Hageman recovers from tractor rollover injuries
By Jean Caspers-Simmet
simmet@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 08/09/2010 3:30 PM
E-mail article | Print version
CALMAR, Iowa —Lynn Hageman likes to say his mission in life isn't complete. That's all he can think of to explain why he survived a tractor rollover last fall.
"I feel blessed," he said.
Hageman talked about his farm accident at the recent Progressive Ag Safety Day at Northeast Iowa Community College in Calmar.
Hageman is farm manager for the Northeast Iowa Community-Based Dairy Foundation. He rents his ground to the Dairy Foundation and was moving round bales with an open-station tractor and loader when the accident occurred at 5:45 p.m. Nov. 23.
Hageman was following his son, Aaron. They met another tractor at the intersection and Hageman was watching the two tractors. He didn't realize that his own tractor was veering to the right.
"The next instant I realized I was going to go in the ditch," Hageman said. "My reaction was to turn into the ditch rather than away and I think that saved my life."
The driver of the tractor coming from the other direction immediately called 911 and the Calmar First Responders were there shortly after that.
Hageman's wife, Julie, was the first on the scene. She was coming home from work.
"I remember I opened my eyes and moved my fingers and feet and thanked God I was not paralyzed," Hageman said. "I was very lucky."
The Calmar First Responders rushed him to the Decorah Hospital and then on to Rochester.
The accident compressed his third and fourth vertebrae. Surgeons took a bone from his hip and put it in his back. He also tore shoulder ligaments.
"The doctors told me I would have a complete recovery," Hageman said.
He had to wear body mold, which resembles a turtle shell, for two months. In the middle of January he was able to start taking the brace off for part of the day.
"Slowly I got my strength back," Hageman said.
On March 1 he had shoulder surgery at Covenant Medical Center in Waterloo to reattach the torn ligaments.
By April he had pretty good movement in his shoulder, and May 15 his doctors cleared him to return to work. He worked part-time starting in mid-March.
Hageman underwent physical therapy from mid-December until the end of April.
His family, friends and co-workers were great about visiting him in the hospital and when he returned home. Hageman said he appreciates all the support.
"Mary Steen, continuing education program manager at NICC, sent me a Snickers candy bar and a joke every week," Hageman said.
"I sent him a Snickers and a snicker," Steen said. "This guy has a great sense of humor, and I'm glad he's back."
"A sense of humor helps get you through," Hageman said.
He doesn't have a fear of driving tractors as a result of the accident. The tractor now has rollover protection, and he remembers to hook the seat belt.
He has this advice for farmers: Stay alert. Try not to get fatigued. Take breaks.
Hageman said since the accident he doesn't let things bother him as much.
"There must be a purpose that I'm still here," he said. "That's why I'm talking to these little kids. I want to get the message out to others to be careful."