Unexpected fall leaves woman paralysed

For the past six months, Verdie Brevitt has been enduring a life of countless challenges, following an unforeseen accident that caused her to lose her mobility.

Now, her only hope of ever walking again is a costly surgery, priced at nearly $500,000. On March 8, while walking to the supermarket, Brevitt accidentally fell in Stony Hill Square, St Andrew. This caused an injury which compressed her spine, leaving her needing a wheelchair.

"I don't know what happen, the road wasn't wet or anything. I just came out a di taxi going across the road and my two foot just give way. I can't tell yuh how I drop, I don't know," said Brevitt. She said that she was taken to the Kingston Public hospital where she received treatment for more than a month. Brevitt did two ultrasounds and one X-ray but the results were inconclusive. Then on June 27, an MRI and CT scan showed the extent of the damage. After visiting the doctor last week, Brevitt was told that she needs an emergency surgery as well as physical therapy if she is to walk again. However, the surgery costs $461,600, money she does not have.

"I need this surgery urgently. I'm going back to the doctor September 2 for them to set a surgery date for me so I have to come with the money urgently, because the injury is affecting my heart and the doctor needs to do the emergency surgery to remove the damaged [section of the] spine and put in an artificial [replacement] to help me to move again," Brevitt explained.

However, since the accident, Brevitt, who was a caregiver for an elderly woman, has not been able to work. She has become solely dependent on her husband who is a delivery driver and doesn't earn much. Brevitt is also the mother of four, and has two daughters who are still attending school.

"I have a daughter just going to Oberlin High School and we can't afford to send her to school. I have another daughter going into sixth form at Meadowbrook [High School] and I can't help her, and it's very challenging because my husband alone has to do all of that," Brevitt explained.

WALK AGAIN

"All I want is to walk again so I can help my family. I want to see my kids finish school and my husband can't manage on his own because school start Monday and my daughters don't finish get them stuff. One need shoes, she need bags and the other one for sixth form, her school fee is $70,000 and we don't pay it as yet," Brevitt added.

Having to depend on others is also taking a psychological toll on Brevitt.

"It really affect me to know that I was a working person and I was up every day. But from March until now almost September I'm just at one place from the bed to the chair, and even if I go to the hospital, my husband has to get people to lift me from the car to use the wheelchair and it's very rough," Brevitt explained.

"Every day I worry, especially because my daughters are the ones that care for me and when they go back to school in September, I won't have anyone to help me and it's really affecting my mental health. I'm diabetic so to take my medication, it kinda rough to find food to eat to take my medication," Brevitt explained.

Brevitt said that sometimes her husband just lays down in bed crying, as the strain gets to him. The same goes for her younger daughter who is 12.

"Sometimes when she see me, she cry, because she don't know me in this condition. She grew up with me okay and now I'm like this," said Brevitt, who said that she is now considering seeking counselling to help her children cope.

She also told THE STAR that she would appreciate any assistance because it would help the entire family.

Persons wishing to assist Verdie Brevitt may donate at National People's Co-operative Bank of Jamaica, saving account number: #37018306.11.