Woman battles back after car crash left her with life threatening injuries
Craig and Jan Knowles reflect on her injuries and recovery after a car crash caused by a tourist almost claimed her life.
The 12 scars on Jan Knowles' body tell a story of survival and battling back from the brink of death.
On January 19, the mother-of-two was critically injured in a crash, caused by a tourist, on State Highway 3 near Motunui, north Taranaki.
French national Stella Oceanne Carvalho was subsequently disqualified from driving in New Zealand for two years and ordered to pay $2500 emotional reparation after being convicted for careless driving and causing injury to Jan and her husband Craig.
Craig and Jan Knowles are settling back into life at home, after a car crash on January 19 turned their world upside down.
Carvalho was travelling behind another vehicle which had attempted to overtake a tanker within a passing lane but ran out of room. However the 34-year-old failed to see the car in front slowing down and veered right to avoid it. She ended up clipping the car in front and crossed the centre line, crashing into the Knowles' vehicle.
Jan was flown to Waikato hospital for treatment after suffering a litany of serious injuries including a ruptured spleen, two broken legs, a broken wrist, fractured facial bones, a fractured pelvis and two collapsed lungs.
Today, the 50-year-old's back in her New Plymouth home after more than two months away, having coped with multiple surgeries and an intense rehabilitation regime at the ABI clinic in Auckland.
Jan Knowles was on the critical list in the hours after the January 19 crash in north Taranaki.
Jan said she had no memory of the first two weeks after the crash and her husband Craig and their two children had to fill in the gaps about what happened to her.
"I'm lucky to be here. It is a huge relief to be home," she said.
READ MORE:
* Family upset over sentencing of French tourist who caused serious crash
* Woman slowly recovering after being listed on the critical list following crash
* Businesses step in to help out as wife fights for life after crash
Jan Knowles, on crutches, battled back from the brink of death but knows it will take some time for life to get back to normal.
Over the weekend, she went out for the first time with the aid of a wheelchair and needs crutches in order to navigate around the house.
At the moment, she can't bear any weight on her right leg and her peripheral vision has also been affected, linked to a brain bleed she suffered after the crash.
For a woman who had a real love for the outdoors, including tramping, skiing and climbing mountains, the limitations on what she can do now are hard to take.
Craig and Jan Knowles are grateful for all the support that flooded in for them in the wake of the crash.
While she has set long term goals, including returning to work, she said she needed to focus each day on her recovery, whether that was putting all her effort into her daily physio exercises or taking rest when she needed it.
"That's one thing I do struggle with as I was such an active person," she said.
"I've never been one to sit and do nothing but I know my body needs to recover."
Jan does see signs in herself that she is getting better, with slight improvements noticed each day, no matter how minute.
"It is improving, it's just going to take a long time," she said.
Craig said due to the amount of trauma Jan's body suffered, the couple were under no illusions it is was going to be a long road to recovery.
He said the whole experience had been an "emotional rollercoaster" for the entire family.
However given how touch and go it had been in the hours after the crash, Craig said he was grateful to have his wife by his side again.
"They say it's been a bit of a miracle really," Craig said.
The Knowles said the support they received in the days, weeks and months after the accident had been amazing.
From the texts and emails full of concern and best wishes, to their neighbours' efforts to mow the lawns at the couple's house in their absence, it all helped and it meant a lot to them.
As for Jan, she remained determined to tackle each and every challenge ahead of her, with the goal of getting her life back to what it was before the crash.
"I am always a positive thinker, 100 per cent."
- Stuff
Comments