Sheyla Baye knows she has a long road ahead of her to get back to 100 percent. She’s taking it day by day.
In December and while returning home from work, the 21-year-old Hahnville resident was recently involved in an automobile accident where her vehicle collided with a box truck in Harahan. Baye was ejected from her seat and she said her windshield prevented her from being ejected from the car.
But she struck the windshield head on, breaking the glass. She was hospitalized in critical condition.
Her injuries are numerous. Perhaps most notably, MRI testing revealed Baye suffered a grade 2 diffuse axonal injury (DAI), a type of traumatic brain injury caused by widespread damage to the brain’s nerve fibers. Grade 2 indicates that the injury is more than mild and involves deeper areas of the brain.
Her doctors are hopeful for a positive recovery, but progress with this type of injury is considered unpredictable and in any case will involve extended treatment and rehabilitation.
Baye also suffered fractured ribs and pelvis, a broken femur, bruised internal organs, a dislocated hip and cartilage damage.
She was finally discharged from hospital care on Jan. 14. She’s been working through occupational therapy since to work her way back to health.
“I’ve been staying pretty positive throughout this,” Baye said. “There are bad moments where I do get really down and really angry because, you know, why did this happen to me? I do get those moments, but they tend to pass pretty quickly … I do think I’ll talk to a therapist about it to try and navigate those feelings that pop up.”
The pain can be great sometimes, and other effects from the injuries have made things difficult. She’s suffered from vertigo and dizziness since the accident, particularly when she lays down.
“My eyes don’t move on a smooth line right now … they kind of jump,” Baye said. “They start jumping like crazy when I lay down. I do a lot of eye exercises to help train those muscles to work right.”
Prior to the accident, she worked most nights of the week, but she’s had to step away to focus on rehabilitation. Her mother, Crystal, has only recently been able to return to her job after staying by her daughter’s side in the aftermath of the accident.
The financial strain has been difficult for the family, but their community has stepped up in a major way to help – a GoFundMe page made by Baye’s aunt to help the family offset medical and rehabilitation expenses has raised more than $12,000.
Though she still has a long road of recovery ahead, Baye said that kind of support has been an incredible lift beyond even the financial assistance itself.
“It’s just very, very touching,” she said. “I woke up and learned what happened, and then (saw the fundraiser) … it just means a lot to know so many people have wanted to help me and my family through this, and I just thank them so much,” Baye said.
