Smash victim makes progress

Diane Wilson suffered a smashed pelvis, broken neck at the base of her skull and brain bleeds in the crash.

Tauranga woman Diane Wilson is awake and trying to talk three weeks after sustaining serious injuries in a three-car crash.

The 23-year-old yesterday remained in a serious condition in Melbourne's Alfred Hospital but her family is encouraged by the small improvements she has been making.

She suffered a smashed pelvis, broken neck at the base of her skull and brain bleeds in the August 31 crash.

Doctors yesterday planned to remove her tracheostomy, a tube inserted into the neck to assist breathing, after she was able to breathe on her own when it was blocked off on Tuesday.

"Diane has made a great deal of positive progress and yet it hit home more today than any other time, just how long this road is going to be," her father, Craig Wilson, said.

"It was fantastic to be able to see Diane respond to requests by the nurses to do things like poking her tongue out, squeezing a hand or moving her leg (although the right side still doesn't move). She tried very very hard to talk to us, and we were able to make out certain mumbled words. She held our hands for dear life and wouldn't let go. "She pointed to baby Brody [her nephew] asleep in his pram in the corner of the room and when we brought him over to her, she put her arm up and gently stroked his face.

"We know that Diane's light is on in there somewhere and that every day she will fight to bring it out into the open."

Mr Wilson told the Bay of Plenty Times the extent of the brain damage Miss Wilson suffered was not yet clear and it could be six months before doctors were able to give a long-term prognosis.

"Tomorrow the situation could change for the better or for the worse. We just hope that it gets a lot better," he said. "It's nice to see that she's trying to talk and do those things."

He said the family was determined to stay positive for Miss Wilson's sake.

"She's a strong girl. She's come out of things before and we just hope she does that again."

Miss Wilson was born with Crouzon syndrome, a condition that meant the bones of her skull were fused together, and had numerous surgeries to reshape her face and head between the ages of 1 and 17.

The Bay of Plenty Times published stories and photos about her surgeries. She moved to Australia, where she works in a hotel, five years ago.