When a foul ball took David Aird out of the old-timer's tournament, Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Mark Kelley was there when he needed him most
While visiting family in the Copper Country in August, David Aird joined his buddies in the Wolverines old-timer’s baseball tournament, filling in as catcher, against Portage Lake. Not long into the game, he went for a foul ball pop-up and hit the ground hard. His legs buckled and kneecaps dislocated. Lucky for David, Aspirus Keweenaw Orthopedic Surgeon Mark Kelley, MD, was playing on the opposing team and saw the whole thing.
Dr. Kelley assessed David’s injuries immediately, determining that he ruptured tendons in his quadriceps and would likely need surgery. Dr. Kelley recommended he go straight to the emergency department for x-rays and further observation. All the while David was there, Dr. Kelley kept in close contact with the ED physician that Saturday night. David was fully aware of his treatment options and decided to have surgery with Dr. Kelley the very next morning. Dr. Kelley explained everything in detail from his procedure and follow-up care to things to watch out for during recovery. Before leaving the hospital, Dr. Kelley made sure they had his cell number in case any questions or concerns arise. For the next few days, David recovered at his mother’s home in Laurium before returning to Illinois with his wife.
David said the treatment and care he received at Aspirus is a key factor in his recovery. He realizes now how fortunate he was for so many reasons:
“Having Dr. Kelley there on the field was a huge, lucky break for me. Who knows what we may have tried to do if he wasn’t,” he said. “Each person I met at Aspirus was outstanding. I would like to say ‘THANK YOU’ to each and every one of them. If I had to be out of town when something like this happened, I cannot tell you how lucky my wife and I feel that we were in the Copper Country and had the good fortune to be treated at such an outstanding place as Aspirus.”
Pictured below is David Aird at Stanton ball field and later at the emergency department at Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital following an injury during a baseball tournament.
