8. Reattachment of Both Arms After Tractor Accident
One Saturday afternoon in January of 1992, 18-year-old John Thompson was grinding animal feed on the family farm in England when he was entangled in the tractor’s shaft. Both of his arms were torn off at the shoulders, and being alone with no one to seek help from, he had to rely on his own presence of mind to survive. He opened a door with his teeth, bit on a pencil, and used it to calmly dial his cousin’s number to inform her of the accident. Then, when the ambulance arrived, Thompson even managed to point the medical personnel to the direction of garbage bags and ice to help preserve his severed limbs. By 6:30 PM on the day of the accident, plastic surgeons were working to reattach both of the patient’s arms. As of 2012, Thompson had undergone over 30 surgeries and had regained limited use of his arms.
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