Julie at 18 year of age.
Posted on 02/12/2005 3:56:49 PM PST by stacytec
Brain-Damaged Woman Talks After 20 Years
By ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press Writer
HUTCHINSON, Kan. - For 20 years, Sarah Scantlin has been mostly oblivious to the world around her — the victim of a drunken driver who struck her down as she walked to her car. Today, after a remarkable recovery, she can talk again.
Scantlin's father knows she will never fully recover, but her newfound ability to speak and her returning memories have given him his daughter back. For years, she could only blink her eyes — one blink for "no," two blinks for "yes" — to respond to questions that no one knew for sure she understood.
"I am astonished how primal communication is. It is a key element of humanity," Jim Scantlin said, blinking back tears.
Sarah Scantlin was an 18-year-old college freshman on Sept. 22, 1984, when she was hit by a drunk driver as she walked to her car after celebrating with friends at a teen club. That week, she had been hired at an upscale clothing store and won a spot on the drill team at Hutchinson Community College.
Scantlin still suffers constantly from the effects of the accident. She habitually crosses her arms across her chest, her fists clenched under her chin. Her legs constantly spasm and thrash. Her right foot is so twisted it is almost reversed. Her neck muscles are so constricted she cannot swallow to eat.
A week ago, her parents got a call from Jennifer Trammell, a licensed nurse at the Golden Plains Health Care Center. She asked Betsy Scantlin if she was sitting down, told her someone wanted to talk to her and switched to phone over to speaker mode:
"Hi, Mom."
"Sarah, is that you?" her mother asked.
"Yes," came the throaty reply.
"How are you doing?"
"Fine."
"Do you need anything," her mother asked her later.
"More makeup."
"Did she just say more makeup?" the mother asked the nurse.
Scantlin started talking in mid-January but asked staff members not to tell her parents until Valentine's Day (news - web sites) to surprise them, Trammell said. But last week she could not wait any longer to talk to them.
The breakthrough came when the nursing home's activity director, Pat Rincon, was working with Scantlin and a small group of other patients, trying to get them to speak.
Rincon had her back to Scantlin while she worked with another resident. She had just gotten that resident to reply "OK," when she suddenly heard Sarah behind her also repeat the words: "OK. OK."
Staff members brought in a speech therapist and intensified their work with Sarah. They did not want to get her parents' hopes up until they were sure Sarah would not relapse, Trammell said.
Scantlin's doctor, Bradley Scheel, said physicians are not sure why she suddenly began talking but believe critical pathways in the brain may have regenerated.
"It is extremely unusual to see something like this happen," Scheel said.
Jim Scantlin understands that Sarah will probably never leave the health care center, but he is grateful for her improvement.
"This place is her home ... They have given me my daughter back," he said.
"I'm going to miss the A-Team, quick!"
No entiendo. :|
God is good!
After 20 years Sarah Scantlin, a brain damaged woman speaks!
The article notes that therapists were working extensively with this woman. Also that she cannot swallow so requires a feeding tube.
I hope that Terri's parents and their legal team can cite this case to save Terri from the death sentence Michael Schiavo wants to give her.
I haven't been watching much TV, but Greta should get these people on the show ASAP.
Julie at 18 year of age.
Dobson Asserts Terri Schiavo's Right to Life; Sarah Scantlin's Story is Further Proof that Schiavo Should be Protected
Fri Feb 11, 3:50 PM ET
To: National Desk
Contact: Christopher Norfleet of Focus on the Family, 719-548-4570 or culturalissues@family.org
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Feb. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Focus on the Family Founder and Chairman Dr. James C. Dobson today renewed his call for the preservation of the life of Terri Shiavo, citing the miraculous return of Sarah Scantlin's memory and ability to speak, 20 years after being struck by a drunk driver:
"Terri Schiavo deserves the same chance at life that Sarah Scantlin was given. Both cases have involved women who suffered debilitating injuries and continued to live in a disabled state. Today we celebrate the news that Ms. Scantlin has regained her memory and ability to speak, and is apparently on the road to recovery.
snip
http://www.usnewswire.com
Her family was on an early morning show recently
Sarah's father told The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith in a separate interview that his daughter had been "basically unresponsive, in the regular sense of the word 'alert.' She was able to do eye contact and was very aware of her surroundings, but otherwise, physically, she was completely incapable of doing anything."
Sarah's mother, Betsy Scantlin, says Sarah actually started to make some noises a couple of years ago. "We didn't have any idea what that meant," she said to Smith. "We just knew it was a noise that she hadn't made for 18 years, and the people -- it's kind of like having a baby. You kind of learn to know the sounds, and they could kind of tell whether she wanted her TV changed or she was hurting or something, but otherwise, nothing."
Jim recounted the phone call he and Betsy got, informing them of the unimaginable: "It was amazing. I'm in the living room. Betsy was in the computer area, and the phone rings, and I'm immediately aware that it's the nursing home…where (Sarah) resides.
"And suddenly, I'm aware that there's a profound, distinct difference. Rather than speaking about Sarah, it became very clear she was speaking to Sarah. It was the most amazing feeling in the world."
Besty says she's "still stunned" to be hearing Sarah's voice again. "There's just no words. Twenty years ago, I cried a lot. This week, all I've done is laugh because, when I heard her say, 'Hi Mom,' I said, 'Sarah, is that you?' And she said, 'Yeah.' And all I can do is just say -- I've just laughed ever since, because it's just so amazing."
What's more, Jim says Sarah is showing "uncanny recall. It's amazing how -- considering how severe and profound her injury was, her ability to recall -- it's astonishing."
snip
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/12/earlyshow/main673707.shtml
Study is the key, for sure. I was also thiking that if the use of adult stem cells could be used to speed up the repair of the neurons, maybe recovery times for accidents like this won't take decades.
Unfortunately if a lot of people don't act people are going to get away with murdering her but they won't call it that.
Bump.
I hope so too.
This is good news. If more people miraculously recover, the decision to kill her would definitely come into question.
Amen. I wish there's something I can do, but I'm way over in MA, very far from the action.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
