[amydalayna]

Not sure if anyone else posted this... but this is the latest information I could find on Renee Junga breaking her back.

Marathon surgery for Junga
Melissa Ryan
August 27, 2006
AUSTRALIAN mountain biker Renee Junga, who had a 10-hour operation on her damaged spine on Friday, has been given a one-in-800 chance of regaining feeling and movement in her legs.

The 20-year-old Junga crashed last Tuesday while training in Rotorua for the mountain bike world championships.

She broke her C1 and C2 vertebrae, two ribs, her sternum, and almost severed her spinal cord at the T6 vertebra.

While doctors were pleased with the surgery — Junga remains in intensive care in Auckland City Hospital — her family has been told that there is only a remote chance of Junga regaining sensation below the ribs.

"The surgeons say they are happy with the way the operation went," said her mother, Sallie Howie. "They put rods and screws in to straighten her back and fused the two broken neck bones.

"They've told us there is a one-in-800 chance she may regain feeling below T6, but that is a chance and doctors really don't know why some people with spinal injuries regain feeling and others don't. There isn't really anything more they can do surgically."

With her rib and sternum injuries healing well, doctors hope to have Junga sitting up within days.

Barring complications, the Queenslander will return to Australia in two to three weeks, and head straight into rehabilitation.

 

[Transcend]

Here's hoping she is one in 800....

 

[DH Diva]

10 hours! Yikes. 1 in 800 are tough odds, but anythings possible. Look at Berny. I'm wishing Renee the best, and sending as many healing vibes as possible.

 

[Zutroy]

10 hours! Yikes. 1 in 800 are tough odds, but anythings possible. Look at Berny. I'm wishing Renee the best, and sending as many healing vibes as possible.

1 in 800 sound like crappy odds and they are to some extent, but they are actually fairly good in terms of severe spinal injury, as long as you have a chance, there is a chance.

 

[TreeSaw]

Damn! 1 in 800! I am hoping for her and sending along some healing vibes.

 

[sanjuro]

pray. just ask heath about it.

 

[Kntr]

1:800 is a guess by doctors

 

[bballe336]

I hope she can walk again, it's terrible to hear of mountain bikers getting hurt doing what they love.

 

[Munster]

I hope she makes a full recovery.

 

[Yeti]

how do doctors come with this odds?...in my life i've encountered doc telling me the same s...t about some beloved ones...i just hate when they tell u stuff like that...and again, how come 1:800 why not 1:8000 or 1:768?? any mathematical explanation here?
oh...and i hope rennee heals up fast....those odds are nothing but some blah blah from docs.

 

[Transcend]

They look at past successes and failures. statistics are your friend.

 

[Kntr]

They look at past successes and failures. statistics are your friend.

I doubt the Dr has seen 800 cases. Its a guess. I work in the medical field and MOST of the time is just a guess. If they thought she had a good chance they would tell you 1:10. Most Drs use the same odds..... a good chance (1:10), a ok chance (1:100), and a long shot (1:1000).

 

[Transcend]

He hasn't seen 800 cases, but the medical field has seen many more than 800 cases.

 

[Kntr]

He hasn't seen 800 cases, but the medical field has seen many more than 800 cases.

For sure.

But do you think he looked up the cases and figured out her odds?

Do you think there is some database that Drs go too?

 

[benno]

For sure.

But do you think he looked up the cases and figured out her odds?

Do you think there is some database that Drs go too?

I'm not sure whether you're being facetious or not?

It would probably be an *educated* guess, based on statistics on outcomes from similar injuries.

Epidemiology - look it up.

 

[urbaindk]

A local monkey just suffered a very similar injury. It sounds like he's going to be fine. So there's your 1/800. Lets hope for Renee's sake that lightning strikes twice.

Scary stuff. Best of luck to you Renee!

 

[Kntr]

I'm not sure whether you're being facetious or not?

It would probably be an *educated* guess, based on statistics on outcomes from similar injuries.

Epidemiology - look it up.

I work with Drs everyday and yes it is an educated guess.

Like I said before, do you think he looked up all the cases and figured out her odds?

Do you think there is some database that Drs go too?

Do you think he has seen 800 cases and only one of his patients came out of it?

Lets be real here.
It is a guess and yes it is an educated one.

 

[urbaindk]

Like I said before, do you think he looked up all the cases and figured out her odds?

No but some graduate student in epidemiology probably did exactly that and then published their results in a peer reviewed journal which is then read by experts in the field including this doctor.

 

[Skeg]

Why do I have a hard time believing that Kanter works with Dr's....

Is it....

A. the lack of intelligent thought

B. the lack of compassion

C. the desperate plea for attention

I'm thinking all 3 apply but choice A is comming through the most.
This is after all a thread about a fellow mountain biker who suffered a life changing injury.
Is it too hard to just hope for the best for her...

 

[DH Diva]

Here's a thought, why don't we all just wish her the best instead of arguing about how her doctor determined her odds.

 

[DH Diva]

This is after all a thread about a fellow mountain biker who suffered a life changing injury.
Is it too hard to just hope for the best for her...

Beat me to it. People can argue odds all day. They are what they are. The important thing is that their saying there is a chance. I personally feel that with serious injuries, as long as there is a chance, at lot of peoples level of recovery can largely be determined by their own will, outlook, and determination to get better. Several of my doctors have told me they feel the same way. Motivated patients are much more likely to defy the odds and recover from bad injuries.

 

[JohnnyBoyDH]

"F" the stats man. She has to fight hard and re-hab hard. when they say you've done enough, do more. The mind can do wonders. Stay strong!

 

[Kntr]

Why do I have a hard time believing that Kanter works with Dr's....

Is it....

A. the lack of intelligent thought

B. the lack of compassion

C. the desperate plea for attention

I'm thinking all 3 apply but choice A is comming through the most.
This is after all a thread about a fellow mountain biker who suffered a life changing injury.
Is it too hard to just hope for the best for her...

A. I dont need to think about it. I know.
B. I have tons of compassion. That is why I argue that the stat is an educated guess.
C. Im not sure where you get that.


I am a Pharmacist and I use to work in a hospital.

"F" the stats man. She has to fight hard and re-hab hard. when they say you've done enough, do more. The mind can do wonders. Stay strong!

That is exactly what I am saying.

Most Drs USUALLY dont look up stats when giving consults. They just give an educated guess from what they have seen, read, or heard. Im hoping for her sake the guess was incorrect.

 

[Transcend]

I am a Pharmacist and I use to work in a hospital.

"Pharmacist"...that's what they all say.


He gots what you need!

 

[Transcend]

A client I am working with for worlds stuff would liek to know if there is any info on any fund raisers or anything being held for renee? They would like to include it with the article. If you have any info, please PM or email it to me.

thanks

 

[Kntr]

A client I am working with for worlds stuff would liek to know if there is any info on any fund raisers or anything being held for renee? They would like to include it with the article. If you have any info, please PM or email it to me.

thanks

Let us know if you fint out.

 

[DH Diva]

According to several news stories, Renee is greatly benefiting from all the support for her in the cycling community. Here is an e-mail address that is being used to gather words of encoragment.

winterfamily@switch.com.au

Family friends are printing it out daily and giving them to her to read, and apparently it is keeping her in good spirits.

It would be great if as many monkies as possible sent along their best.

 

[amydalayna]

According to several news stories, Renee is greatly benefiting from all the support for her in the cycling community. Here is an e-mail address that is being used to gather words of encoragment.

winterfamily@switch.com.au

Family friends are printing it out daily and giving them to her to read, and apparently it is keeping her in good spirits.

It would be great if as many monkies as possible sent along their best.

thanks for passing that along.

if anyone gets ahold of a physical address, please post it up. it would be nice to send her something in the mail to let her know people are thinking of her and wishing her the best.

 

[DH Diva]

No problem Amy. I also read that her parents have asked that people hold off sending things until she is transferred back to Brisbane as they are afraid things will take awhile to get there and arrive after they are gone.

And I'm sure they would like her new room to get some of the adornments people have been sending so she stays in good spirits.

If I find out the address of her new hospital I will post it ASAP.

 

[The Mad Haderer]

I was talking with Tracy Hannah in NZ a few days after the accident and apparently the girl(injured one) already wants to start training for the para-olympics...she just doesnt know which events she wants to do yet...
how's that for not letting accidents get you down...she hadnt even had a surgery yet and was already moving on and stepping up.... good luck to her tho