Earlier this week, the Today show posted a father’s heart-wrenching story about 20-year-old daughter Andrea Briggs’ recovery from a July 2011 car accident in which she suffered traumatic brain injury.
According to the story, Andrea was riding home from an ice cream shop when her friend and driver attempted to make a left turn and an SUV slammed into Andrea’s side of the car, causing her brain to slam against the left side of her skull. The bleeding and tearing of neurons that allow people to swallow, think, and communicate left Andrea unconscious and unresponsive. She also suffered from a collapsed lung and multiple fractures to the right side of her body.
Andrea’s friend sustained a concussion, but Andrea’s fate was unknown. For several months after the accident, she remained in critical condition in the surgical intensive care unit at a nearby medical center, receiving oxygen through a trachea tube connected to a respiratory machine.
I’m happy to report that almost a year later, Andrea is learning to walk again and is able to stand for nearly 10 seconds without help. She’s also regaining her memory. To read her father’s full account, follow this link: http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/12/12191609-bringing-andrea-back-from-brain-injury-a-fathers-story?lite
Car accidents happen every day for various reasons. To be as safe as possible on the road:
- Always wear a seatbelt
- Pay attention to not only your driving but others’
- Drive slowly and carefully in bad weather conditions
- Don’t text and drive
- Never drive under the influence
- Drive slow in bad weather conditions
- Ensure that your vehicle is in good condition prior to driving.
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