advocate to get the word out. It encourages me as much as it does them. When I can help somebody, I feel a little more like my old self.”

Feeling gratitude

Life as an amputee comes with ongoing medical needs, so she continues to rely on her network of clinicians. She checks in regularly with Dr. Christopher Ketcham and the Beacon physical therapy team to address the muscle issues that come with compensating for missing limbs.

Not only do they meet her clinical needs, Laurie says they truly care about her. Dr. Ketcham has attended Cubs games with the local amputee support group, while Caitlin Vlaeminck, NP, Beacon Bone & Joint Specialists, has shown deep empathy for Laurie’s journey. And when Laurie visits patients in the hospital, she’s bound to be recognized by a former nurse, physical therapist or doctor who is delighted to see how far she’s come.

“To me, that’s what’s most important about these doctors. They care. I don’t feel like a number to any of them,” she says. Looking back, Laurie can’t imagine her journey without her Beacon team. “Without them, I really don’t know where I’d be. I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if I hadn’t had top-notch care from the surgeons and everyone.”

For a Healthier You

When you are sick or injured you not only want answers, you want someone to really listen to you. A listening ear and a shoulder to lean on goes a long way when you are in a scary moment. And that is what Beacon strives to provide, along with excellent health care. Beacon is on your side, working to get you healthy again no matter what you have going on in your life.