Even if she has to use a wheelchair, Katie Ciancetta vows she'llbe backteachingat West Salem High School by August.
The11th grade English and AVID teacherisrecovering at St. Charles Medical Centerin Bendafter having spinal fusion surgerylast week.
"I know my students are under a lot of pressure and it can get overwhelming," the 48-year-old said. "But if I can come back after a broken back, I want them to know they can do anything. They can survive."
Shewasparalyzed during afamily sledding tripNew Year's Eve after hitting a tree at the bottom of an icy slopeat the Santiam Sno-Park off Highway 20. Long-time outdoor enthusiasts, Ciancetta, her husband and son hadenjoyed sledding at thesno-park before.
Doctors told hershe has a 10 to 20 percent chance of walking again.
Representatives forthe Santiam Sno-Park, near the Hoodoo Ski Area onSantiam Pass, were not available to discuss the accident because of being furloughed under the federalgovernment shutdown.
The website describedpark conditions to have"dense, compacted snow melted by recent rains and warm temperatures."It warns sled and tube users to be cautious in choosing a lane to sled down, as they are "non-directional devices."
The sno-park typically is open from November throughApril.
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Sledding gone wrong
Katie Ciancetta's annual sledding trip with her husbandMattand sonElliot, 8, began like any other.
The family drove about two hours from their Salem home,grabbed their tubes and went down the "easy hill" a few times beforetransitioningto a steeper hill.
"She decided to slide firstto test it out for our son," saidMatt, an associatemathematics professor at Western Oregon University.
Katiewent down the slope feet-first in her tube as Matt and Elliotwatched from the top, but hit a bump that swiveled her backwards.
Katiesaid there wasn't much fresh snow that day, making the slopes icy and slippery.
"I went into this head space whereI know I've done this backwardsbefore, but there's always a bit of panic because of the unknown," she said.
She was supposed to come to a stop at the bottom of the hill, but insteadwas launched off a sloping berm and slammed her head into a tree, still clutching her tube.
The next thing Katieremembered was lying still on the tube unable to feel her legs. "I knew something was very wrong," she said, calling for help.
"One of the first things she said to me was that she was scared," Matt said. "I was scared too. But the adrenaline kicked in and I becamefocused on doing everything we could to get to the hospital."
A paramedic and physician,whowere also at the slopes with their families, rushed to help Katieand stop the bleeding from her head.
The paramedic's wife wrapped a blanket around Elliotand helped reassure him.
"It was a horrible situation, but the universe sent me the perfect situation for it to happen," Katie said. "I know they got me to the hospital as fast as they possibly could."
Shewas taken to St. Charles in Bend where aCT scan showed abroken vertebra just below the level of her shoulder blades and hairline fractures through other vertebrae. She also had severalbroken ribs.
She immediately was taken tosurgery to fusefive vertebraealong her mid-back.
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Steps to recovery
A week later, Matt feels like he's still running on adrenaline.
"I keep thinking of details we need to work out with insurance, work, in our home," he said. "But people at our work have been great. They've supported us. As well as family and friends."
He is staying near his wife in Bend while their son is withfamily in Salem.
Katie said her spinal cord is still swollen and doctors cannot predict what will happen.
Shedoesn't plan on letting that stop her.
"Doctors said 'maybe you do walk, maybe you don't'," she said. "Your life will be quite normal depending on your attitude."
West Salem High School Principal Jim Miller describes Katieasan "overwhelmingly positive person" who does a lot for her school,mentoringstudents in a program designed to prepare themfor life after K-12educationand coachingother teachers to improve instruction in the classroom.
"She's told me her plans of wanting to come back," Miller said. "We wish she could come back now. We're more than happy to have her."
Matt said they are staying positive, thankful that her brain and upper body are functioning.
"Its a gut punch," Mattsaid. "But it's also reassuring that we can handle it. We can still be us."
He said his wife agreed to share her story as a cautionary tale, as these tragedies can happen quickly and unexpectedly.
"Make sure to check those conditions, he said. "You have to be careful. Tubes have little control."
Katie'snext step will be a going to a rehabilitation center to build her upper body strength and get her legs to move, then preparing herhome to accommodate anew lifestyle.
"Everyone has been complimenting on my high spirits," Katiesaid. "But I figure there are two ways I can look at this: I could be pissed off at the world or embrace all the help and the compassion I've received. I'm choosing the second."
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Virginia Barredais the Breaking News Reporter at the Statesman Journal. Contact her at vbarreda@statesmanjournal.com or 503-399-6657. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.
