It’s been an up and down recovery for Levi Patterson, but his father said Wednesday afternoon that the past 48 hours his son is back heading in the right direction.
Levi Patterson, 19, was involved in an accident at his workplace, Gibbs Die Casting, during third shift in the early morning hours of April 12. According to information in other news sources, there was a machine malfunction at the plant and Levi was exposed to cyanide, with a temperature of 1,000 degrees, and Levi had chemical and thermal burns.
Levi has been at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after being life flighted there on April 12. Family members have been there with Levi since.
Levi has been through a number of operations and procedures. Early last week, Chad Patterson said they were feeling good about the progress Levi was making. They had performed skin grafts on April 21, taking skin from Levi’s legs and thighs and grafting it onto his arms and chest.
The grafts had come a day after a day of worry for the family because doctors had to perform an emergency craniotomy in which a section of Levi’s skull in the back of his head was removed so that fluid that had built up could be drained and relieve pressure on his brain, Chad Patterson said.
The elder Patterson said doctors found evidence of stroke in six places on Levi’s brain.
Later in the week, Levi came down with double pneumonia, Chad Patterson said. Instead of beginning to make plans for what came after being released from Vanderbilt—such as finding a rehabilitation center for Levi—the younger Patterson was again fighting for his life.
Levi’s oxygen levels went way down, said Chad Patterson, and he was moved from the burn unit to the medical unit and a tube was inserted to help him breathe.
As of Wednesday afternoon this week, Levi was breathing on his own. He has also been moved from the medical unit back to the burn unit, Chad Patterson said.
Chad Patterson said it’s been a day-by-day, hour-by-hour struggle for Levi, but as of Wednesday afternoon he seems to have “taken a turn for the best.”
It’s already been a miraculous journey of survival for Levi, according to his father. It began early in the morning of April 12, around 3-3:30 a.m. After the accident, when paramedics arrived, Levi’s heart stopped beating.
Chad Patterson said paramedics were able to resuscitate him there at the scene and then Levi was rushed to Deaconess Henderson Hospital, where the life flight was waiting to transport him to Vanderbilt.
But when Levi was in the helicopter waiting to take off, his heart stopped beating again and paramedics rushed him into the hospital, where he was resuscitated again, Chad Patterson said.
“So, he died twice,” Chad Patterson said.
After he was resuscitated the second time, Levi was brought back to the life flight and transported to Vanderbilt.
Chad Patterson said that Levi isn’t speaking yet but he does recognize people. He said physical therapists have begun to work on Levi’s leg movement.
Before late last week’s double pneumonia, Chad Patterson said the family had started to look at what’s next for Levi, which will be a transfer to a rehabilitation facility. That was put on hold but now they hope to start thinking about that again.
He said the family is grateful for all the community support—calls, texts, Facebook posts—on what will be a long road back for Levi. He said they’ll need more.
“The only thing we can ask for is as many prayers as we can get,” Chad Patterson said.
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One method people are spreading awareness is through the hashtag #thumbsupforlevi.
Friends of the Patterson family have started T-shirt sales to support Levi and his family. To purchase one, click here:
https://willow-poppy-boutique.myshopify.com/products/levi-strong-graphic-tee
