Spending most of his career as a journalist reporting on scientific discoveries, O’Brien shocked the industry after revealing he had lost part of his left arm.
Miles lost his left arm after a heavy equipment case fell onto the front part of the arm in February 2014. The injury turned into a highly dangerous condition called acute compartment syndrome (ACS), which led to his arm needing to be amputated to save his life.
Continue reading to uncover further details about the veteran reporter’s incident, and what his life has been like since.
An Unfortunate Event
Miles was on a routine solo trip to Japan and the Philippines to report on the nuclear reactor in Fukushima, and on genetically-modified rice in the Philippines. While packing up some of his equipment, a large, heavy case from Pelican Products fell onto his forearm.
At first the injury appeared as a simple bruise, but it turned into something much worse – life threatening, in fact. He headed to a doctor while in Manila, who almost immediately declared he needed emergency surgery.
Even though the doctor attempted to keep O’Brien’s arm, it wasn’t possible. His case of acute compartment syndrome was too serious, and the doctor had to amputate a part of his arm.
Acute compartment syndrome is a surgical emergency, caused by an increase in interstitial pressure which doesn’t allow the blood to flow properly. It typically occurs after a traumatic event, such as a fracture, but it can also develop after a mild injury.
The condition can be acute or chronic, where symptoms of chronic compartment syndrome can eventually subside. Unfortunately in Miles’ case, the condition was acute, and amputation was unavoidable.
As he described in New York Magazine, it was a “life-or-limb decision.” He goes on to explain his first thoughts after waking up from surgery:
“When the anesthesia receded and I rejoined the world of the living, I was convinced that the doctor had saved it. It was a good thing drugs were still coursing through my veins when I took my first look. No hand. No forearm. No elbow. All of it gone. No, the surgery had not gone well at all.”
As he was on the trip alone, Miles did not tell anyone about the unfortunate event for more than one week – not his girlfriend, children, or anyone from his work.
“All I really wanted to do was manage the pain and think. Maybe I could just heal a little, then sneak back home. You know, denial.”
Life With One Arm
A year after the accident, Miles sat down with Anderson Cooper on CNN to discuss finally telling his kids about the loss of his limb, as well as what it’s been like adapting to the big change.
“It’s been a tough year in many respects. I’ve had to relearn very simple things, you know, how to butter the bagel, or whatever the case may be – tie my tie – all those little things and all that stuff.”
He added, “it took a lot of my time this year, just kind of reinvent how to get through the day, and that was, at times, it made me very frustrated, made me angry. I wasn’t a happy guy a lot of the time.”
Watch the full interview of him opening up about his arm below:
Following his lost limb he began to learn how to live with a prosthetic arm. In the early stages, he was offered a hyper-realistic version of his hand, but he wasn’t too keen on the idea, stating, “I don’t feel the need to pretend or to make my presence easier on others.”
Reflecting on the loss, he said, “losing an arm has connected me to others in a way I have never felt. Yes, I have suffered a tremendous loss, but in a way, I feel as if I have gained much more.”