Posted on 07/29/2017 7:31:49 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Mandy Draper defied doctors after she was knocked off her bike cycling home from work
Less than a year ago, Mandy Draper was in a coma on the verge of dying after being knocked off her bike cycling home from work.
Now she’s defied doctors who said she would never run again by training to take part in a marathon later this year – and she will never take life for granted again.
Mandy, 51, who was born in Birmingham but now lives in Pembroke, suffered head injuries, a punctured lung, broken ribs, a broken wrist and broke her back in two places after the accident.
And following complications from spinal surgery, doctors decided to place her in a coma where her family were told to fear the worst.
But against all odds, Mandy made an astonishing recovery and now plans on running the Birmingham International Marathon – saying that her fitness beforehand may have helped her cheat death.
“Since that day I have been grateful for every new day and will never take life for granted again,” she said.
“The doctors said it was only because of my extreme fitness that I survived.
“He said he had never seen anyone in all his career survive what I went through.”
Talking about the accident, she said: “Luckily for me it all happened so quickly and all I remember is the car coming towards me, and then being woken in the ambulance.
“I was later airlifted to Morriston Hospital where it was discovered I had sustained horrific injuries including a head injury, punctured lung, nearly all my ribs were broken, my wrist was badly broken, the handle bars pierced my left thigh just missing the main artery and my back was broken in two places.
“I have to say a special thank you to the Wales Air Ambulance for their swift response and the surgeons for saving my leg, fixing my arm and my back although I didn’t agree with the doctors who said that I wouldn’t run again!
But despite doctors telling her she would never run again, Mandy is set to take part in the Birmingham Marathon (Image: Mandy Draper) “I was always optimistic, still hoping to go and see my son the following month in Australia who I hadn’t seen for nine years and spend New Year with him, however just hours after having a spinal fusion, I took a turn for the worst.
“I was struggling to breath and had terrible chest pain. It was later found that I had numerous clots on my heart and lungs and was whisked to ICU, where I was put on a life support machine, and I spent a couple of days fighting for my life.
“Doctors told my family there wasn’t much hope of me surviving because there were so many complications.”
The accident happened just four days after last year’s Great Birmingham Run half marathon, an event that she first took on in 2011 following the death of her mother.
It was the start of a relationship with running which she credits with saving her life.
She said: “I took up running in 2010 when my late mother was diagnosed with cancer. I found running really helped me escape and cope with the pain.
“In the summer of 2011 sadly my mum passed away and I remember whispering in her ear before she died ‘I will run a marathon in your memory’ and I will never forget the smile on her face. It was then when I found the Great Birmingham Run in the October of that year and I felt so proud to be running in mine and my parents’ hometown and decided to run it for Cancer Research.
“Since running my first ever half which I have done every year since I have also completed 60 full marathons, numerous sportives for different charities, triathlons home and abroad and most recently after learning to swim only 12 months before, I took part in the Ironman Wales for my 50th birthday and for charity Macmillan.
“My family always used to worry and say ‘You’re exercising too much!’ – now they are encouraging me.
“It has been a long, painful road to recovery, and still have a long way to go, in fact I have had to go in for more surgery on my arm, but thanks to my physio and my titanium spine, I am happy to say I am back running.
“I am honoured and proud to be making Birmingham International Marathon my comeback marathon.”
Dr. Ezekiel “Death Panels” Emanuel (brother of Mayor Rahm Emanuel): Oh, hell. They should have killed her when they had the chance.
/s (maybe)
Great...I’ve been lied to by doctors also...hence my distrust of them.
"...Birmingham International Marathon..."
I think it is a bit of a stretch to say her doctors lied to her. They merely underestimated her ability to recover.
Sounds like she made a full recovery.
Wonderful for her. Very inspiring. Even still, she should take her time getting back into the groove. A lot of neurological details and reconnections that need to be established. Of course, she doesn’t need advice from me. I am far less fit.
I’m sorry, but AM very unimpressed with look-at-me pseudo-heroes like this.
These are her priorities (RUN A MARATHON!!! Rah!!! ) and the superficial outdoorsy-health-worshipping media fawns all over her.
It reminds me of the look-at-me “brave” cliff diver who “unfortunately” misjudged his jump.
They did not lie.
It is fair to say they gave up on her and basically wrote her off.
And many docs do this far too often. They dont have to be unnecessarily optimistic but they dont know the future s they shouldnt decree someone unrecoverable.
To me it’s a lie to tell someone they will never (blank)...when they truly don’t know. They should say they don’t know.
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