What Happened?!
You may be wondering what the "full" story is of this incredible young woman. I thought I'd share with you her story.
On Feb. 23rd 2011 McKenna was in her sophomore gym class. McKenna collided with another male student much larger than herself in the head. Let's just say he broke his glasses and she broke her head. She sustained 2 complete fractures to her cheek bone and a concussion. Those symptoms were evident immediately and treated accordingly. McKenna's hit was so severe that her brain bounced not only side to side but front to back as her head slammed onto the wood gym floor. This last blow to the back of her head crushed the 2 main nerves called Occipital nerves and has left them permanently damaged for life. The pain that goes with nerves that have been crushed is incomprehensible. It's the kind of pain that is so intolerable you cannot lead your life. We fought for an experimental surgery in hopes that she would find some relief from this pain even though it included putting a stimulator in her skull. I'm happy to report that her pain on a good day is now a 3/10 instead of a constant 9/10!
McKenna will always have damage to parts of her brain from this. Her central nervous system has been affected to the point where her eyes will not constrict or un-dilate. What that means is that McKenna has extreme pain from any light source. She will have to wear special glasses anytime she is not in total darkness and even at that there is still pain because the glasses can't possible block out as much light as she needs.
She also suffers from hyperacusis. That is also caused by the blows to her central nervous system and involves her ears. She hears at such an acute level that going anywhere outside our controlled environment at home is hurtful to her. If there is a loud noise of any kind McKenna's body goes immediately into a seizure due to shock. This makes her world very small. She doesn't go much of anywhere other than her needed Dr appointments.
Her brain does not want to acknowledge the right side of her world. The Dr's are not quite sure why as they usually see this stroke patients. At any rate, when we go anywhere I constantly have to be on her right side holding onto her so she doesn't fall or trip. I have to add that if you see McKenna out with me she will always have a smile on her face, even through her pain she still want to make someone elses day brighter by smiling at them.
McKenna's eyes to not converge which means they do not work together to be able to read. Anytime there is an eye strengthening exercise tried her migraine goes off the charts and she's in bed for days. Reading was one of McKenna's passions and this has effected her the greatest!
The last but by no means the least are her migraines. For the last 19 months straight she has suffered from a migraine that is a 9/10. Nothing we have tried has helped with this. McKenna has been on a total of 27 different medications trying to control her headaches without success along with many other types of regimens.
We're not sure what McKenna's future looks like at this time but one thing I do know, she is the strongest most courageous young woman I know and I'm so very blessed to be the one by her side going through this with her!!!
