An Officer’s Life Saved
Days after a near-fatal gunshot wound, patrolman Andrew Beky was home with family
‘There’s no place like home‘
Following an eight-day hospitalization for a near-fatal gunshot wound, the first thing Allentown patrolman Andrew Beky did was lay silent in bed holding his wife, Gena, and son.
No day is routine for a member of law enforcement. Such was the case for patrolman Andrew Beky of the Allentown Police Department last Oct. 27. Just after midnight, Beky entered a S. Madison Street home to search for a cell phone linked to a homicide. That’s when gunfire erupted.
Beky was shot just above his bulletproof vest in the left shoulder. He thought the bullet had hit his heart. He tried to stay calm while a fellow officer radioed for an ambulance, but couldn’t help thinking he was going to die. In two minutes, paramedics Bob Norder and Ron Gunns were on the scene to transfer the 31-year old policeman, husband and father to LVH–Cedar Crest.
There, core trauma nurse Cheryl Lansenderfer, R.N., just finished caring for another critical trauma patient and received word that Beky was on his way. “We do everything we possibly can for all our patients,” she says. “But when I heard it was a policeman shot in the line of duty, it just felt…different.”
Beky arrived at the hospital less than 15 minutes after being shot. He had no blood pressure and was in a coma. He was bleeding internally. “X-rays showed the bullet had lodged millimeters from his heart,” says trauma surgeon Robert Barraco, M.D., “At this point, we knew we had to operate.”
Barraco, along with surgical residents David Grossman, M.D., and Paul Cesanek, M.D., opened Beky’s chest. With blood entering his chest cavity and bullet wounds to his shoulder, lung, back and hand, Beky’s condition was very serious. “The bullet was millimeters away from causing a fatal injury,” Barraco says. “The good news was that none of the bullet wounds affected major blood vessels.”
To prevent brain damage, the trauma team clamped Beky’s aorta to keep blood in his head and heart while cardiothoracic surgeons Ted Phillips, M.D., and Michael Szwerc, M.D., worked to repair the injuries. An hour-and-a-half later, surgery was complete. Beky was brought to the trauma-neuro intensive care unit, where Kelli Martin, R.N., cared for him. There, she and her nursing colleagues inspected his IV lines, airway, chest tube and incision dressing. They did tests to check for internal bleeding or the need for blood or fluid replacement. “When he started to wake up, we did a thorough neurologic assessment,” Martin says. “We also gave him pain medication so he would be comfortable until he was weaned off the ventilator.”
On Sunday, Beky was able to breathe on his own. “I remember getting out of bed and walking, and being transferred to another hospital room,” he says. He was moved to the transitional trauma unit (TTU), where so many officers came to offer their support, the waiting room was full at times. He stayed on TTU until he was discharged Saturday.
On Monday, only 11 days after being shot, Beky returned to LVH–Cedar Crest to thank his caregivers. “Without them I wouldn’t be alive,” he says. While he works toward a full recovery, Beky plans to spend time with his family. He hasn’t yet decided if he will return to the police force, but he is certain about one thing: “I have a new perspective on life,” he says. “I’m very blessed to be alive.”
What Andrew Beky’s Caregivers Will Remember
Bob Norder - Allentown paramedic
“After we got him to the hospital, I was exhausted. I felt like I just played the game of my career in the Super Bowl. Knowing he’s alive today is my Super Bowl ring.”
Robert Barraco, M.D. - trauma surgeon
“The trauma system worked beautifully. Andrew’s recovery was incredible. It’s a testament to his good health and the outpouring of support he received from his family and the community.”
Cheryl Lansenderfer, R.N. - core trauma nurse
“Andrew is the reason we write protocols. He’s the reason we practice and prepare for every situation. When he arrived, we were ready, and everything fell into place.”
Kelli Martin, R.N. - trauma-neuro intensive care unit nurse
“Andrew’s family and friends played an important role in his recovery. They not only offered support, they did a great job updating his colleagues about his condition.”
This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM
