Riley was like every other normal child, until one day that changed not only her life, but also the entire family’s. On August 5, 2008 Riley and her brother were riding their bikes. We lived on a quiet street with very little traffic. As Riley and her brother crossed the street to meet their friends a car came speeding up the street. Matthew, our son, made it across the street, but my daughter didn’t. The car struck her. I ran to my daughter, but I couldn’t help her. All I could do was pray and cry.
Every limb was broken; she had a fractured skull and internal injuries, but the most damaging and long lasting injury was the traumatic brain injury she suffered. Riley has gone through 24 months of surgeries with more years to come. She has had 8 surgeries to close the head wound. It took months and months for Riley to learn to walk again. The hospital has become our second home.
Since the accident life hasn’t always been easy. Riley can get temperamental and moody, which makes it very difficult to deal with her sometimes. The hardest part has been watching her go through surgery after surgery. I have felt helpless and wished there was more I could do for her.
2. How is your child developmentally the same or different from other children at the various ages?
The physical difficulties my daughter has gone through are minimal in comparison to the developmental issues she has had to deal with. My daughter cannot sit still for long periods of time because of her attention problems. She can sometimes get moody and have anxiety problems. Her biggest obstacle is that her short-term memory was damaged. Therefore, Riley has problems remembering everything she has been told, especially if she is given a long list of things to do. Riley walks, talks, and loves playing with friends just like other girls her age. She is very much like other children her age; it sometimes just takes a little bit of patience.
3. What professionals/agencies do you deal with? What services are available to you and your child? How did you find out about the above services?
After Riley’s accident the doctor suggested that we get in touch with The Brain Injury Association of America. They told us what to expect after her accident. Through research I found out about www.brainline.org. This website helped me to network with other parents who were going through what I was going through. This website also had great resources on ways to help Riley overcome some of the obstacles in her way. When Riley started school I set up a meeting with the principal and her teacher. We all set up an IEP for her, and I work directly with her teacher to help Riley succeed.
4. What financial burden, if any, are you experiencing?
The financial burden our family is going through has been tough. My daughter has accumulated over $3 million dollars worth of medical bills. She is continuing to have to go through surgeries, so the amount is continuing to rise. Thankfully we had insurance, and our church and community joined together to help alleviate some of the cost our insurance didn’t.
5. What other information do you want to share?
I would like people to know that “1.7 million TBIs occurring each year in the United States” It can happen to anyone at any age. People with Traumatic brain injuries do not look any different then anyone else. Many people with traumatic brain injuries can do what others can, some just need some modifications to help them do it.
A Link to my Glog: http://luckytpk.edu.glogster.com/Glog-5963/
I based part of my "daughter's" recovery story off of a real girls story. Her name is Summer Moll and here is a little more information on her if you are interested: http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/505-another-surgery-for-summer-moll
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