On Saturday, February 6, Robin Bunting was enjoying a trip to Raleigh, to visit her family for the day. She came to town to help her loved ones settle into a new property they recently purchased.

A Sudden Fall

Robin was in an outbuilding sorting items to place in the lofts, which involved going up and down a six-foot ladder multiple times to access the space. At one point, as she was heading up the ladder, she got to the fourth rung, and it started to wobble. Cautious of a possible fall, she began to descend, but once she got to the second rung from the bottom, the ladder fell over.

Her left foot was caught between the second and third rung and snapped at the ankle, causing excruciating pain. Her family called an ambulance, and the health care team that arrived said she needed a trauma center and recommended WakeMed Raleigh Campus’ Level 1 Trauma Center.

A Trip to WakeMed Raleigh Campus

Robin says, “I was taken into the trauma center, where every team member introduced themselves. This immediately made me feel that we were all in it together. They allowed a family member to come back in the trauma room which was very comforting. After examination of the wound, they laid out options for treatment.”

They set the leg and then took Robin to a visitor area to wait for a room in Orthopaedics. Robin says, “The wait was very short before I was taken to that floor. I settled in, and nurses explained to me that I would be taken to surgery later that evening.”

Surgery to Install a Fixator

Following another brief wait, Robin was taken to surgery around 8:30 p.m., and the entire surgical team showed up at her bedside to explain the procedure, recovery and more.

After a complex procedure, she was returned to her patient room around 11:00 p.m. where she woke up to see that an external fixator had been attached to her leg. This kept the fracture stabilized. The surgical team had informed Robin’s husband during the surgery that this would be necessary and received his consent.

Taking the First Steps

By Sunday, Robin was feeling a bit better and made the decision to get out of bed and use the bathroom on her own. The nurses were cautious, yet supportive of the decision and were right there to assist to prevent a fall. That small victory gave her hope for healing.

The next day, the physical therapist and orthopaedic therapist came to visit Robin to help her climb stairs and navigate both a wheelchair and a walker. This increased independence meant she was another step closer to heading home. But first, she had to deal with one more setback.

Robin says, “The surgery, originally scheduled for Tuesday, had to be delayed due to swelling, so on Monday evening, I was visited by case management and all of my short term needs were reviewed and discussed with me. The doctors and nurses explained everything that I could and could not do when released.”

Before she was released on Tuesday, Robin’s case manager stopped by again.

”She was just there to check on me as she had enjoyed visiting with me the previous evening. She was not there but just a moment or two, but it was so refreshingly kind that she would think of me.”

WakeMed’s Extraordinary Care

Once she was settled at her family member’s home, WakeMed teams called to check on Robin to ensure she was safe and to find out if she needed any support prior to her next procedure on Friday.

They managed her care from the moment she came through the doors and had the first procedure and throughout her wait for her second procedure.

Robin says, “I want to somehow convey the depth of my gratitude to every single person that had anything to do with my care. From EMS, to trauma center, to floor nurses, to PACU, to PT, OT and case management and of course, the most amazing WakeMed Ortho doctors. I have NEVER in my life been treated with such kindness, tenderness and extraordinary care. I am in awe of everyone and everything at WakeMed.”

About the WakeMed System of Emergency Departments

The WakeMed system of emergency departments is one of the largest and busiest in North Carolina. As a result, we’ve pretty much seen it all. Our doctors are board certified in emergency medicine, are backed by the highest designated Trauma Center available and bring with them the depth of experience that you would expect from the area’s leader in emergency care.

So, rest assured that no matter where it hurts, we’ve got you covered.