In the blink of an eye, your world can change. Just ask the Allen family of Marion, Massachusetts. Last August, George Allen and his two teenage sons, Jeffrey and Robert, were involved in a devastating collision with a tractor trailer in Middleboro. While all three Allens were injured in the crash, George and Robert's injuries were considered Priority 1, meaning their lives were hanging in the balance.

Father and Older Son Critically Injured
By the time the ambulances arrived at Morton Hospital, teams were standing by in the Emergency Department. Father and son were whisked away into the trauma treatment area, where intial assessments were done. Neither patient was conscious. The father, George, was having difficulty breathing, but it was the 16-year-old, Robert, who most worried the ED staff. They could tell right away that something was wrong in his abdomen and suspected internal bleeding. Fifteen minutes after he arrived at the hospital, Robert was being wheeled into the operating room.

At the same time, a team was working on father George. Because he was in respiratory distress, he needed to be intubated. Staff also suspected he was bleeding internally. He was taken to the Operating Room for exploratory surgery.

The Operating Room team working on Robert made some frightening discoveries. Robert's liver was lacerated beyond repair and they couldn't stop the bleeding. They asked that arrangements be made to transfer Robert to Hasbro Children's Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island where special surgeons could take over his care. Because Robert probably could not survive the ambulance ride and the MedFlight helicopters were grounded due to inclement weather, a team from Hasbro was dispatched to Morton Hospital instead.

A Frantic Search For Blood
Down in the hospital's Blood Bank, staff were working frantically to supply the Operating Room team with the blood needed to keep Robert alive. The blood was seeping out through the lacerated liver as quickly as staff could infuse it into his veins. Knowing the hospital's supply was quickly becoming exhausted, staff began calling around to other area hospitals and the Red Cross. Several local hospitals sent over what they could, and a supply of blood was located at the Red Cross headquarters in Dedham. Hospital staff contacted the state police, who agreed to escort the Red Cross driver to the hospital. In all, it took 37 units of blood and 12 units of plasma to keep Robert alive until the bleeding could be stopped.

Miraculously, less than an hour after Robert arrived by ambulance, the Hasbro team was in Morton's Operating Room working to repair his injuries. Robert's liver ws too fragile to be sewn back together, so nearly half needed to be removed. Following nearly four hours of surgery, surgeons were able to stop the bleeding and stablize Robert enough to transport him to Hasbro. He was still a very sick boy in extremely critical condition but at least he was alive.

In a second Operating Room, another surgical team was working on Robert's father, George. They discovered that he, too, had a lacerated liver, which the surgical team was able to repair. George was taken to Morton's Intensive Care Unit, where he remained for many days on ventilator support before being transferred to another hospital for specialized pulmonary care.

Jeffrey's Injuries Not As Serious
Meanwhile, 13-year-old Jeffrey had also arrived via ambulance. He appeared to be less seriously injured than his father and older brother. Emergency room staff began working to determine the extent of his injuries. Jeffery had a collapsed lung, a fractured pelvis and a minor laceration of the liver, which didn't require surgical repair.

Back Together Again
Following nearly two months at Hasbro Children's Hospital, Robert was finally discharged. His brother, Jeffrey, who had been staying with relativs after leaving the hospital, is also back home. "It's great to have everyone back togehter again under one roof," said George Allen. It's been a long haul for all of us."

Red Cross blood donors help patients just like the Allens in cities and towns throughout New England and across the United States. Please….give blood. Together, we can save a life.

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