Will Mendoza was walking to the parking lot of his apartment complex in Corvallis the night after an ice storm hit the Willamette Valley when he slipped on an icy hill and broke part of his elbow.
Now Mendoza’s left arm is in a sling, limiting his day-to-day activities, and he has been waking up with arm pain.
Mendoza said he was walking to help a friend put chains on his car, but instead ended up in an ambulance headed to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. “I fell backwards, and I was trying to brace myself with my arms,” the Oregon State University student said. “But as I braced myself, the majority of the force went onto my elbow, and it just really hurt.”
Despite a lot of people in the emergency room, intake and x-rays were done relatively quick, Mendoza said, but it was hours before he was seen by a specialist.
Many hospital emergency rooms in the Willamette Valley saw increased visits last week after the snow and ice storms.
Salem Health’s emergency department had more than 200 storm-related visits from Jan. 13 to Jan. 18. In that time frame, they were at 99% to 106% capacity, according to Salem Health spokesperson Lisa Wood.