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Critical Difference Stories
Changing Lives: The Allison Powell Story
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Allison was an upbeat and motivated 19 year-old, living on her own. She had
a plan for her future and was ready to put that plan into action. But
her plans were changed, and her life changed forever when a casual party ended
in disaster.
Allison was excited about starting school the following week. But before
she get busy with school she wanted to visit her parents, so she made the thirty
minute drive to Middleton. Taking advantage of her trip home, she also visited
on one of her high school teachers and a couple of old friends. When she called
another friend he invited her to an outdoor get-together outside of town. Her
parents wouldn’t be home from work for a while, so Allison agreed to
go along.
The party of teenagers included four boys and two girls. They’d been there a while when two boys climbed in their small SUV to leave. In an attention-grabbing move, the driver spun his truck around, kicking up dirt. But the maneuver went bad and the driver lost control. His vehicle raced toward Allison as she sat in the dirt, legs crossed, chatting with a friend.
Allison remembers the sky going dark as the afternoon sun was blocked out by the SUV passing over her. She had been run-over, but amazingly, was alive and conscious. Stunned and angry, Allison strained to sit up, but couldn’t. The others ran to her to see if she was okay - she wasn’t.
No Joke
There was blood on Alison’s knees and she realized her legs wouldn’t
move. Later, she would notice the burns on her arms caused by the truck’s
hot exhaust pipes, but intense leg pain had all her attention right now. She
then began struggling to breathe and fear set in.
The confused group of teens had no idea what to do next, so they looked to Allison for answers. Even though she was the one who had just been run-over and was overcome with pain, was partially paralyzed and was fighting for each breath, it was up to her to make the next critical decision. It’s likely she made the wrong one.
“I was really scared and thought I was going to die,” Allison recalled. In her disoriented state, her first thought was to call her mother and then go to a hospital. Unable to walk or even stand, Allison was carried to the SUV by the four boys. The tailgate was dropped and she was loaded in and shifted around until the tailgate would close again.
The truck bounced down the dirt road to the highway, then sped to the nearest hospital, West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell. Upon arrival, Allison was only semi-conscious as she was wheeled into the hospital’s ER. On the way in, Allison asked for someone to call her mother - the driver volunteered. The call went to voicemail, so he left a partially descriptive and totally disturbing voicemail; “I hit Allison with my truck and I’m taking her to the hospital.” Her mother thought the message was a joke at first. When she learned the shocking reality, she and Allison’s father rushed to check on their daughter.
Now a Paraplegic
Allison’s partial paralysis indicated some degree of spinal cord injury,
which meant she needed more specialized care than West Valley could provide.
Allison was transported to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise,
and her parents followed the ambulance for the longest thirty minute drive
of their life.
At Saint Alphonsus the full extent of Allison’s injuries were realized. Three broken ribs, a punctured lung, burns to arms and various scrapes and bruises were the least of her problems. Radiology images showed two lumbar vertebrae were fractured and partially dislocated, injuring her spinal cord.
Titanium rods were surgically implanted to restore stability in Allison’s lower back, but all motor function was lost in both legs, and the odds of recovering that lost function was not good. At 19 years-old, with her whole life ahead of her, Allison was now a paraplegic. “When my surgeon told me I was a paraplegic, I started crying,” Allison remembers. “I’d seen paraplegics and the thought of not walking again was really scary.”
The
Question
Allison spent the next month recovering before she’d healed enough to
begin the long road of rehabilitation. She was then placed in the care
of Saint Alphonsus’ Acute Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Treatment
Program. If there was any good news for Allison, it was that her care
was now in the hands of one of the most accomplished rehabilitation programs
in the region, and the only accredited spinal cord rehabilitation program in
Idaho.
The comprehensive team, now caring for Allison, was comprised of specialized rehabilitation nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, neuropsychology support, social services support, chaplain support and nutritional support. Her physician directed care was lead by Michael McMartin, MD, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist with Boise Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. It was Dr. McMartin’s responsibility to navigate Allison’s uncertain road of recovery.
Incremental goals were set to chart Allison’s recovery progress. But even though Allison’s legs were paralyzed, she had been left with hypersensitivity. Even the slightest touch to either leg caused excruciating pain, significantly complicating leg therapy. “Every time they touched my legs I wanted to cry,” Allison recalls. “It hurt so bad.”
Unfortunately, physical therapy was not Allison’s only source of pain. She struggled emotionally with acceptance of her new reality as a paraplegic, and became crippled with depression and self doubt. “I was really depressed and cried a lot,” she confessed. “I asked God why this happened to me.”
Transition
But Allison had a crowd of caring people in her
corner, urging her on. Parents, family and friends provided steady emotional
support, while her therapists, doctors and nurses tried to provide motivation
through grueling therapy sessions and long weeks of recovery. Another source of inspiration was found when
she “met a couple of cool guys” who were also recovering from spinal
injury. Believing the social time would be a benefit, her therapists scheduled
the pool therapy sessions so the three younger patients could have a little
more time together.
Slowly a transition took place in Allison. The depression faded and the once-confident teenager began believing in herself again. The change was so dramatic that Allison became a beacon of motivation, inspiring those around her. Her new sense of purpose toward rehabilitation yielded impressive results. Her progress went from incremental, to extraordinary. The more improvement she made, the more convinced she became that she’d walk again.
A
Walk to Remember
Two months had passed and it was time for Allison to enter
a new phase - it was time to go home. Her physical therapy would now be managed
by Saint Alphonsus Rehabilitation Services in Meridian, STARS. Their goal was clear, to
help Allison become fully independent at a wheel chair level. For the
next year she built up arm strength and endurance, and learned how to transfer
herself to and from her wheelchair.
Her progress was steady, but slow. Allison kept motivated, for the most part, but she wanted more and was willing to work harder to get it. Putting her determination into action, she looked for a personal trainer who would work with her on the off-days from STARS.
She was disappointed when her search failed to turn up any trainers willing to take on the challenge. She was ready to scrap the idea when a call came from a local trainer who had learned of her situation. He didn’t have any experience with paraplegics, but he was willing to try to help. So Allison began working-out at a local health club on the days she didn’t have therapy with STARS. The results of the intensified routine were nothing short of remarkable.
Several months into her new regimen, Allison paid her doctor a visit. With calf-high braces strapped to her legs, Allison grabbed her walker and rolled into his office. He was surprised and pleased with her advancement, but she wasn’t through with surprises. Strapping crutches to her forearms, she let go of the walker and slowly staggered across the floor, all the while reveling in her doctor’s astonishment.
Reflecting on his patient’s accomplishments, Dr. McMartin later said, “Allison’s recovery has truly been remarkable…much greater than anyone ever expected.” Anyone except Allison.
Never Forget
Allison is now 21, and her progress has never
stopped. She has now reached
a goal many thought impossible; she is walking without the aid of crutches.
Having reached all of her goals her therapy with STARS came to end, though
she is still working out. Allison walks almost everywhere now, only using her
wheelchair when “in a hurry to get somewhere.” Allison’s
new goal is to walk without braces, and she’s convinced it’ll happen.
Who can doubt her?
She’s finally made it back to school with fresh career goals. Allison is now considering becoming a counselor; she wants to help others overcome adversity. But Allison has already left in her wake, many changed lives. Those who helped and supported her have been moved by her inner strength and can-do attitude.
STARS therapists have helped countless patients through rehabilitation, as they’ve helped Allison, and each patient is a special story. But Allison was different, she has made a unique and lasting impression. STARS’ therapist Beth Richey commented,
“When I saw her originally... I thought to myself, 'she is never going to walk again.’ I was totally amazed!"
STARS’ therapist Pam Thiry summarized Allison’s impact, “I
was literally blown away. Allison has become an inspiration in my life. She
will always be an example of determination and success in my career – I
will never forget her.”
