An afternoon of summer fun took a serious turn when Dixie Evans, 10, (pictured above middle) had a bike accident in her backyard.
“One side of the handlebars went into the ground and the other went into her chest,” recalls her mother, Andrea Pruitt (pictured above right).
Andrea, a nurse who comes from a family of nurses, called her aunt as she got Dixie in the car.
“My aunt said to take Dixie to Dayton Springfield Emergency Center,” recalls Andrea. It is located just a short drive from their home.
They got there within minutes and immediately, the care team was working to diagnose Dixie and make her comfortable.
“They took us right back. You could see and hear Dixie’s chest bubbling. They gave her IV, got it in first time and kept her calm, which is great,” says Andrea. It reminded her of a time when Dixie broke her leg and it took another health system’s team five tries to place the IV.
A mobile X-ray machine brought to Dixie’s room confirmed that she’d suffered a broken rib and a collapsed lung. A CT scan also found bruising to her liver.
“They kept me informed every step of the way. It’s a big thing for a parent to know what’s happening along the way,” says Andrea. She adds, “they kept Dixie so calm and relaxed. She was comfortable there.”
Dixie’s injuries required her to be transported to a regional children’s hospital.
“They got care flight there really fast,” says Andrea.
Dixie spent a couple of days in the hospital before going home and has since made a full recovery. Andrea remains grateful for the care her daughter received.
“I’m proud the Dayton Springfield Emergency Center is in my neighborhood. The staff are amazing, kind and sweet.”
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