Brian Hall’s story is one of perseverance. Injured in an explosion at the biomass power plant where he worked, he had burns over 90% of his body. During years of surgery and recovery, his inspiration was to see his kids grow up. He remained active in the Navy Reserve and has resumed his hobbies, including fly fishing and woodworking.
Brian was the fuel yard and safety manager for a small biomass power plant where explosives were detonated one day to clear a blockage. In the massive explosion that resulted, Brian was enveloped in flames. His boots melted, his shirt burned off, and his hard hat and safety glasses melted to his head.
Brian was covered in burns—65% were third-degree—yet his thoughts were on his kids and his wife, Jean. His injuries were so severe that she did not recognize him when she arrived at his bedside that day. She didn’t know it would be more than a month before she would talk to him again.
“I wanted to see my kids grow up,” Brian says. “They are really the ones that kept me going, when I didn’t want to anymore.”
“Brian is a person of great fortitude. His military career testifies to that, and that helped him rise to the occasion of overcoming this massive injury,” says Dr. Jeffrey Saffle, Paradigm Medical Director. “We know patients can get well and go on to great lives, but only if they get all of the resources, and all of the support that they need.”
Paradigm’s solution was to plan ahead and to outline a course of treatment in order to get Brian back to the best possible outcome. Paradigm took a proactive, team-based approach, including a “boots on the ground” Network Manager, a Director of Clinical Services who acted like a quarterback, and Paradigm Medical Directors who specialized in burns and their rehabilitation.
“We have a series of meetings where we outline the course of the patient, what kinds of treatment will be needed and then the network manager carries that out,” says Dr. Saffle.
Network Manager Diane Davis coordinated care for Brian throughout his recovery process.
“We put all the effort upfront, not waiting to see if you get better on your own,” Diane says. “We want you to get you back to your life.”
That includes the emotional and mental aspects of healing.
“I think when you have such a traumatic, catastrophic injury where your physical presence is so different than it was prior, you absolutely need some kind of support psychologically. I don’t think you can recover with physicians just sewing you together,” Diane says. “You have to heal the heart, the mind, and the body.”
Brian says he can’t imagine how his case would have gone without someone like Diane.
“She had been going to bat for us through all the specialists. My hand reconstruction, which is pretty miraculous, even the hand surgeon said that he was surprised at the outcome he was able to achieve,” he says.
Paradigm’s goal is to ensure the best possible outcome is achieved. The team shares tools and strengths and how to get things done so the patient and their family can care for themselves.
Brian’s Navy family was a great support to him. He says he is humbled that a lot of his shipmates find his perseverance inspiring.
“You go through a life-threatening situation and you start to appreciate life more, and it’s certainly done that for all of us,” Brian says. “Say no regrets, and pay it forward.”
To learn more about how Paradigm can help improve the lives of injured workers, call (800) 676-6777 or email: catastrophic@paradigmcorp.com.
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