Berkeley balcony survivor hopeful, but says she may never walk

[KamaAina]

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-balcony-survivor-hopeful-but-says-she-6347295.php

One of the seven Irish students hurt in a Berkeley balcony collapse last week that also killed six people said Wednesday she may never walk again due to a broken spinal cord, but expressed hope and spoke of possibly taking up wheelchair basketball....

“Hey friends, just an update to let you guys know how I’m getting on (slowly catching up with the individual messages I promise!),” she wrote. “The fall from the balcony left me with 2 collapsed lungs, a broken shoulder, a broken knee, 5 broken ribs and a broken spinal cord ... Meaning the chances of me using my legs again are pretty bleak.”

Cogley went on to say that she was moving from an East Bay hospital to a “great rehabilitation center” in San Francisco for two months. She said she was happy to learn the center had dog therapy.

She said she intended to give rehabilitation “everything I’ve got. Who knows maybe legs have been holding me back all these years and I’ll realize my talent for wheelchair basketball.”

As it happens, I follow wheelchair basketball in the Bay Area. Who knows? I may get to see her one day!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. She sounds so brave!

I hope she can get the use of her legs again.

[KamaAina]

2. Walking is highly overrated.

I'm sure she'd much rather use a wheelchair than join her dead countrymen.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Yeah, I think so too. n/t

[daredtowork]

4. I can't imagine the terror of that moment

I hope she gets every support and help she needs for her recovery.

This is an unsurpassed evil of big development politics: the players involved have yet to acknowledge their culpability, preferring to see dry rot as an act of God. The fact is these buildings were built for investors and not for people, and that discourages quality work, proper inspection, and maintenance. The politicians involved all rely on real estate, construction union, and developer lobbyist money - increasingly from out of town (even out of State and Internationally) to fund their campaigns and the measures they support. This was the moment that symbolized the city's political corruption, though people won't be able to get vociferous about that until the period of quiet mourning has passed.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. I feel the same.

BTW, that was your 3000th post.......Congratulations!