THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 1, 1994 TAG: 9406290086
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 01B EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Pam Starr
LENGTH: Long : 116 lines
Robyn Strachan has been riding horses for nine of her 14 years and is considered to be one of the best equestrians in Hampton Roads in her age class.
Her dream is to join the United States Equestrian Team and compete in the Olympics when she's in her 20s.
Last July, however, Robyn nearly lost that dream - and her life - when a horse kicked her in the head and crushed her skull. Her parents, Bob and Tricia Strachan, thought she may never ride again. But six weeks after the freak accident Robyn was back on her Arabian mare, Goodbye Marie, and acting as though nothing had happened.
Since then Robyn has competed and won several equestrian events in the Suffolk Horse Show Association circuit and was recently inducted into the National Junior Honor Society at Virginia Beach Middle School.
It has been, said Bob Strachan, one heck of a year.
``Her first words (after the accident) were ``Can I ride Sunday?,' '' recalled Strachan, a captain with Delta Air Lines. ``She's a fighter. We're really proud of her - she got straight A's last semesters even though she missed a lot of days.''
No one could have predicted that accident last summer, least of all Robyn. It was another hot and humid day and the multitude of flies was especially bothersome to the horses at Acquibob's, a Churchland stable where Robyn rode frequently. Robyn was walking back to the stables after taking the animal she had just ridden out to graze when it happened.
Another horse, tortured by the flies, bucked up and kicked Robyn right behind the right ear. She didn't even see it coming but remembers the impact and turning around in circles ``like a cartoon character.'' Then she passed out.
``It was really hot that day. I remember the helicopter landing,'' said Robyn, referring to Sentara Nightingale. ``Paramedics put IV's in my arm and tubes down my nose and throat. Then they took me to Norfolk General.''
That one hefty kick had crushed Robyn's skull and fragmented the bone. When Robyn's parents arrived at the hospital they found their daughter strapped to a spine board with a brace on her neck, getting a CAT scan of the skull.
``She was very pale, her hair was all matted,'' said Bob, shaking his head at the memory. ``I thought at first maybe she had fallen off the horse - a kick was furthest from my mind. When you see your child like that, so helpless. . . ''
Robyn was transferred to Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters for brain surgery, stayed in intensive care for two days and then returned to Norfolk General for the rest of the week. Bob Strachan said that the medical attention his daughter received was ``top of the line'' and the doctors were ``very upbeat'' in explaining her condition.
``The bone fragmented and was laying close to the membrane,'' said Strachan, ``but doctors said there was no damage to the brain itself.''
The only evidence of Robyn's brain surgery is a soft spot, or indentation, on the back of her head and a scar, which is covered by her long brown hair. The bone will never grow back in, so she'll always have that soft spot but that doesn't worry Robyn, who lives in Birdneck Point with her parents.
``The only thing that would really hurt it is if someone stuck an ice pick back there,'' she said, giggling.
A troubling side effect to the accident has been severe headaches, which Robyn experiences about three times a week. She had an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) that showed no abnormality. Her neurologist calls the headaches ``post-traumatic migraines,'' said Robyn, and has given her medication to ease the pain.
``They said there's nothing wrong with me,'' she said. Robyn hopes to attend law school after college and become a lawyer. ``At the beginning of the school year they told me I couldn't play lacrosse or football but I never did that anyway.''
Robyn has been enjoying her summer vacation and is thinking about calling the hit television show ``Rescue 911'' about her recovery. She rides Goodbye Marie and her other horse, Sugar Bear, at the Shibui Ni Arabians stables in Whaleyville every week and never even thinks about last summer's accident. Well, almost never.
``I'm a little more cautious about horses now,'' she admitted, ``especially when flies are around. Flies bug me.''
AIR CONDITIONING NEEDED: Can you imagine living without air conditioning?
A lot of people don't have that luxury, but the ones who are on kidney dialysis are probably having the worst time of all.
Deborah Barwick, director of the National Kidney Foundation in Virginia, said that being on kidney dialysis in this weather, without air conditioning, is like living in a desert.
``Picture it - it's extremely hot and you're on fluid restriction,'' she said. ``It's miserable. And most people on dialysis are on financially restrictive budgets and can't afford air conditioning.''
That's why Barwick is asking for used air conditioning units and volunteers to pick them up and put the units in patients' homes. Last August she started the program and placed 30 units in the homes of patients. So far this year she has placed seven units.
``How many we need is unknown,'' said Barwick. ``We got a tremendous request for units. The social workers (in the dialysis centers) are filling out forms for me about the patient and the size of unit needed. We could need 50 or we could need over 100 - we have an endless number of dialysis patients.''
Many people in Hampton Roads have switched to central air conditioning, Barwick believes, and have window units sitting in their garages collecting dust. Some may be in perfect working order or just need a freon boost. But either way, Barwick is imploring those with units to donate them to the National Kidney Foundation.
``We're just trying to help dialysis patients through the next three months,'' she said.
If you have a used air conditioner or know someone who does, call the Hampton Roads office at 466-0783 or Barwick at home at 463-0506. She is also in desperate need of volunteers to pick up and place the units in patients' homes. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by PETER D. SUNDBERG
Robyn Strachan, whose skull was crushed when a horse kicked her in
the head about a year ago, hasn't abandoned her dream of competing
in the Olympics.
by CNB