When 18-year-old Ella Walker, a senior at Tomball High School, suffered a serious back injury in a trampoline accident earlier this month, prom was the last thing on her mind.
She feared paralysis. She’s been studying to become an EMT so she knew the risks of this kind of injury. She was rushed to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center. Once stabilized, she had to endure surgery to reinforce her back with rods and screws.
Recovery is not quick. It requires restriction of movement and a back brace that she must wear, for now, 24/7.
She thought she was going to miss out on prom. But that didn’t stop the nurses and staff at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands from bringing prom to her. An ICU nurse helped her with her hair and doctors even gave her permission to take off her back brace for a short time to put on her prom dress and take photos with friends.
Not only did caregivers fix up a room in the same Roaring 20’s theme as the actual prom, they brought in lights and balloons and her friends and boyfriend to help make memories that Ella hopefully will cherish forever. Then, in a surprise to even those closest to her, doctor’s told Ella she could go home that night.
Ella plans to attend her graduation from Tomball High in person later this month. She plans to attend University of Arkansas in the fall and hopes to one day work as an EMT, a paramedic and eventually a nurse.
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