Jerry Chavez (23) of Shepherdsville, KY enjoys the simple things in life. He lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousins, and works for Lanham Insulation in Simpsonville, KY. “We work with refrigeration, pipes, tanks and insulation. I also enjoy my job, because we get to go to different places, fix problems, and meet new people.”
In his free time, he enjoys action movies, and has a passion for soccer. “I like to watch, play, and practice soccer. We [the employees] get to play soccer with the other employees, with family, and with friends. I practiced every position, and played soccer for about 8 years when I was younger. My favorite soccer team is Cruz Azul in Mexico City. But for the most part, my job is what I do with all of my time. I’ve been there for about two years.”
Around 1:00 a.m. on the morning of December 23, 2023, Jerry was in a motor vehicle accident in Louisville, KY. Jerry has very little recollection of the events leading up to the accident. “I only remember that I was out for a few hours with my friends and cousins. All I remember was waking up, and it seemed like days had passed. I don’t remember the moment of when it happened, the time or location, nothing. Many people have asked me if I remember any of it, but I can’t recall anything.”
Jerry awoke in UofL Hospital, in the trauma department. “I don’t know if the memory loss was from the trauma of the accident, or from the pain medication…I just don’t remember.”
Jerry’s list of injuries from the accident was extensive. “They told me that my jaw was dislocated, possibly broken. They put wires in to try and correct or accommodate it again. I don’t recall much else, but I broke part of my nose. They told me that they did surgery on my brain, and did something to correct the break near my nose. There was something they put by my throat, and I imagine they did this because they needed to work with my face. This was also part of the trach [tracheotomy] they had to put in me.”
“I was remembering my family, and I missed them. I know that my family was praying for me, and that they had people praying for me in church, so I was feeling a little better bit by bit. I was sad and confused about what had happened, especially because I was about to go visit my family in Mexico; I was going to leave December 28th, so I was a week away from visiting my brothers and my mom.”
Jerry was in UofL Hospital for a few weeks, and was discharged on January 16, 2024. He did not require any time in Frazier Rehabilitation Institute.
Recovery was a long and painful process, especially after facial surgery. “They had to put the GI feeding tube in, and they took it out on the 6th of January. From there, I was eating on my own, but it was only soft foods. I only had the trach removed yesterday [February 20, 2024]. So I can eat and take my medication now; the pain is getting better and better, especially with the medication. It’s also much easier to eat, and I’m eating everything! It was a lot of soups, broths, and beans in the beginning, but little by little I could eat meat, tortillas and more.” Jerry feels himself getting stronger by the day, which is a great experience after feeling weaker at the beginning. “I still get headaches, but they mostly come and go.”
After so much time away, Jerry is eager to return to work. “I want to go back to work, but I have to speak with a neurologist over the next month.”
Jerry had nothing but kind words for the UofL Health team. “Everyone was great, very attentive and personable. They were very kind.”
One important factor in Jerry’s recovery was the support he had from his family who came to visit. “My cousins, aunt, and uncle all came to visit me. Some of my family were spending entire days and nights with me.”
Jerry would tell others in a similar situation, “First, to be careful with the little things, even with something as simple as driving. Stay calm and patient if you’re in the hospital, because it’s easy to lose patience. Have faith in God that you will recover, and trust the doctors and medical team, because they know what they’re doing. Prayer was really important in helping me get through recovery, I remember asking for the patience to get through the process. I wanted to be patient, to recuperate, and follow the steps the doctors had given me.”
Jerry already has some big plans in mind, knowing that his recovery is coming to a conclusion. “I haven’t seen my family since September 2022, and I want to see my mom and my brothers. First I have to get back to work, but I’m planning to visit them in July or October of this year.”
Jerry Chavez.
Gentle, Kind.
Trauma Survivor.
