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8 - The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, May 4, 1999 *b"O IINA, A 'First she battled back, now she's determined to help someone else By IRENE GENTLE The Chamipion ver since a brain aneurysm forced Anna Gibson into a wheelchair last spring, she bas been bard at work Iearning how to climb out of it again. Having coaxed her limbs to walk tbrough monîhs in a Hamilton rehabilitation hospital, Annsa, 16, now has a new goal. She's hop- ing to collect enough pop Ias to buy a wheelchair by tbe end of Ibis summner. "Wben I got rid of my wbeelcbair, I said 'I'm making a wheel- chair,"' she recalled. Wben abe acbieves ber goal, she will donate the chair eitber to Milton Diatrict Hospital or Chedoke McMaster, wbere she waa treated. Her plan is to seli the soft drink tabs to Co-Steel Recycling on Higbway 25. Tlhe proceeda from the Iabs will buy the wheelchair, said Anna. It's no small feat. A typical wheelcbair will require up to two tons of pop tabs 10 fund. It' s no wonder, then, that Annsa ia look- ing to bring more people mnto tbe act. "We'oe boping to make thia a community project," aaid Anna's mother, Diana Gibson. To that end, the grade il Milton District High student has put ber school to work, hanging pop tab collection bags at convenient corners tbroughout the facility. Ma Gibson, a physical education leacher at E.C. Dmury High, bas also recruited ber achool to pitch un. The resuit is bags and bags of pop tabs stasbed in tbe Gibson home. "My husband aays we'oe junking up the basement," joked Ms Gibson. Anna's ordeal started early last year wben she began suifering from wbat was initially tbougbt to a series of migraine beadaches. After ruling out evety likely cause for Anna's pain, ber doctor sent ber in for a computerized axial Iomograpby (CAT) scan. That marked tbe atarI of Anna's lengthy bospîtal sojoumn. TVhe CAT scan was quickly followed Up by a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MMI) screening. An angiogram - tbe one Anna now cails 'the awful test - followed. Immediately after tbat, tbe golden-skinned girl witb tbe tbick dark blonde bair was told sbe bad an aneurysm. «I was still at tbe bospital. 1 wasn't allowed to leave because this cul (from tbe angiogram) bad to dot," said Annsa. "I juat bad to stay still for four bours." During Ibat time, the doctor gatbered motber and daugbler together and gave tbemi tbeir options. The decision was simple. As Ms Gibson explains il, an aneurysm is a blood vessel tbat swells up like a balloon. If left alone it would likely bave burat, killing Anisa. Somnehow, Anisa was able tojuat focus on getting better. "I was neyer scared," sbe said. "I juat figured I bad to do tbis." Ms Gibson, on tbe otber baisd, bad plenty of lime for fear, since ritu uy uflmflmMrmiNc Anna Gîbson, 16, with help from momn Diana are collecting pop tas In hopes of purchaslng a wheelchalr by the end of the mummrrer. Anna la seftlng ouit to help others mter a brain aneurymm temporarily forced her lista a wheelchmlr last sprlng. She has mince recovered. ber daugbler responded to tbe surgery by lapsing into a 10-day coma Wben Anisa finally awoke, site discovered tbat tbe incb-long aneurysmn that bad been located on tbe left aide of ber bead bad paralyzed baif ber body. "It was like I'd bad a stroke. I was un a wbeelchair for moat of tbe summer." As tbe weather wanned and June approacbed, Anisa recovered enough 10 be transferred to the Cbedoke McMaster Rebabilitation Hospital. Sbe tumed sweet 16 there, leamning to familiarize berself witb tbe balla of ber new borne and tbe feel of ber new wbeel- chair. Today, Anisa bas regained a full range of mobility, but remisants of tbe ordeal still linger. Sbort-Ierm memory problema persisî. Her rigbî arm suifera from what she caIls 'tremors.' The weakness tbere is bad enough tbat sbe can't manage 10 lift even amaîl items witb wbal used to be ber dominant band. Thal means Anisa bas had 10 adust 10 living as a lefty. "You juat gel used bo il," she said pbilosophically. "Hopefully tbey can fix Ibis. If not, well, I'm left-handed." Qtber unseen reminders of ber aneurysm are tbe tbree titanium clips lodged permanently un ber brain. For Anisa, the main Ibing is Ibal she can walk. Nol only can she walk, but she can snowboard, gel back on the swim Ieam and roller blade. Sbe bas also.juat received ber leamner's drivers license and can be found Iooling around in.her parenl's vehicle. It is a life so close 10 the one she bad before the headaches, and the tests, and tbe surgery. For the sake of Ibose who aren't as for- tunate, she' s collecling the pop tabs. To help ouI, drop collected tabs off aI eitber E.C Drury or Milton District high schools. 0 _ 7 PAVING LTD). 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