When 20-year-old Kameron Williams opened the door to his black Honda Civic the night of Jan. 28, 2017, it only took him a few seconds to climb into the driver’s seat, something he had done hundreds of times before.
But as he sped along a stretch of state Highway D north of Butler, everything about his mobility was about to change dramatically.
“The car became airborne and I lost control when it landed,” Kameron said. The Civic flew off the right side of the road through a barbed-wire fence, overturned and struck a tree before coming to rest in a creek, not far from the road, but out of the view of other drivers.
As Kameron lay there drifting in and out of consciousness for seven and one-half hours in below-freezing temperatures, he could hear cars driving by.
Finally, a driver noticed a piece of Kameron’s clothing dangling from a broken tree. She stopped and called for help.
When first responders reached him, Kameron’s body temperature had dropped to 81 degrees. His back was broken in four places, he had a concussion and his lung was partially collapsed. LifeFlight Eagle transported him from that Bates County creek to the Overland Park Regional Trauma Center.
“They didn’t really think I would make it,” Kameron said, “but I did.” Seventeen days later he was transferred to Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Neb., a facility that specializes in caring for patients with severe spinal cord injuries.
“I am paralyzed from the chest down, so at Madonna, they helped me retrain to live my life from a chair and regain my strength,” Kameron said.
After three months, Kameron returned home to continue his rehabilitation, working with the physical and occupational therapists at Bates County Memorial Hospital (BCMH), and with his primary care physician, James Miller, D.O., Nursery Street Family Care Clinic.
“The hospital’s occupational therapists helped me with problems like my balance, and re-learning basic skills of daily living,” Kameron said. “The physical therapists helped me get my strength back, especially in my upper body. They all helped me any way they could. They were awesome!”
“We talked with Kameron about his personal goals and tailored his rehab to meet those,” said Shanya Hedrick, occupational therapist. “For Kameron, that included being able to drive again and adapting to his ‘new normal,’ including assessing accessibility concerns in his home and in public places.”
Jeremy Jones, physical therapist, said it was important to help Kameron strengthen his core and improve his balance so that he could be more mobile. “Kameron has a complex spinal cord injury that required him to learn how to use his muscles in a different way,” Jeremy said.
Dr. Miller continues to stay on top of Kameron’s overall health concerns at monthly check-ups, making sure his patient receives the ongoing medical care he needs.
Thanks to the collaborative care Kameron has received at BCMH, his health is stable, making it possible for him to attend classes at Crowder College’s Nevada campus to pursue a business degree.
“Rehab at the hospital definitely gave me the confidence and the skills I will need to live on my own one day and to be able to drive to classes,” he said. And though it now takes Kameron several minutes to safely transfer himself from his chair to his car instead of seconds, he’s learned to do it.
“I just want to thank everyone at the hospital for all they have done for me. They have thought of everything.”
The community of Butler has rallied to Kameron’s side as well. “I’ll never be able to thank everyone enough for all they have done for me and my family these past few months,” Kameron added. “Butler has raised over $20,000 to help me with my medical bills, and to get a car equipped with hand controls. I’m just so proud to be a part of this community. They have helped make my recovery possible, too.”
Learn more about BCMH Rehabilitation Services on our website: http://www.bcmhospital.com/?page_id=1390
Courtesy of the BCMH Facebook Page