Rollen Coomer, The Miracle Man

It was about a year ago when Rollen Coomer, of Fairplay, got up one morning with abdominal pain. The pain radiated down into his groin. He thought it might be pain from his prostate gland but as the day progressed the pain got worse. He then became suspicious of kidney stones. Upon having his urine tested for blood this was ruled out. Even his pain pills would not relieve the pain as it became more severe. He went to the Taylor County Emergency Room where Dr. Jennifer Friend performed a cat scan. The CAT scan revealed he had a ruptured aortic aneurism, which meant the main blood vessel coming from his heart was leaking. His medical condition became very critical immediately and he lost blood pressure rapidly. Rollen was rushed to University of Louisville for emergency surgery for repair of his aneurism. Doctors there, upon assessing his condition and chances told his family that he had a 5% chance, of living and without the surgery he would surely die.
After going through all night surgery it was found that he had, in addition to his aortic aneurism, two aneurisms in his lower groin. For several days, in and out of surgical intensive care, his life faltered, flickered, then slowly the “Miracle Man”, as he was referred to by the surgical team who had operated on him, started to improve. Because of his ruptured aortic aneurism, bypass surgery was performed which ultimately saved his life. The circulation to his right leg was very poor, and he was found to have two (2) aneurisms in his lower body, one down each leg. Eventually his right leg had to be amputated above his knee.
His main problems today are more with his leg than with his aneurisms. Trying to find a prosthesis - an artificial leg - that would fit and then learning how to use it has been a real challenge for Rollen. His main vascular surgeon at the University told them that he had assisted on four (4) other surgeries similar to Rollen's surgery and all four (4) of these patients had died. He spent a month in the hospital and at Frazier Rehabilitation Center.
Rollen's memory is blank for most of the time period after he left Campbellsville and where he was rushed into emergency surgery. His memory picks back up next when he is lying in bed at the University after his leg had been amputated. Fed by IVs through his veins, one of his major problems after getting out of rehabilitation was getting him to eat. His wife, Myrna, states one of her thoughts was, “will he ever eat?" Now, after his recovery and after his appetite has returned, her question is "will he ever quit eating?"
Many Adair Countians know Rollen Coomer. Back in 1950 he left Adair County and went to Chicago where he worked for Continental Can Company, leaving the company to enter the military. After a tour in Germany, he returned to Chicago in 1955 to receive barber training on Skidrow, a fairly rough part of Chicago. He then returned to Columbia where for a decade he cut hair with Johnny and Gilliam Fudge and then later with Travis
Scott and Bobby Loy. All in all he barbered over fifty (50) years. A very opinionated man, those who know Rollen will attest that he is quick to let people know where he stands on an issue. Especially, Democrats like Junior Stotts and Grover Gilpin.
According to Rollen being a barber is a good education. “You learn a lot of information from a lot of people”, he says. For example, he said he knew "more about dogs than almost anyone in Adair County except Earl Huddleston." He and Earl had several heated discussions about their knowledge of dogs and Rollen came away realizing he had met his match.
The son of Arnold and Willie Coomer, Rollen found out, after the fact, that there was a history of aneurisms in his family. Although his two sisters, Carolyn Jones and Vestoria Grant, had not had aneurisms, he had several cousins, including Refus Morrison, who had aneurisms.
Besides his ruptured aneurisms Rollen has had several other major medical problems. He had to undergo balloon angioplasty twice to open blood vessels to his heart and he is the survivor of a severe motorcycle accident in North Carolina in which he broke his neck and shoulder.
His new artificial leg has slowed down his walking and golf game. He has trouble walking up hills, so his days of coon hunting with Shaw Rowe, Coy Coomer and James Helm are over. He says he will miss picking cherries and playing checkers with Bert Stotts because of his leg and because of Bert's recent death. In retirement Rollen enjoys getting out on the golf course, adjusting his swing to compensate for his missing leg: hitting the ball now presents a challenge. He also enjoys spending time with his son, Greg, and with his wife, Myrna Loy, who worked at the Bank of Columbia for twenty one (21) years. He also spends time with Boomer, his nine (9) year old Maltese. He believes Boomer has taught him enough that today he could have a competitive argument with Earl Huddleston about his dog knowledge.
Rollen who recently had his 71st birthday enjoys life and loves to talk to people. He believes the Lord has not yet called his number; he has been given a second and third chance to prepare himself for the great golf course in the sky. And he is ready.