Hometown: Arlington, TX
Date of Injury: 7/4/00
Diagnosis: C 6-7 Incomplete
Start Date: 10/4/05
The summer after her sophomore year in college, she was on her way to the movies with her boyfriend when the convertible they were riding in was hit by a car that had run through a stop sign. The impact pushed their car into a ditch upside down, pinning Keith-Ann underneath. The fire department arrived quickly and was able to get her out from the wreckage but Keith-Ann couldn’t feel or move her body. She was taken to Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation where she underwent two surgeries leaving her in a Halo for the next nine months. Her first two weeks in the hospital were spent in the ICU followed by two months of inpatient rehabilitation. She continued with her rehab in an outpatient setting but the progress was slow. During Keith-Ann’s recovery, she managed to prove her doctors and nurses wrong by continuing on with her classes at TCU. The fall following her injury, Keith-Ann was dividing her time between the University and the rehab center. Nine months post injury, the halo finally came off and she began to regain function quickly. Her arms and shoulders have made nearly a full recovery and she was able to support her upper body in a standing position. Her lower body was much stronger on the left side, but by the time she graduated from college she was able to walk across the stage using her left leg naturally, while her right leg was helped along with electric stimulation.
Being a natural athlete, Keith-Ann never settled into life in her chair. She was working out consistently at an accessible gym in Texas when she heard about Project Walk®. She came for a visit and decided to stay. When she first started, her upper body was strong and her legs had a lot of energy, but she struggled to sit up straight on the Total Gym®. She was lacking in core strength and stability. After focusing on coordinating her core with movements combining the upper and lower body, Keith-Ann is now sitting up on the Total Gym® without throwing both arms to the left as a counter balance. Her core is noticeably stronger and her attitude can’t be beat. She works hard every day and has already made improvements after being here for just a month. We look forward to more improvements to come.
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Keith-Ann has been incredibly successful in all that she has put her mind to. She attended Texas Christian University and was an exceptional student, an accomplished athlete and an active member in both the University and Church communities.