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George had posted something earlier on this. I believe his wife was participating in the trauma end at a hospital in Ft. Lauderdale. This is from a local newspaper here. HEADLINE: "Local vet survives biggest bite of all" By Bob Arndorfer Luck, dental floss and a handy private jet helped save the life and arm of a Gainesville veterinary surgeon who was attacked by a shark while spearfishing in the Bahamas on Memorial Day. Dr. Wilbur Wood, 54, owner of Westside Animal Hospital, was in serious but stabled condition Tuesday in the surgical intensive-care unit of Broward General Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. He was flown to the hospital late Monday afternoon following the noon attach of Spanish Key, one in the chain of the Bahamas' northernmost islands. "He sustained damage to the upper right arm, but it looks like everything will be OK with a long rehabilitation," said Roy Boles, a Gainesville roofing contractor and close friend who has dived with Wood for some 25 years. Boles, who was diving in the Bahamas himself two weeks ago, was called in Gainesville shortly before Wood was transported to Fort Lauderdale. He said the right-handed vet's arm muscle, tissue and nerves were shredded from elbow to shoulder, and the main artery into his arm had been severed. Wood's two skin-diving companions (sic), one of them a nurse, got him into the boat, stopped the bleeding and sped him about three miles to Spanish Key, the nearest island with an airstrip. It just so happened a private jet was there, as well as a vacationing doctor and another nurse. "The nurse on Spanish Key tied his artery off with dental floss and got him stabilized," Boles said. "He was awake the whole time and, knowing Wilbur, he was probably telling the nurse how to sew him up." Boles said it was unusual for even a small private jet to be on Spanish Key because of its short runway. But there it was, and after Wood was stabilized, he was put aboard the jet and 45 minutes later landed in Fort Lauderdale. "It does appear he has a long road to recovery, at least two to three months," said Chuck Malkus, spokesman for Broward General, where Wood underwent nearly five h ours of surgery Monday night. "However, he is in good spirits and seems to be doing well considering the tragic incident that occurred, and there is hope for a full recovery so he'll be able to continue practicing veterinary medicine in Gainesville." Boles, who talked with Wood late Tuesday, said Wood would be transferred to Shands at the University of Florida today. Boles said he believes his friend probably was surprised by a white tip, bull or mako shark after spearing a grouper or snapper. Wood is too experienced a diver, Boles said, not to have given the fish to the shark had he seen it approach. "We see sharks every time we dive down there, and we're always real cautious and watch each other's back," said Boles, who assumed Wood was in 7 or 8 feet of water when he was attacked. "What we normally see are 6- to 8-footers, and they're usually not aggressive at all. You can push them off with your spear. When they catch us with a fish, we just give them the fish or the spear, whatever it takes to get them to go away. "It had to be a pretty good size one to even bother him. I just don't think Wilbur saw it." He said experienced divers know that jabbing an attacking shark in the eyes or mouth will cause it to release its hold, usually after only one or two bites. "But each bite can last 15 seconds," he said, "and the whole time there's tremendous tearing, biting and thrashing." Wood, who has owned Westside for 26 years, was midway in a two-week vacation when attacked. "Knowing him, he'll be talking about how it ruined his vacation," said Kathy Jones, Westside's office manager. "It sounds like he's got real good chances, though." Wood is described as a very determined man who will heal from his extraordinary encounter with an animal and go on to heal other animals. And play among them. "We'll get him home, patch him up and go (diving) again," Boles said. ______________ End of article ____________________ -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send list subscription requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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