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Cullen comes home

Boy faces long road to recovery

By Holly Neumann


After more than a month in the hospital, Cullen Schachtschneider has finally made it home.

“He still has a long road ahead of him,” said his mother Amanda. “But he will get there.”

The 6-year-old boy’s left leg was degloved in a farming accident on his family farm on Oct. 20.

For the family, their new normal now involves changing bandages and physical therapy twice a week.

“He cries every time we have to change his bandages,” said his father Caleb.

“That’s an understatement,” added Amanda. “He screams at the top of his lungs.”

To top it off, Cullen also has had to have skin grafting done to repair his injuries. His left leg bandaged from the thigh down, his right only his thigh.

Caleb bites his lip and gets teary-eyed as Cullen screams in frustration while trying to itch the donor sites from where the skin was taken.

“Right now we don’t really know what lies ahead,” Amanda said. “As he grows he will need more surgeries and more skin grafting.”

For Cullen this journey has been a rough one.

“Physically he will be OK,” said Amanda said. “Emotionally there are some struggles.”

“He was a laid back kid before this happened,” Caleb said. “This was very traumatic for us all and it’s all hard to explain to him because of his age.”

For now, Cullen has no interest in going outside.

“I am afraid I will get hurt again,” he said. “And I don’t want to go back to that hospital.”

Singing has made it easier for him to cope. The same holds true for his father.

“I just made up a song one day it the car,” Caleb said.

The words sends a powerful message.

“The lord has the answers, all you have to do is pray, hope and love,” said Caleb. “One day the pain will all go away, Pray hope and love is the answer.”

For Cullen, he has only one wish this holiday season.

“I just want my leg to get better,” he said. “I want to run and play with my brothers.”

The family has been amazed by the out-pouring of help and support that they have received.

“People have just showed up to offer help,” Amanda said. “Anything from meals, to help with chores. It has been amazing.”

“You learn very quickly how close the community is,” Caleb said. “Everyone is willing to help in your time of need. I cannot even begin to tell you how much it has meant. Thank you does not seem like enough. We are beyond grateful.”

Receiving mail still brings a smile to Cullen’s face. Anyone wishing to write to him can do so by sending letters to Cullen Schachtschneider, N7121 County Road K, Ogdensburg, WI 54962.

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