On September 6, 2024, Sue Pullins was enjoying an Italian vacation with friends when, during a hike in the Dolomites, she misstepped and fell 65 feet down the slope of the mountain.
“I don’t have any memory of how it happened,” said the 70-year-old. “My friends called emergency services, and I was airlifted to a trauma center near the area and was placed in a medically induced coma on the flight.”
In the trauma center in Italy, Sue had a heart attack, and to help manage her breathing, underwent an emergency tracheostomy – a procedure to help air and oxygen reach the lungs by creating an opening in the trachea from outside the neck.
As a result of the fall, Sue suffered from a severe traumatic brain injury, spine fractures, cardiac arrest, several brain hemorrhages, and other major medical conditions.
When her husband heard of what happened, he requested that she be transferred to The Valley Hospital. On September 24, she was airlifted across the world to Paramus, New Jersey.
“I was unconscious this entire time. In fact, I didn’t wake up until a week before I even left the hospital,” said Sue.
Sue remained in The Valley Hospital for three weeks. During her care, she met with cardiologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, neurosurgeons, physiatrists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. She also underwent a revision to her tracheostomy and was placed on a feeding tube. When she woke up, she slowly began rehabilitation.
“I received unbelievable kindness, attention, and care while in the hospital,” said Sue. “I’ll never forget the compassion and energy I received from a speech pathologist, Monica Cortes, when I passed a swallow test, which meant I did not need a feeding tube anymore. At a time when I didn’t have hope that I was going to walk away from this, it was really important to feel like I could do things.”
Sue was discharged from The Valley Hospital on October 16, but her journey was far from over. She received outpatient rehabilitation services and has been recovering well. She still continues to receive ongoing medical treatment as a result of her injuries, especially with her tracheotomy.
“Everyone keeps telling me it’s a miracle. Full recovery, I was told, can take three months to a year, but I am back at the gym, speech pathology went well, and I am on my way,” said Sue.
“I truly do not believe I would be here if it had not been for Valley. Thank you to everyone who cared for me, and thank you for this second shot at life.”
For more information about Valley’s array of comprehensive services, please visit ValleyHealth.com.