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When I got the call on my cell phone saying “Barb, come quick – it’s Tessa”, I knew instantly our perfect Family Day ski trip in Fernie had turned into every parent’s worst nightmare.
Our daughter, Tessa, was skiing with her ski team when she collided with another team mate and was thrown head-first into a ski tower. When Steve and I arrived at the scene just minutes later, she was surrounded by the ski patrollers. Seeing her lying there, so still, just gripped my heart with fear. The terror I felt is just beyond words…
STARS airlifted Tessa to the Alberta Children's Hospital, where doctors told us that, based on their experience, even if she were to survive, she would likely never leave the hospital or some kind of care facility.
Tessa had sustained a severe injury to her midbrain, the part of the brain responsible for basic bodily functions, such as breathing and swallowing. It was impossible to believe that this had happened to our beautiful daughter. She had no visible scratches on her. She just looked like she was sleeping peacefully, well, except for the tubes and wires attached to every possible part of her body. But not being able to hold her in my arms broke my heart.
After our devastating meeting with the doctors, we met her nurse Val in ICU, who we are convinced is an angel in a nurse’s body. She did her best to console us and kept us thinking positively. Without her, I don’t know how we would have made it through that first night. She even teased me as I bribed my beautiful comatose daughter with the promise of a puppy if she came home to us. She said “Be careful what you promise – I am Tessa’s witness, and I will make sure you don’t renege”. We will always remember her kindness.
The brain injury team laid out the plan for Tessa’s treatment. They, too, gave us hope by saying they had seen some great outcomes, but they also had to prepare us for the worst. Although everyone was doing everything they could to help our little girl, it was hard to stay positive when we were asked such practical questions as “Do you live in a bungalow or a two storey house?”
Even if Tessa were to survive – it was likely she’d be in a wheelchair. We just prayed and said, “We’ll take her any way we can get her. Please just let her live.”
Tessa spent about a month in a coma. Every day, we would hold her hand and tell her we loved her. Slowly, she began to squeeze our hand back. It wasn’t long before she began making her comeback - which we consider nothing short of a miracle.
This is when the brain injury team went into high gear. And I need to tell you that this team has some of the kindest and most compassionate people you will ever meet. Their intense commitment to Tessa’s therapy brought tears to my eyes on a daily basis.
They began sitting Tessa in a wheelchair, attempting to wake her up out of her coma. With intensive daily therapy, Tessa had to re-learn how to speak, hold a pencil, eat, do up buttons, sit, crawl and stand.
In spite of the severity of her initial diagnosis, I’m so happy to say that with the help of her incredible care team, my incredible daughter left the hospital just seven weeks after that fateful day on the hill. And she walked out…
Now, three years later, Tessa is skiing, playing soccer, doing well in school…and her dog’s name is Marley.
Any family whose child has suffered a brain illness or injury has asked the following questions:
• How can this be happening to our family?
• Why us? …And
• Are we going to get the same child back?
Although our experience at the time was every parent’s nightmare, our time at this hospital allowed us to meet many wonderful people. Our daughter’s caregivers became our family and we quickly learned that kindness comes from many unexpected places.
Tessa's mom, Barb
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