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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'We thought Chas might never recover' | 'We thought Chas might never recover' |
| (1 day later) | |
| By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News | By Jane Elliott Health reporter, BBC News |
| Chas had to fight hard to recover | Chas had to fight hard to recover |
| Chas Cerveny was so badly injured during a family skiing holiday that his family feared he might die. | Chas Cerveny was so badly injured during a family skiing holiday that his family feared he might die. |
| Then, as he came out of his three-week coma, they worried that he might remain partially paralysed. | |
| But today the 13-year-old from Surrey is almost fully recovered and has just started at a new school. | But today the 13-year-old from Surrey is almost fully recovered and has just started at a new school. |
| His mother, Gretchen, said her son's accident had been a completely freak occurrence fluke, but had caused devastating injuries. | His mother, Gretchen, said her son's accident had been a completely freak occurrence fluke, but had caused devastating injuries. |
| Ski fall | Ski fall |
| "He got his ski tips caught and catapulted down to the next slope and he fell on his head," she said. | "He got his ski tips caught and catapulted down to the next slope and he fell on his head," she said. |
| "He was wearing a helmet, but he fell on his face - the unprotected part of his head." | "He was wearing a helmet, but he fell on his face - the unprotected part of his head." |
| His recovery was so miraculous it really was something nobody expected. Gretchen Cerveny | His recovery was so miraculous it really was something nobody expected. Gretchen Cerveny |
| The result was a large haematoma - an accumulation of blood - deep in the brain, which was too dangerous to operate on. | The result was a large haematoma - an accumulation of blood - deep in the brain, which was too dangerous to operate on. |
| "They did not really know if he was brain dead or whether the brain was going to swell more," she said. | "They did not really know if he was brain dead or whether the brain was going to swell more," she said. |
| "The haematoma was like a blood clot and affected the neural connections in the brain. Some of these healed completely; others his brain just had to reroute." | "The haematoma was like a blood clot and affected the neural connections in the brain. Some of these healed completely; others his brain just had to reroute." |
| Chas is back at school | Chas is back at school |
| Chas was in a coma for five days, and then almost a week later while slowly coming out of the coma he was sent home to the UK, from France, for treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). | Chas was in a coma for five days, and then almost a week later while slowly coming out of the coma he was sent home to the UK, from France, for treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). |
| Over the next six weeks, staff there taught him to walk and talk again. | Over the next six weeks, staff there taught him to walk and talk again. |
| "He was paralysed on one side, and he could not speak or eat," said Gretchen. | "He was paralysed on one side, and he could not speak or eat," said Gretchen. |
| "He was like an infant really - they did not know whether he would be able to walk again or write. | "He was like an infant really - they did not know whether he would be able to walk again or write. |
| "He was moving one side, which was a good sign, but the other side was quite worrying. | "He was moving one side, which was a good sign, but the other side was quite worrying. |
| Started to recover | Started to recover |
| "But when he was at GOSH he did improve quite dramatically and quite quickly - just the natural process of recovery. | "But when he was at GOSH he did improve quite dramatically and quite quickly - just the natural process of recovery. |
| "Then they taught him how to walk again, but because he had already learnt it it was a little easier." | "Then they taught him how to walk again, but because he had already learnt it it was a little easier." |
| When he was well enough to leave hospital Chas went to the Children's Trust - a national charity working with children who have multiple disabilities. | When he was well enough to leave hospital Chas went to the Children's Trust - a national charity working with children who have multiple disabilities. |
| He spent four months with the charity at its base in Tadworth, Surrey, learning the nuances of daily living. | He spent four months with the charity at its base in Tadworth, Surrey, learning the nuances of daily living. |
| "At the Children's Trust, he was learning more of the subtleties of existing every day - how to plan a trip to the shower and how to speak to people," his mother said. | "At the Children's Trust, he was learning more of the subtleties of existing every day - how to plan a trip to the shower and how to speak to people," his mother said. |
| HAEMATOMA Haematoma comes from the Greek words "haema", meaning blood, and "toma" indicating an abnormalityA severe bruise that results in pooling of blood under the skin is called a haematomaA haematoma may be due to injury, disease or a blood clotting disorder such as haemophilia | HAEMATOMA Haematoma comes from the Greek words "haema", meaning blood, and "toma" indicating an abnormalityA severe bruise that results in pooling of blood under the skin is called a haematomaA haematoma may be due to injury, disease or a blood clotting disorder such as haemophilia |
| "A lot of his difficulties were subtle, such as picking up the inferences of what someone was saying and being appropriate in behaviour. | "A lot of his difficulties were subtle, such as picking up the inferences of what someone was saying and being appropriate in behaviour. |
| "He had to learn how to interact with people appropriately. | "He had to learn how to interact with people appropriately. |
| "His core muscles were affected so he was quite awkward in his body, and all his movements were a little bit wonky so he also needed help with that. | "His core muscles were affected so he was quite awkward in his body, and all his movements were a little bit wonky so he also needed help with that. |
| "[The Children's Trust] would do occupational therapy and cook with him and see how safe he was. | "[The Children's Trust] would do occupational therapy and cook with him and see how safe he was. |
| "They took him into town centres to see if he could do things like pay for things in a shop." | "They took him into town centres to see if he could do things like pay for things in a shop." |
| Gretchen said she never believed at the start of his four-month stay that his son would recover so well. | Gretchen said she never believed at the start of his four-month stay that his son would recover so well. |
| "We never even imagined that he would go back to school - he had missed a term and a half but his recovery was so miraculous it really was something nobody expected," she said. | "We never even imagined that he would go back to school - he had missed a term and a half but his recovery was so miraculous it really was something nobody expected," she said. |
| 'Fantastic' recovery | 'Fantastic' recovery |
| "He is the most laid-back person, but when it came to getting into that school and back to normal life he was so driven it was outstanding. | "He is the most laid-back person, but when it came to getting into that school and back to normal life he was so driven it was outstanding. |
| "In the beginning we did not know whether he would pull through or walk again. | "In the beginning we did not know whether he would pull through or walk again. |
| "Even after that we were not thinking of normal school - we were making plans to alter our house. But then he kept getting better and better." | "Even after that we were not thinking of normal school - we were making plans to alter our house. But then he kept getting better and better." |
| Sue Walker, an education psychologist with the Children's Trust, agreed Chas's recovery had been fantastic. | Sue Walker, an education psychologist with the Children's Trust, agreed Chas's recovery had been fantastic. |
| "The rehabilitation team at The Children's Trust were delighted with the progress that Chas made while he was on the residential programme. | "The rehabilitation team at The Children's Trust were delighted with the progress that Chas made while he was on the residential programme. |
| "He worked hard and was highly motivated to succeed. | "He worked hard and was highly motivated to succeed. |
| "The team considered that, at the time of discharge, he was ready to return to school, where it is anticipated he will continue to make pleasing gains." | "The team considered that, at the time of discharge, he was ready to return to school, where it is anticipated he will continue to make pleasing gains." |