NI woman on ‘feeling stuck in own body’ after horror crash with lorry
A Co Down woman has opened up about a road traffic collision which changed her life forever.
Laura McEvoy, from Newcastle, was driving home from Belfast on October 21 last year, when her car spun and collided with a lorry. The 20-year-old had emergency surgery on her spine and it was found that she had fractured her c6 and c7 in her neck, broken L1 vertebrae and cracked her skull.
In the early days of Laura’s journey, she was told that there was no guarantee that she would ever be able to walk again.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Laura, who is now 21, said the first few weeks after the crash were “a bit of a blur” because of the pain and pain relief she was on.
“I couldn’t move any of my lower limbs and it was scary, feeling stuck in your own body,” she said.
“I didn’t let myself think that I may never be able to walk again because I didn’t believe it, even though no one could say for sure. Incomplete spinal cord injuries are complex because no one can say what the potential recovery is. All you can do is to keep pushing, make the most out of rehab facilities and trust the process.
“I was in hospital for five months and throughout these months of physical therapy, occupational therapy and working on my mobility in my own free time, slowly I was teaching my body to move again the way it was supposed to.
“Certain muscle groups began to come back and seeing the slight improvements were pushing me more and more.”
Laura is now able to walk with crutches and AFO’s (ankle-foot orthosis). Moving is very different now than what it used to be for the young woman, but she has stayed motivated for the future and “feeling positive about it”.
Laura McEvoy during her rehabilitation from injuries suffered during a serious car crash
“While in hospital the one thing I craved to do was to get back on my paddle board and back into the sea,” Laura added.
“I remember saying to myself while still bound to a wheelchair ‘I don’t know how it is possible’. Having amazing supportive friends and family to share these moments with I was able to get back to my happy place out at sea.
“Being in hospital for such a long time it made me appreciate the outdoors in general so much. I missed the positive buzz you get after a beautiful, scenic walk. I missed the feeling post run after pushing your body to the limits and just the appreciation of the majestic country we live in.
“This journey has encouraged me to try new things, I have tried hand cycling, rock-climbing, paddle boarding and many more. The importance of being out with nature is so crucial for our mental health. Mental health is something I am very passionate about and completing these sports for the first time after my injury made me feel an intense sense of accomplishment,
“It also made me feel sad that there are so many people who are maybe scared of trying something so different in case their body or mind may not be capable of it. But you are capable of so much more than what you give yourself credit for.
“From participating in rock-climbing I have met some amazing people who sparked an idea of increasing the accessibility for people with different physical and mental disabilities to increase the quality of life and to overall challenge people to step outside their comfort zone and doing this, great things will follow.
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“I am working with outdoor partnership which is a charity with the aim to enhance people lives through outdoor activity with the strategic approach to create ‘generational change’ where outdoor activities are the ‘norm’. They have a great ‘Inclusive adventure’ scheme that runs in Wales. I would like Northern Ireland to be more like this and I hope to support the Outdoor Partnership based in the Mourne and the Sperrins to provide similar opportunities here.
“I want to raise money to support the growth of ‘Inclusive Adventure’ in Northern Ireland, so that people with a disability have the confidence to give these adventurous activities a go. Activities include sailing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boarding, rock climbing, hill walking, cycling, rowing and many more.
“The goal is to improve people with disabilities engagement throughout the area. Disability Sport Wales reported in 2014 that there is 24% disabled people in Wales, but only 3.4% of them participate in sports and other leisure activities in North Wales.
“This is a passion of mine and to mark a year post spinal cord injury I am wanting to fundraise for this charity.”
On the weekend of October 6-8, Laura, Brady Chambers, Ricky Bell and Paul Kellagher are setting off to the Rathlin Wall, Fairhead on the North coast to abseil the cliff and climb back up again.
Admiotting a mixed bag of emotions for their big challenge, Laura says she is feeling both nervous and excited. She took time to thank those who have been by her side throughout her road to recovery, and to her family, friends and even strangers, who have donated to her fundraiser.
“This is an exciting challenge and an intimidating one and the team and I have been putting physical preparation into this challenge to ensure we have the strength to complete this physically exertive task.
“We will continue to do so and to support the ‘Outdoor partnership’ charity through fundraising. The support from my family and friends has been indescribable, I couldn’t of got through all this without them. Helping me through my physical and emotional struggles. Family can get you through anything.
Laura said the first few weeks after the crash were “a bit of a blur” because of the pain and pain relief she was on
“Friends have been amazing, picking me up whenever I have been down and constantly giving me support in everything I do with so much love and enthusiasm. I have had so much incredible support from hospital staff as well, I have such appreciation for the people who cared for me and also advocated for me, sat by my bedside and held my hand when I was struggling and brought many smiles. They made the five months I was in hospital a lot easier.
“Any time I am nervous for something I always try and tell myself that I am excited because I heard that apparently your body has the same physical reaction it’s just the mentality you need to change. It’s an intimidating one, looking at the images of Fairhead it looks very extreme.
“But I have an amazing team, working with mountaineering Ireland and the outdoor partnership Northern Ireland. I am excited to see the opportunities that this can lead to, I feel there is a massive opening for inclusive adventure in Northern Ireland and I know so many people who would thrive given the opportunity to do so! So watch this space and keep an eye out for events to come post fundraiser.
“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated so far, the support has been so incredible and it fills me full of so much purpose knowing that it is reaching an audience and bringing an awareness to the cause! This could be a game changer.”
Please follow this link[5] to donate to Laura’s challenge.
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References
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