Brittany Jefferson on track to recover

It was a good week for Brittany Jefferson, especially when you consider what the 18-year-old Stratford High School track star has been through.

Jefferson was severely injured in an automobile accident on May 18, just eight days after winning a state championship in the 100-meter hurdles.

She spent three weeks in intensive care at Medical University Hospital following a two-car crash in rural Berkeley County. Doctors had to remove her spleen and she suffered a collapsed lung, fractured pelvis and various other injuries. She also developed pneumonia as she lay in an induced coma.

On Sunday she was moved from the intensive care unit, and on Wednesday the oxygen tube that helped her breathe was no longer needed. On Thursday doctors removed the tube used for her tracheotomy.

"She's really doing well," said Melanie Jefferson, Brittany's mother. "She came out of the ICU after 21 days. Just being out of ICU is a great step. Her mind is good, and her spirits are high."

Jefferson said her daughter could be released from the hospital in a couple of weeks. After that, she will begin rehabilitation as an in-patient at HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Charleston.

Jefferson said her daughter doesn't remember the accident.

"She read the newspaper article," Jefferson said. "The article helped her understand what happened."

The best part of Jefferson's recovery is that doctors said they think she can resume her track career after intense rehab.

She already had earned a scholarship to run track at Limestone College, and the school held a blood drive for her.

"I heard Limestone is going to order special equipment to help her rehabilitate," Jefferson said. "But she won't enroll until spring. The doctors said no school in the fall. But this week, just getting out of ICU and into a regular room, that's a turn for the better."

Reach Philip Bowman at pbowman@postandcourier.com.