Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/103743
While baling hay on his farm in Cassville, Chad Sturgell stopped what he was doing when he heard his older son, Trey, call for help. Chad found his 5-year-old son, Trace, lying on the ground. "Trace walked behind a horse and it got spooked," says Chad. The horse started running backwards and stepped on Trace. "I thought it was bad. I immediately called my dad," says Trey. Chad drove Trace to Cox Monett. "Every time I would hit a little bump or something in the truck he would scream," he says. At Cox Monett, doctors told Chad that Trace had internal bleeding and the situation was critical. Trace was flown to Cox South Emergency and Trauma Center, where X-rays and a CT scan were completed. After surgery, Trace was monitored closely for a week at Cox South. "The family did the right thing by getting Trace to the hospital quickly," says Dr. Simpson. "Trace recovered perfectly." "The first thing Trace asked when he went back to the doctor for his six week checkup was if he could ride a horse," says Chad. Trace is back to riding horses on his farm and playing with his older brother. Listen to their story at coxhealth.com/trace. According to Dr. Matthew Simpson, general surgeon, Trace had a severe rupture to his spleen and internal bleeding with about 1 liter of blood in his abdomen. The trauma team rushed Trace into surgery. Dr. Simpson removed Trace's spleen, located in the upper left side of the abdomen. The Sturgell family at their farm in Cassville.