Colleen Strese

Colleen’s family was camping in northern Wisconsin. They were sitting at a picnic table when it suddenly collapsed. Colleen’s leg was trapped underneath.

Colleen couldn’t walk; it was hard to breathe. X-rays taken in the local Emergency Department in Wisconsin showed no broken bones. She had a minor scratch, but the skin on her leg had turned an alarming white –an indication of a deep tissue injury. 

Deep tissue injury can cause severe tissue damage under the skin, including infection that spreads down into muscle and bone. It might look like a bruise, but can be dangerous if left untreated. 

Back home, at NH+C’s Wound Healing Center, Christina Richardson, FNP, CWON took charge. She and the care team debrided Colleen’s wound weekly, and taught Colleen and her husband Mike how to clean and bandage the wound at home to prevent infection. 

“It was very painful in the beginning,” Colleen says. “Christine dove right in, and thoroughly explained what was going on. Becky [Busselman, RN, BSN] and the other nurses dug right in too. It was gross, but they were amazing.”

Colleen needed extensive treatment. She had seven skin grafts over 13 weeks. 

She had a string of complications, too: an infection, torn ligaments, a blood clot (deep-vein thrombosis) diagnosed via ultrasound that needed treatment right away. The ED and ultrasound team coordinated with Christina to get Colleen on a blood thinner immediately.

“All across NH+C, they help right away,” Colleen says. “The departments work well with each other to get what you need.”

The Wound Healing team also coordinated with Colleen’s primary care provider Dr. Sara Hernberg and specialists including internist Randolph Reister, MD and orthopedic surgeon Hans Bengtson, MD – on standby to assess and mend any ligament damage once the wound healed.

“Everyone in the whole NH+C system works so well together,” Colleen adds. “Diagnosis after diagnosis, everything was taken care of right away. I’m amazed at what they can do. We’re so fortunate in Northfield to have everything right here. It’s very reassuring.”

The Wound Healing Center even coordinated with Colleen’s insurance and ordered medical supplies to be shipped to her home: “They just handle everything,” she says.

“I feel lucky. It could have been a lot worse,” Colleen says. “It was a unique injury. I’m so glad they were able to heal it. Otherwise, I might have lost a leg.”

Her advice for others who have a weird accident: “Don’t hesitate. Get to your primary care provider immediately or the Emergency Department, and get it checked out.”

And also, “make sure you have very sturdy picnic tables.”