News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

Sisters man recovering from injury

Bill Mintiens has made a remarkable recovery from

a serious horse accident.

Bill Mintiens, who was seriously injured in a horse accident on June 17, is well on the road to recovery.

"I got a face-lift for Father's Day," said Mintiens, referring to the nine-hour long surgery he underwent after being kicked in the face by his horse.

Mintiens received his injuries while trying to restrain his horse, Tonto. Six-year-old Mackenzie Ehr was sitting in the saddle when the animal bolted, and Mintiens instinctively held tight to the lead rope.

The child, who fell from the horse, received no injuries, while Mintiens suffered from a severe kick to the head.

"I knew something had hit me," said Mintiens of the accident, "but never saw the hoof coming. I remember Michelle Ehr telling me to lie down. And then she started praying."

For Mintiens, prayer has surfaced as the central theme of his accident.

"When Michelle cried out to God on my behalf, I could feel His peace washing over me," he related.

"At that point, I knew that my jaw was broken, and I could actually feel my teeth moving in different directions -- that was interesting -- but I knew everything was going to be okay."

At the hospital, it took three maxillo-facial surgeons over nine hours and eight titanium plates to put his broken face together again.

The doctors patched up a broken chin, jaw bones, a split upper palate, damaged sinuses and the sub orbital bones (which surround the eyes).

"I never felt pain, and it wasn't from shock -- I remained lucid through everything," Mintiens said. "I did experience some discomfort from swelling after the surgery, but nothing like the pain I should have felt.

"I know this was the direct result of all the prayers surrounding me."

The downside of the whole experience was waking up in ICU.

"My eyes were all swollen shut," he explained. "My jaws were wired, and my arms were strapped to the side of the bed. There was no way to communicate -- I thought I was blind. And then they made me drink all my meals through a straw!"

As Mintiens lay recovering in the hospital, he felt the Lord gave him a direct "wake-up" call.

"Or, more specifically, a kick in the head," quipped Mintiens. "One day, I distinctly heard God say, 'Bill, you have witnessed the awesome power of prayer. Your commission is now to tell others about this miracle."

Mintiens' recovery speed has proved incredible as well, with him working from home less than a week after the accident.

He still sees his surgeon for check-ups, to make sure the repaired bones grow together properly, but has resumed his normal activities.

"Because of the nerve damage to my face," said Mintiens, "I don't have a lot of feeling in some places. It's kind of like going to the dentist, but the Novocain never wears off."

He recently shared his story at Sisters Community Church, illustrating the seriousness of the situation with pictures taken by Stu Ehr immediately following the accident.

"The severity of this accident is clear," Mintiens told his listeners. "I could have been killed. I was not taken, I believe, because my witness about experiencing the power of prayer is my commission. I would have preferred Him to use me in a somewhat less dramatic fashion to bring about His will -- but this has been the only way to ever get through to this cowpoke -- 'kick him up side of the head!'"

 

Reader Comments(0)