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| -Short Attention Span Theater- |
| Woman Survives Internal Decapitation |
| 2007-05-13 |
| DENVER, Colo. -- Miracles do happen. That's what doctors said about 30-year-old Shannon Malloy. A car crash in Nebraska on Jan. 25 threw Malloy up against the vehicle's dashboard. In the process, her skull became separated from her spine. The clinical term for her condition is called internal decapitation. "I remember the impact and then I had no control over my head," said Malloy. "I wasn't focused so much on the pain. I just kept thinking, 'I have to stay alive.'" Dr. Gary Ghiselli, a chiropractor at the Denver Spine Center, said Malloy's will to survive is what saved her. "I've seen it once before and, unfortunately, the patient didn't make it," said Ghiselli. Five screws were drilled into Malloy's neck. Four more were drilled into her head to keep it stabilized. Then a thing called a halo -- rods and a circular metal bar -- was attached for added support. It's not exactly a pain-free procedure. "My skull slipped off my neck about five times. Every time they tried to screw this to my head, I would slip," said Malloy. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #8 It really needs to made mandatory that newpaper coverage of all auto accidents makes notice of whether those involved were wearing seatbelts. You get all these sob stories about teenagers having their lives cut short only to find out that they were not wearing seatblets when their accident happened. At least they are revoking teenage driver's licenses until age 21 if they're caught driving without one. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-13 21:27 |
| #7 Dr. Gary Ghiselli, a chiropractor at the Denver Spine Center Maybe. Maybe not. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2007-05-13 19:11 |
| #6 I ran a wreck a number of years ago - 2 cars of about the same (fairly large) size, head-on (one probably going 55 or more, the other not so fast). The two people in the car that was going faster and was (technically) not at fault were badly injured; the driver had chest trauma from hitting the steering wheel, while the passenger ended up with her head in the windshield (and died in the ER). The guy driving the car that was (technically) at fault was uninjured; he got out of his car and ran across the highway to a pay phone to call for help. (No cell phones back then; this was also before air bags were prevelant.) Anyone want to guess which one of these three people was wearing a seat belt? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-05-13 17:57 |
| #5 Exactly Barbara. Anyone who doesn't wear a seatbelt is an idiot, who does'nt deserve sympathy. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2007-05-13 13:44 |
| #4 Does this mean the end of my break-dancing career, Doc? |
| Posted by: Dar 2007-05-13 11:57 |
| #3 Don't you just hate WHEN that happens. I hate when it happens too. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-13 02:31 |
| #2 Right on, Barbara! Until mainstream media accurately reports the use of seatbelts, their accident coverage is essentially meaningless. "My skull slipped off my neck about five times. Don't you just hate what that happens? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-13 02:28 |
| #1 "A car crash in Nebraska on Jan. 25 threw Malloy up against the vehicle's dashboard." I wish her a full recovery, but this sounds like she wasn't wearing her seat belt.... |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2007-05-13 02:00 |