On April 25, 2022, 15-year-old Vanessa’s life changed forever.
While stopped at a red light in Sacramento, the car she was in was rear-ended by a vehicle traveling 100 miles per hour.
Vanessa was transported to the trauma center at UC Davis Hospital. She was moving her legs, but not speaking. The next day, she could move her jaw but still couldn't talk. When another doctor told her mother, Tina, that Vanessa would not get better, Tina refused to accept it.
The next day, Maya Evans, M.D., the medical director of the inpatient rehabilitation program at Shriners Children’s Northern California, returned to confirm she would take Vanessa for rehabilitation. "Dr. Evans went above and beyond fighting for her," Tina said. "She saw Vanessa's fighting spirit and her strong legs."
When the family arrived at Shriners Children's Northern California, they immediately felt a difference. Vanessa was admitted to the hospital's inpatient rehabilitation unit (IRU), one of the few programs west of the Mississippi specializing in pediatric traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. The IRU is led by physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, including Dr. Evans and Loren Davidson, M.D., medical director of the pediatric rehabilitation program.
"It felt like we came to a family," Tina said. "The therapists, nurses, even the janitors made us feel so welcome. They worked with Vanessa nonstop. They are skilled, talented and professional."
Vanessa had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury and required a hemi-craniectomy. She arrived needing total support to even sit up. At first, when she moved her legs and arms, some thought it might be a reflex. But the multidisciplinary team – including physical, occupational, speech and music therapists; child life specialists and nurses – focused on supporting her healing.
Teamwork and Breakthroughs
For Vanessa, rehabilitation was about relearning everything, so the team got creative.
When Tina mentioned that Vanessa would raise her arms while listening to worship music, the team took note. They used her love of coffee to encourage Vanessa to grab a cup and bring it to her mouth. "Every small breakthrough brought joy and hope," said Pauline W. Ng, MOT, OTR/L, CHT. "It has been a true pleasure to work with Vanessa’s dedicated family and to see her progress to where she is today. The family's devotion and faith continue to inspire me."
Shawna Arsenault, M.D., encouraged the family to focus on the small things, advice that stuck with Tina throughout the journey.
Senior physical therapist Jeremy Yee, PT, DPT, PCS, CNS, started pushing her to do 10% more, then another 10%. He and rehabilitation aide Melissa Perez-Regalado gradually worked to get Vanessa from a cardiac chair to standing, using a gait trainer belt to see if she could support herself.
"Vanessa could not stand or communicate," Melissa said. "Her mom always said, 'My Vanessa can do all things,' and that she did. She left here, taking steps and communicating her basic needs. To see Vanessa now being able to talk, walk, run and dance is really an example of Shriners Children’s team effort. Vanessa is my why."
Occupational therapists like Pauline W. Ng, MOT, OTR/L, CHT, Mary Ann O'Dell, OTR/L, and Jessica Kager, MOT, PPOTD, CNS, CHT, worked on fine motor skills through repeated motions so Vanessa could memorize them again – brushing teeth, combing hair, pressing buttons, counting buttons, eventually upgrading to dressing herself. "They were so nice. Vanessa did whatever they asked," Tina said.
An activity coordinator at the hospital discovered that Vanessa loved to read and would come during her lunch breaks to read with her. Neurologic Music Therapist Ronni Paine, MT-BC, NMT, noticed Vanessa responded to songs. Starting with singing in a single word, Vanessa progressed to singing entire choruses. Ronni, along with therapists Brian Sager, MOT, OTR/L, SIPT, HTC, and Jeremy Yee, would learn religious songs just for Vanessa, singing with her regardless of their own beliefs. "They do it for the patients," Tina said. "Ronni went above and beyond."
