We've all heard it said that children bounce back fast, but it's not every day that a child suffers a major brain injury and is ready to get back to playtime soon after.
Olivia Smith of New Boston, New Hampshire, was coloring on a lounge chair when she fell and punctured her eye with a pencil, according to HLN affiliate WMUR. Susie Smith, Olivia's mother, told WMUR she had no idea anything had happened until her 3-year-old daughter said, "The pencil is in her head."
Roughly 4 inches of the pencil had entered the girl's head through the corner of her right eye at a 45-degree angle.
Luckily, the pencil missed the 20-month-old's optic nerve and major arteries, so her eyesight was not adversely affected. However, Olivia had three strokes from the injury, which affected her right side and left her unable to use it, according to WMUR.
She was rushed to Boston Children's Hospital, where a team removed the pencil without surgery.
Two and a half weeks later, Olivia is playing as if nothing ever happened. Doctors believe that she will make a complete recovery, which is pretty miraculous considering the severity of the original injury. Olivia's family have expressed gratitude to the medical team that helped her to recover.
The family has also set up an account to help gather money for Olivia's medical bills. Donations can be sent to this address:
The Olivia Cecilia Benefit Fund
P.O. Box 351
Goffstown, New Hampshire 03045
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