Trish & Scott have ATV accident

This memorial day weekend Trish & Scott traveled into Mexico with several friends. They planned a long weekend an hour south of Yuma on the Baja bay. Their friends have a home very near the beach and they planned a weekend of fun including some ATV riding, sun bathing and swimming in the ocean.

On Saturday afternoon, Trish and Scott we riding double on his ATV (which they have done many times before) along the beach. As they were riding along, they approached an unexpected steep berm, and despite Scott's best efforts to slow down, they hit the berm and were launched into the air. The ATV came down on its nose and they were both thrown over the handle bars. Trish apparently landed on her head and seriously injured her back. She was unconscious between 1-5 minutes and when she awoke she had no sensation in her legs and could not move.

An ambulance was called and arrived 20-30 minutes later. The Mexican paramedics stabilized her on a back board, applied a cervical collar and started an IV. They then transported her into town to a clinic. After a lengthy delay, which included Scott's arrest for being involved in a vehicle accident, the authorities agreed to transfer Trish across the border to the hospital in Yuma, Arizona.

After further treatment in Yuma, Trish & Scott were transported via helicopter to St. Joseph's hospital and the Barrow's Neurological Unit in Phoenix. They were met in the trauma room by all Trish & Scott's parents and Scott's sister. Once at Barrows the neurologists were able to evaluate her injury more completely.

We were then told that Trish had suffered a fracture of her spine between the T5 & T6 vertebrae. She had also suffered a spinal cord injury that was causing the paralysis. The entire spinal cord team at Barrows was consulted in the middle of the night and surgery was scheduled for Sunday morning to fuse the fracture in her spine.

Scott had suffered a potential broken elbow on his left arm, and while the x-rays were not conclusive the doctors splinted his arm and put it in a sling. He will need to consult an orthopedic surgeon next week for further evaluation.

On Sunday morning we waited in the ICU for Trish's surgery to begin. At one point I counted 14 people in the waiting room ... all there for Trish. The minister from her church showed up late in the morning with a prayer shawl that had been blessed by the entire congregation at that morning's service. Several friends and every single member of her extended family have been visiting and praying.

About 10:00am Trish was taken into pre-op and made ready for the surgery. We waited almost 2 1/2 hours until the surgeon came out to tell us how everything went. He said that he had installed several screws and rods to stabilize her broken spine. He then told us that while there was a severe bruise to the spinal cord, it had not been severed in the accident. Without giving us any unrealistic hopes, he said that there was a chance Trish would begin to recover some feeling and movement in her legs. At the moment she is paralyzed from the chest down.

As she came out of surgery (and they wheeled her past the waiting room) she wanted to stop and say "hi" to every single one of her family and friends. She said that she is ready to start therapy and will do whatever it takes to recover. She has a terrific spirit and is a real fighter.I am going to wrap this post up for now, even though I know I have left out some critical points. I will use this writing as therapy for myself and also to help fill the time in the waiting room.

More soon ... keep the prayers coming.