After car wreck, cheerleader learns to walk, talk and cheer again

“We hydroplaned and strike the retaining wall,” she said. “We had been at a useless halt.”

Then, a charter bus slammed into their auto, correct where by Addison, 17, was sitting down. 

When EMS arrived on the scene, Addison was intubated and taken by Existence Flight to Memorial Hermann in the Texas Medical Center. At the time in the emergency space, Amy Minter learned of her daughter’s several head accidents. Addison’s spleen was also lacerated. 

Traumatic mind damage is a spectrum of conditions, from the mildest form, a concussion, to extreme lifestyle-threatening conditions, said Dr. Ryan Kitagawa, neurosurgeon with Memorial Hermann and affiliate professor at UTHealth Houston’s McGovern Professional medical Faculty. 

When Addison initial arrived at the hospital, Kitagawa assessed the severity of her injury. Her skull fracture experienced resulted in bleeding in and about the brain. 

The focal mind injury, or localized location of hurt, was the correct frontal and temporal spot of the brain. The vitality of the influence, nonetheless, impacted Addison’s entire brain, Kitagawa reported. But surgical procedure was not needed in her circumstance. 

“In several conditions, the bleeding will end,” Kitagawa claimed. “The brain is in a position to dissolve and soak up that blood over time.”

The purpose was to improve problems for her entire body to mend on its have. For instance, preserving correct oxygen stream to the brain was significant. 

Even a serious traumatic brain harm can be handled, and that therapeutic can take time. “It can take months or yrs or even for a longer time for some people,” Kitagawa said. 

A exceptional recovery

A full extend of Addison’s memory has disappeared. She doesn’t remember the rush of the emergency area, the collection of CT scans, the stress on doctors’ faces. “The very first detail I recall was heading to TIRR,” she explained. 

She was transferred to inpatient care at the rehab hospital on Dec. 7. 

In some way Addison recognized that she had been in a auto incident. She remembers listening to snippets of discussions, like her boyfriend inquiring,  “Is she waking up? Is it like a poor headache?”

In truth, she experienced experienced a extreme traumatic mind damage. Her head was hit so difficult that it burst blood vessels, ensuing in a hematoma. She also had multiple fractures to her skull. 

Her injuries weren’t only influencing her memory, but her skill to consider and to transfer. 

Because Amy Minter is a nurse, she comprehended the ramifications of every single of her daughter’s accidents, as they grew to become crystal clear in the ER. 

“I stayed quiet,” she said. “I understood that I desired to just stay good.”

Addison was on a ventilator for 3 times.

“Each day came with different glimmers of hope, like when she started off to open up her eyes or respond to instructions,” Amy claimed. “Each working day, she did additional, and under no circumstances did we have a large setback.”

Nevertheless, Addison experienced shed her potential to stroll, consume and converse. TIRR Memorial Hermann staff members would aim on getting these functions again as substantially as feasible. 

Dr. Stacy Hall, professional medical director of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Plan, remembers very first meeting Addison. Hall also serves as medical assistant professor of pediatric rehabilitation medicine at UTHealth Houston’s McGovern Clinical University. 

At the time, Addison could shift all of her limbs, but her means to stroll was minimal. Her harmony was off, and she still had important cognitive impairment. 

“She would get bewildered and agitated,” Hall stated. 
 
Addison worked with physical therapist Molly Filigrana, speech pathologist Chelsea Miller and occupational therapist Christine Malone. Each working day involved 3 to five hours of remedy. 

“Addison was super inspired,” Corridor stated. “She wanted to get residence to see her spouse and children, her friends and her boyfriend. She also needed to take in her grandmother’s gumbo for the holiday seasons.” 

Addison was discharged from TIRR on Dec. 23, just in time for Christmas gumbo. 

Addison was going for walks all close to the hospital in advance of she remaining. She had progressed from serious cognitive deficit to moderate or moderate, Hall stated. 

“For someone with that caliber of brain injuries to be discharged so promptly is just awesome,” she added. “It was a substantial improvement, and it was truly fantastic to see her changeover. She’s these kinds of a sweet, vivid younger female. It was great to see her character shine via.”

Fantastic to be again

As a great deal as Addison was completely ready to be residence, she was also anxious to phase into an vehicle once more for the to start with time considering that the wreck.  

“I was so pressured about the car or truck ride,” Addison explained. “I hadn’t been in a car or truck for so very long.”

When the Minters pulled into the community, Addison observed all of the cheerleaders on her crew ready in her property. Her brothers Colin, 20, and Carson, 19 — who ended up house from university — and Keller, 11, ended up there, also.  

“When they saw me, they commenced choking up,” Addison reported. 

On Jan. 9, Addison returned to school.  Because it is her senior yr, she didn’t want to overlook any of the unforgettable experiences.

Classmates aided her navigate the halls, aiding her amongst courses. 

The very first 7 days again, there was a University Interscholastic League (UIL) cheerleading opposition in Fort Worthy of, and even even though Addison could not cheer, she even now accompanied the workforce.

“I assisted coach,” she stated. 

The crew placed sixth in condition. 

“In cheer, they call her ‘tiny but mighty,’” Amy stated. “When she places her head to some thing, she’s going to make it happen.”

Which is the way it has been her total time in restoration, her mother said. 

“She’s my hero,” Amy reported. “She has never wavered. She never felt sorry for herself. She’s in no way preferred to give up or pitied herself. That is not been her at all.”

Addison carries on to regain her actual physical ability and her power. She from time to time struggles a bit with her speech, when it arrives to discovering the proper phrases. 

Because of her jaw fracture, feeding on can still be a challenge, and recovering from her ocular fracture signifies she simply cannot cry. 

Addison was topped queen at her school’s wintertime formal in January. The celebration meant so significantly, she said  — her triumph above the setback of the auto crash and her return to school. 

“It feels so great to be again,” she stated. 

Now she’s seeking ahead to prom in April and graduation in May perhaps. She options to begin lessons at Blinn Faculty in the drop.

Presently, Addison’s mind is on cheerleading, a thing she has worked at due to the fact seventh quality. 

“I don’t want my cheer a long time to be more than,” Addison said. “I’ve presently dropped so significantly time because of this.”

She continues to go through occupational, actual physical and speech remedy at Baptist Clinic in Beaumont, the place her mom will work.

“I want to be back again to my regular lifestyle, being me, accomplishing what I like performing,” Addison mentioned. 

She considers her incident both of those a blessing and a curse. 

“I have a complete new standpoint,” she mentioned. “Live lifetime to the fullest. Really don’t choose any person or something for granted, simply because we really don’t know what’s upcoming. And do not give up.”

Lindsay Peyton is a freelance author.