Cardiologist working toward recovery from wreck injuries

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Cardiologist working toward recovery from wreck injuries
By Sula Pettibon The Herald

(Published December 11, 2003)

Dr. Tom Johnson's spinal cord injuries from a recent car accident have been stabilized, although he doesn't yet know if he'll walk again. But that hasn't stopped the Rock Hill cardiologist from working every day toward recovery.

"Something like this takes a lot of time," said his wife, Michelle, from the Atlanta rehabilitation hospital where he's been since shortly after the lunchtime accident Nov. 30. "We're just hoping for the best."

The 100-plus cards and letters they've received from friends, family and his co-workers and patients at the Sanger Clinic in Rock Hill have boosted Johnson, Michelle said. "We just can't say enough about the support. It feels good to him."

The couple was coming home from a Thanksgiving visit with her family in Florida when traffic came to a halt on Interstate 75. North and Johnson lost control of their Jeep.

They flipped several times, landing upright. Both were wearing seat belts, but their dog, Vitus, an 11-year-old Doberman pinscher was killed when he was thrown from the car.

They were alert and awake but knew immediately that Johnson, 41, was badly injured, said Michelle, 35, who received bruises. Luckily, a paramedic with the U.S. Army was on the scene and put a neck collar on Johnson within 20 minutes.

He was flown to the Orlando Regional Medical Center, where neurosurgeons performed surgery on his neck.

After a few days in intensive care, they were sent to Atlanta's Shepherd Center, which specializes in spinal cord injuries. They expect to be there one to three months.

"We have no idea as to the extent of the injury," she said. "It's kind of early."

Johnson has no movement in his lower body and some movement of his arms. They can see a difference from just a week ago.

They're pleased with the hospital, which has gadgets Johnson uses to turn on the television and answer the phone. Michelle, who is a physical therapist, is staying in an efficiency apartment four blocks from the hospital, which provides the accommodations free for 30 days.

Johnson's job now is to get better and he's hard at work, she said.

"He's just dealing with it so well," she said. "Neither one of us feels like we could do it without the other."

A few close friends and family have visited, although Johnson can't have a lot of company, she said. They request no phone calls or flowers but really enjoy the cards.

"Every night we open a few and read them. That's our nightly ritual," she said. "We're saving every one."

Contact Sula Pettibon at 329-4033 or spettibon@heraldonline.com.

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