Even More GREAT News!
Nick was just given good news. He was told that Jamie doesn't fit the mold of most head trauma patients. When the doctors first saw her CT Scan they were expecting the worst. She has improved beyond their expectations and is surprising everyone. They might even have her try to sit on the edge of her bed today. Good job Jamie!
What Happened?
This is a quick synopsis of the events that occurred Wednesday night June 6, 2012. Nick and Jamie Hilton and I went to Hells Canyon to fish for salmon. We arrived at 7pm and Nick got Jamie set up to start fishing while he and I finished getting setup. We were fishing on the culvert which is a large concrete structure that was used to divert water during the construction of the dam (I think). Jamie had her line in the river and her line had a hit on it. Nick instructed her to pull on the line to set the hook when the bobber action occurred. Within a few minutes another hit occurred and told her to lift up to set the hook. Jamie did and stepped back, lost her footing and fell backwards off the platform. Nick watched the fall and called out to her. She had fallen 10-12 feet and landed on her back on two large rocks and slid off onto the ground. Nick got to her first and we began to assess the situation. No blood. No broken bones. She was non-responsive and was not breathing. Nick began to pick her up and she began to breathe again. I told him not to move her but he could not leave her in that condition and but her back up on the deck. After making sure she was somewhat stable efforts were made to get help. 911 was called and the EMT unit arrived from Halfway Oregon sometime around 830pm. Life Flight was notified to be en route and efforts were made for extraction. Jamie was somewhat responsive but had obviously sustained a major head injury. She was put into the helicopter at 1115pm Wednesday night heading for Boise. Nick and I drove to Boise and arrived at 130am Thursday. Jamie underwent a CT scan and immediate surgery to relieve the pressure of the cranial cavity on the brain. A portion of her skull was removed to allow for the swelling. After surgery she was put into the ICU where she has been sedated and placed on a breathing machine. They monitor her progress every hour and have been able to elicit responses from her. Her condition is progressing but it is a critical time.
I will give you more updates as they occur. Thanks for all you are doing. It will be a long road for Nick, Jamie and their family.
