Nichole Hall; Dr. Joseph Lewis, Lee Health trauma surgeon; Erika Taylor, trauma survivor network clinical social worker; and members of Hall’s care team at Gulf Coast Medical Center. Individuals injured as critically as Hall typically do not live long enough to make it to the hospital. A rare amputation and skilled care saved her life. Her medical team also credit her strength and her dedication to recovery. PROVIDED BY LEE HEALTH

A Southwest Florida woman who suffered a horrific injury in a boating incident on Matlacha provided an update on her recovery in Fort Myers Tuesday morning.

Nichole Hall lost her leg and parts of her hip last April in the accident, and has shown immense strength and focus on continuing to improve. She joined members of her Care Team at Gulf Coast Medical Center, and thanked all of the doctors, nurses, and staff.

After talking through her story, how despite trials and tribulations of fighting back from the rare amputation that not many survive, infections, and just something as simple as rolling over in bed, Hall shared a saying that one of the nurses told her that hit home.

“One of the nurses actually told me, and I think it was a military saying, ‘You should focus on what you have, and not what you don’t have.’ That was one of the biggest things that helped me. I would actually make a list on the days that I was having a rough day, of all the good things in my life.”

Hall shared some positive news Tuesday, news that will play a major role in her recovery and getting back to a semblance of normalcy.

“I was recently fit for a new prosthetic,” Hall said. “I named her ‘Peggy’ just as a humorous tribute to the traditional peg leg. We try to find the humor in everything. I’m still very much learning how to walk again. But I’m also very determined.

“I’m happy to be here today and share my story, and give hope to others. That certainly would not be possible without my surgeons, doctors, nurses, CNAs and everyone who has helped me in so many ways.”

Lee Health Trauma Surgeon Dr. Joseph Lewis said when Hall first arrived, “It was one of those moments where it was like, ‘Oh my God. She’s alive.”

Lewis said that people who suffered the same injuries that Hall did, don’t typically make it to the hospital.

“I think that is the first amazing thing that happened within the community,” he said. “When we have patients that are so critically ill, we can turn the story around and make a very happy ending. There’s actually no reported survivors from something of this nature.

“She was able to make it to us, and then we were able to take her to the operating room, control the bleeding, stabilize her in the ICU after that, and then do several more aggressive surgeries.”

Lewis looked over at Hall on Tuesday morning, and told her, “I can tell you’re just full of love. And I think that’s part of going through an experience like this and then coming out on the other side and helping people. I think that’s truly incredible.”

The accident happened April 20 while Hall and friends were traveling home after taking part in a charity fundraiser, kayaking from boat to boat collecting money for the good cause.

On the way home, she and a few friends were on a boat of their own, traveling at a low rate of speed in shallow water. There, the boat hit either a wave or an object in the water, causing Hall and two others to be thrown from the boat.

Hall was hit by the propeller.

She was quickly helped by others on the boat.

After a tumultuous 24 hours following the incident, including the amputation of her left leg, Hall woke up the next day and was able to communicate via notebook. After a few surgeries, she was eventually able to stand on her own next to her hospital bed.

Hall underwent a hemipelvectomy, which is a rare and uncommon amputation of the entire leg, as well as a portion of the pelvis.

What demonstrates her positive attitude and willingness to take on anything, her father said when the doctors asked her if she was ready for the amputation surgery, Hall held up the classic “rock and roll” symbol with her index and pinky fingers up.