March 23 is a special anniversary for Arlin and Mary Jane Severson. This anniversary is of a different nature than what would normally come to mind. It is, however, truly a celebration of life – for one year ago, March 23, 2007, an accident nearly claimed Arlin’s life.
    That day began in an ordinary manner – working around the couple’s rural New Hampton home in the morning, friends, Jim and Judy Arjes coming for lunch.  After their friends left, Arlie (a nickname of long standing) went into the back yard (around 1 p.m.). He had earlier cut down a large tree and while surveying the remnants, noticed a large limb on another tree that needed to be trimmed.
    “I did something that I have never done before in my life,” stated Arlie, a former shop teacher and wrestling coach at New Hampton High School. “I disregarded something that I have preached all my life – safety. I left my safety gear on the ground and climbed the ladder to trim that branch.”
    The limb fell the wrong way, knocking the ladder out from under Arlie, who fell 25 feet to the ground.
    “I was on the ground, flat on my back.  I couldn’t move  and in awful pain,” he related. “Somehow I got my cell phone out of my pocket.” Arlie managed to turn on the phone, enclosed in a case, and call Jim Arjes.
    “I told him to call 911, that I thought I was hurt,” explained Arlie.
    Arjes quickly called Mary Jane also, who went immediately outside. “There he was. I took hold of his right hand and he said not to touch him because it hurt. I went inside and got blankets to cover him until the ambulance arrived,” she said.    They are unsure how long    
    Severson might have lain there, if he blacked out or what took place before he called Arjes, because  the happenings are a blur to him.
    “He talked to me continuously but he doesn’t remember any of it,” said Mary Jane. “He said he thought he bumped his head, and there it was, split open and bleeding.”
    First Responder Tim Phillips was in the New Hampton area and heard the call for an ambulance. He was the first to arrive on the scene, placing a collar on Arlie’s neck and making sure he didn’t move. “He talked to Arlin, just visited with him and kept him calm,” said Mary Jane. “And when the ambulance arrived, he told them to drive into the back yard to get Arlin instead of taking him across the bumpy yard to the ambulance.”
    “The first thing I did when I was able, was to write Tim a thank you because he saved my life. He knew exactly what to do and that made a difference. Even Rochester said it made a difference,” said Arlie.
    Arriving at Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton at 3 p.m., a call went out to the first available helicopter from Rochester, Waterloo or Mason City, with Mason City the first to arrive. By 5 p.m., Arlin was enroute to St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, Minn.
    “When they were putting me in the helicopter, they bumped my knees and that hurt something awful,” said Severson. “But I have never had anything hurt as much as when they stuck that big needle in my chest to reinflate my collapsed right lung!”
    At St. Mary’s, Arlie’s injuries were determined: the head wound which took 40 staples to close, three broken vertebrae in his neck, one broken vertebra in his back, broken collarbone, broken scapula, bruised and broken ribs, bruised and collapsed lung, damaged gall bladder, all on the right side.
    From the emergency room at St. Mary’s, Arlie was taken to the ICU unit and placed in a foam bed. “At 3 a.m. that next morning, the surgeon told me he had a 30 percent chance to survive,” said Mary Jane. By 10 or 11 a.m. that day, Arlie’s chances had been raised to 70 percent.
    The Seversons learned and stress the importance of a Living Will and Medical Power of Attorney.  “We had the Living Will,” said Mary Jane, “but our attorney faxed the power of attorney paperwork to us.  Thank goodness Arlin could sign it or I wouldn’t have been told anything.”
    Mary Jane had notified their family, but Arlin did not want them to come until later. The five days spent in ICU are lost to Severson. “I remember nothing of those days.” Test after test,  hours and hours of X-rays were taken during this time. He was placed in a neck brace and fiberglass body cast, but still the excruciating pain continued, even with pain medication.
    “I would have nightmares,” said Arlie, “and they would have to put the body cast back on me to move me, and I would just scream from the pain.” At one point, it was thought Arlie, experiencing chest pain, suffered a heart attack and was in the heart unit for 24 hours. It was an anxiety attack.
    Arlie spent from March 29 to April 6 in the trauma unit. The second day, he sat in a chair for a short time, then began taking a couple of steps.  Each day, the movement was increased. “Everything they did held in place. I had no surgeries, no broken bones in my arms or legs,” he said, “and that kept me from getting pneumonia in the hospital.” 
    April 6 saw Severson entering the rehabilitation unit where he learned how to be more mobile in the neck brace and fiberglass body cast. “He had to learn how to do everything over, how to move and do things in the cast,” said Mary Jane.
    “The gal in the rehab unit showed me how to move around by taking small steps, then asked me to do it. I did it quite easily and quickly and she commented on how well I could do it. I didn’t tell her that was a coordination drill I used to have my wrestlers do!” Arlie said with a laugh. 
    At times, Severson was angry at himself, became bitter and blamed himself for being careless. Attending group therapy, the therapist, however, explained that it was an accident, that something worse might have happened even while wearing his safety gear, which helped ease Arlie’s mind. 
    “Going to group therapy, we saw others in worse condition,”  commented Mary Jane. “There was one young man who had suffered a brain injury, and it was hard for him to express his thoughts. One day after he had talked, I asked him if he would like a hug. He shook his head yes, and I hugged him.  After that, whenever we met, he had the biggest smile for me.”
     When Arlie could help put on his shirt, use the male urinal, walk up/down some steps, get in/out of a car, and as their home was a one level with few steps and a hospital bed would be obtained for use at home, he could be dismissed. That day finally arrived. On April 12, Severson left St. Mary’s, still in the neck brace and body cast. Those months that followed have been a challenge, as even the simplest, everyday tasks required great effort and assistance.
    “For the first week I slept on the couch to be close if he needed me,” recalled Mary Jane.
    “For the first time in my life, I had a full beard because I couldn’t shave myself,” said Arlie. “I couldn’t shower, just had to have sponge baths for months. Mary Jane had to do everything for me, help me out of the body cast to lay down, put it back on to get up.  I lived in sweat pants and oversize T-shirts. That cast was very hot during the summer months.” 
    “We’ve done a lot of talking, playing cards and games (especially dominos), things to stimulate my brain. At night when I couldn’t sleep, I would pick up a note pad and write. At first I rewrote my will, wrote funeral plans, then as I felt better, I made garden plans, shop project ideas, anything to think, to make my brain work. They checked my brain a lot for damage,” he explained. “I still make mental mistakes, but it is getting less all the time. Little by little I was able to stand, walk, work in my shop, be more active. After having led a busy life, the inactivity has been difficult to handle.”
    This past year has been a trying time for Mary Jane, also.
    “At first I was scared. Scared that he wouldn’t make it, and I just did what I had to do, covered him with blankets, talked to him until the ambulance arrived, etc. Then, after the medical personnel took over, I became angry at him. Then I prayed, it was out of my hands and I hoped for the best,” said Mary Jane. She remained in Rochester with her husband until he returned home. “I went to the hospital at 7 a.m. and left at 9 p.m.,” she said.
    “She has been there for me around the clock since we have been home, too,” smiled Arlie. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without her love and care.”
    The couple has found that their good relationship, ability to communicate with one another, has been essential in handling his accident and recovery, both mentally and physically.
    “We have been able to say anything to each other, tell each other our feelings or thoughts, yell at each other, get mad, laugh, cry.  There have been bad days, times when we have had complete melt-downs and said we couldn’t go on. Then we would find new strength and continue on,” said Mary Jane. “And there have been times when we rejoiced over his progress.”
    The body cast and neck brace came off in August and Arlie was released by the doctors last September. “When I first took off that collar, I was afraid to move my neck. I have found that I don’t have the stamina I once had,” explained Arlie. “Riding in a car is hard on my neck and standing a long time is hard on my back, but everything is improving.”
    He credits having been in good condition for his recovery. “I walked 5 miles a day, was in good shape. I am a downhill skier, don’t smoke or drink.”
    After a time, Arlie began walking at the Chicksaw Wellness Complex, doing one lap, then two laps. Now he walks one and one-half hours every morning and works out in the weight area for 25 minutes.
    The Seversons have closed their woodworking business, now it is just a hobby. In the past, they have worked with 4-H members, with fair projects, and held 4-H meetings in the shop. After taking this last year off, they will resume hosting the 4-H meetings again in April. Arlie looks forward to resuming downhill skiing next winter.
    They are grateful for their good friends, especially Jim and Judy Arjes, for being there to take them for a drive, to talk, whatever was needed, when having bad days and also on good days.  “And there were so many people who came to visit me in the hospital,” said Arlie, “and it is all just a blur, I don’t remember who all came. You just learn to take each day as they come, enjoy every day. I notice and appreciate the little things in life more, and I really appreciate my wife,”  he said, smiling at Mary Jane.
    Mary Jane has experienced some health issues in past years, also. “He took care of me then, it was my turn now,” she replied, returning the smile.
    While the couple will definitely rejoice on the one-year anniversary of March 23, there is another special anniversary coming. Arlin and Mary Jane will observe their 50th wedding anniversary in September.
    “We are looking forward to celebrating! That will be very special!” they agreed.