2007 - Memorial Hospital of South Bend

Memorial’s MedFlight ® helicopter was requestedto transport Sarah to South Bend. “They told us thatshe had to be airlifted to Memorial immediately,”remembers Sarah’s mom Mary. “I’ll never forget Aland I standing there watching the helicopter take offwith her inside.”The Talkingtons stopped at home to pick up somesupplies, including a hair tie for Sarah’s famouslylong locks, and headed to South Bend. The family wasmet by the Trauma Team, including neurosurgeonThomas R. Keucher, M.D., who evaluated Sarah andtook Mary and Al into the hallway to fillthem in on what was happening.“He was just great. We couldn’t haveasked for anybody better,” says Mary.“He told us ‘I’m just going totell you how it is. I’m not goingto sugar coat it.’ And he didn’t,which we really appreciated.”Memorial’s Trauma Teamcontinued to stabilizeSarah while thechaplain and othersupport stafftried to keep herfamily calm.Sarah spent two weeks in the Intensive CareUnit (ICU) where the staff monitored theswelling in her brain. While in the ICU, theTalkingtons formed a relationship with staff R.N.Joshua Pennington, who helped the family getthrough the tough times. From the ICU, Sarahtransferred to the Intermediate Care Unit andcontinued her recovery for the next month.“I honestly don’t remember too much aboutmy time at Memorial,” says Sarah, “but I doremember what mattered most to me. My parentscoming to stay with me for the entire day. My dadgiving me sips of his Mountain Dew. My momwould occasionally do it, but not as much as him.”She also remembers her physical therapist comingin to get her out of bed for exercises. “A nurses aidewould also come in every morning to get me up, andthat’s something I wish I couldn’t remember!”“One of my nurses, Amy, was the best. I also reallyliked Josh in the ICU,” says Sarah. “Amy wouldalways remind me when I get out of here, I will getback to my normal life, in time. She even took me ona ride around the hospital and even outside, it was avery warm day that day! I think the both of us had agood time.”(from left) Sarah’s mom Mary, Sarah, and dad Al TalkingtonMary chokes up when she remembers her daughterbeing helped into a wheelchair for the first time afterthe accident. It was a special gift. On Mother’s Day.“You know I still have that hair tie on my wrist,” saysMary. “I put a new one on my wrist each month shewas away from home. I’ve got four of them on therenow. And I haven’t taken them off yet.”“Sarah has progressed from a wheelchair to a walkerto a cane. She’s done so well,” says Mary. “We are allso very proud of her.”“A college friend first suggested I go into medicine, and neurosurgery was the most exciting specialty for me.It is cases such as Sarah’s that continue to make it a very rewarding career.” — Thomas Keucher, M.D.