Updated: Young mother remains in vegetative state, two years after traffic accident
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A young mother who was injured in a traffic accident two years ago is still in a vegetative state, a court was told today.
Angie Bajada, who was 20 when the accident happened on the 17th May 2010, was thrown off a motorcycle and injured her head against the pavement in Council of Europe Road, Luqa.
She was riding pillion on a motorcycle, just seven months after giving birth to a baby daughter. It was one of her first outings and she had been offered a ride by a man she barely knew.
The driver, Joseph Farrugia, is facing charges of negligent driving.
The police said at the time that the motorcycle crashed into a centre strip.
The driver, a 34-year-old man from Pembroke, suffered serious injuries while the pillion rider suffered life-threatening injuries.
Nurologist Josianne Aquilina, who gave evidence in court today, said that Ms Bajada spent seven weeks in ITU after she suffered haemorrhage in the brain. A hole had to be drilled to relieve the pressure on the brain.
During the recovery process she went through 'a sleep wave cycle' but has never been able to communicate. She also suffers epileptic fits and remains in a vegetative state at home.
Dr Aquilina said she did not expect a recovery.
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Adrian Stivala
Mar 15th 2012, 13:50
what a shame, very sad clip, my heart goes out to this family.
Tiziana Pane
Mar 15th 2012, 08:15
May god be with you and your family !
Francis Grech
Mar 15th 2012, 00:46
I as a Great grand dad would like to send my sympathy to the family as it was an unfortunate accident ever which way one look's at it,but it was a bit naive for a young mother with a 7 month daughter to have a ride on a motor bike specially if she didn't knew the rider very well still it is a sad thing to happen to every one.I was very surprised by the comment of Dr Aquilina for saying that she is not expected to recover is she playing God or not if there is still slight life in a body there is still a chance that things will improve that is the ethics of medics and further more she should not had said that in public( it was very insensitive of her).
Francis Grech
Mar 15th 2012, 00:45
I as a Great grand dad would like to send my sympathy to the family as it was an unfortunate accident ever which way one look's at it.I was very surprised by the comment of Dr Aquilina for saying that she is not expected to recover is she playing God or not if there is still slight life in a body there is still a chance that things will improve that is the ethics of medics and further more she should not had said that in public( it was very insensitive of her).
kelly scicluna
Mar 14th 2012, 22:49
heartbreaking xxx
Jeffrey Mallia
Mar 14th 2012, 20:16
Oh lord what a waste of life...........my heart sunk when I watched the video.............speechless :(
Valentina Saliba
Mar 14th 2012, 19:18
I came across this while searching for something,anything that could be a break trough for you Angie and others http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-490646/Sleeping-pill-helped-girl-wake-SIX-year-coma.html
Claudette Attard
Mar 14th 2012, 21:38
infact have a look at this article... http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/sep/12/health.healthandwellbeing it says it all!! Please do keep hoping!! wish you and Angie the very best of luck.
john aguis
Mar 15th 2012, 00:02
Yeah, sure
A. Borg
Mar 14th 2012, 19:15
Kemm taf tkun kiefra l-hajja. Fl-aqwa ta hajjitha tispicca f'dak l-istat ma bintha li la tista thobb jew tghannaq. Dak kien destin u setgha gralha hekk anke waqt li tkun miexja fuq bankina.
Mario Busuttil
Mar 14th 2012, 16:46
Jiddispjacini hafna ghal din l-omm li kella tracedja kera u ma tantx hemm tama ta fejqan...imma niextieq naghmel appell zghir lil genituri taghha sabiex ma jaqtawx qalbhom ghal fejqan li jista jsehh permezz ta talb.....ftit ilu rajt episodji ta fejqan ta mara li kienet ila 10 snin go koma u it tobba iddikjaraw li kienet ser tmut fiz zmien tlett xhur. Il familjari taghha hadu l ahhar cans u haduha Lourdes Franza fejn mill ewwel sar Miraklu u qamet minn koma.Il Qassis li qarbina baqa skantat ghax anki sabiex qarbina kellhom problema. Wara xi gimgha qamet timxi normali. Nawgura lil din il mara wkoll sabiex isehh miraklu fuqha u tibda tikkomunika mal familja taghha.
Roxanne Vella
Mar 14th 2012, 16:36
there is never a day that passes that I don't think about u ang...the memories we shared will remain in my heart forever more xx
Claudette Attard
Mar 14th 2012, 16:18
watching the video clip with tears running down my cheeks, I couldn't help but writing you this short note. Having a child with a disability myself I can sympathise with you and fully understand your fears of what will happen when us parents are gone, but thank God I have learnt not to think much about it and live and ENJOY the moment!! I can imagine that you would do anything for Angie, and maybe you have already looked in alternative therapies. Some time ago I came across this therapy known as 'Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy', when I asked about it locally, most of the professionals were (and still are) pretty much sceptical. It is practised abroad and treats patients with brain injury or trauma.... maybe you already know about it but I thought of sharing. Please look into it seriously, and may God grant you the serenty to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things you can, and the wisdom to know the difference. God bless.
Maria Barbara
Mar 14th 2012, 15:50
the nightmare of every parent! God be with this family.
Jean-Michel Azzopardi
Mar 14th 2012, 15:25
that is so sad..
Lianne Mifsud
Mar 14th 2012, 14:49
Angie i saw you in august of that same year when my father was recovering from a spine op.From that day i kept praying for you.May the Lord hear my prayers.
Ms maria bonnici
Mar 14th 2012, 14:37
big tragedy! veru jahasra! a lesson for everyone not to just go on bikes,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Steve Sant
Mar 14th 2012, 15:59
Baseless comment, goes for you too. Everything depends on the person handling it, guns, planes, cars, bikes and a whole lot of other things. Don't generalise.
Sympathy goes out to her family.
julian spiteri
Mar 14th 2012, 16:06
may i just remind you that a lot more people die/hurt in cars so does that send the message to not just go in a car also ????
Ms Maria Vella
Mar 14th 2012, 17:13
Accidents happen .....whether on bikes or not....
S.M. Cuschieri
Mar 14th 2012, 17:23
It was just a tragic accident that is all. It could have happened anywhere jahasra. Please. Most bikers are the carefullest people I know when they are driving nad they care even more when they have a pillion. I am talking about seasoned bikers though, not these gung ho youngsters. My heart goes out to angie.
wayne scicluna
Mar 14th 2012, 18:07
Ms Bonnici jiena bniedem sajf u xitwa bil mutur. Ili issa insuq u iva gieli kelli incidenti u t-tajba hi.....dejjem ghollietni karozza! Igifieri hadd missu ma isuq karozza anqas? Tinsiex li dik arma fl idejn hziena.
Pavlaki Pano Aroditis
Mar 14th 2012, 22:56
Quite right. In spite of those writing in favour of bikes I would like to observe, as an ex-biker, that there are a lot of idiots and boy racers driving bikes who show a complete sense of irresponsibiilty. So not "baseless comment"- A lot of "little boys" (for that is all you can call these jerks relying on their phallic symbols) have killed young women taking them as pillion riders. Of course, that applies to cars too driven by boy racers. Frankly a lot of bikers are infantiles especially when in groups. You just need to watch and listen to them. Yes "accidents happen"! They're made by idiots , and frankly this young woman's family should take the driver to court and so should the Police for having deprived a young child from having a mother- all for someone trying to show off!
S. Zammit
Mar 15th 2012, 10:50
What Ms Bonnici is saying is that to go on a bike one has to be well equipped with all the necessary gear. That's all. Having a bike is a lovely hobby if done in the right way. may God be with her family.
Vincent Scerri
Mar 14th 2012, 14:20
" Dr. Aquilina said she did not expect a recovery"
What a heart-wrenching fate. Solidarity with her immediate family especially the baby daughter.
Christina Pace
Mar 14th 2012, 14:17
Sometimes I question if doctors swear to improve our health or prolong the agony.
Either way, I wish Angie's family the help they are looking for. I myself baught the hope magazine that is collecting funds for them and many Malese people are generous.
Mr Ernest Vella
Mar 14th 2012, 21:48
Your first sentence is sick...may I ask you than...Are Doctors defenders of life or are you suggesting to become assasins. Until there is life there is hope...you may not believe but miracles do happen.
K Cassar
Mar 14th 2012, 22:38
Nothing to stop you from not going to a doctor you know....would be one headache less for them!
O GALEA
Mar 15th 2012, 09:10
@ Christina... I agree. There is a difference between saving somebody's life and keeping somebody alive.
and, furthermore, to what end ?... to salve whose conscience exactly ?
This has nothing to do with Angie's case of course... but I can say it because i face a similar situation as Angie's parents every day.....FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS.
@ Ernest... it is easy to wax-all holier than thou.. when you are outside looking in. Would you want somebody that you love dearly to suffer intolerably ?..... i think not.
The whole family suffers. Nobody moves on....
Think again... long term.... what happens when the carers grow too old to handle the situation ?
This is just a personal opinion and I can speak because I live it.. and my children live it..
Let's just respect each other's opinion and not force our own beliefs on anyone.
Peter Galea
Mar 14th 2012, 14:04
waqt li qed nara din il clip qazili id-dmugh min ghajneja. Jahasra f'gieh is-sema hallikhom mil muturi.
Angie kienet ghada zghazugha u ma intix tort. Jahasra f'vetilla tirkeb ma xi hadd bil kemm tafu. Dan milli
stajt nifhem saq bi speed ecessiv forsi biex jimpressjona. JIEN NIXTIEQ NIGHID LIZ-ZGHAZGH KOLLHA
BIEX JOQGHODU ATTENTI . zgur li hadd ma jrid jisma bi stejjer ta qsim il qalb ohra bhal din. ejja nitolbu ghal angie u min jista jiftakar fiha finanzjarment.
J'Alla il bambin jati is-sabar u s-sahha lil omma, u nitolbu li angie tmur ghal ahjar.
julian spiteri
Mar 14th 2012, 16:10
minn fejn fhimt li dan saq bi speed eccessiv?????jekk kullhadd jerhilhom mill muturi u kull haga ohra li tista twegga biha bhal karozzi ukoll nispiccaw fi zmien il hagar !! forsi min hemm gibt l gherf tieghek li biili taqra 4 sentenzi tifhem li is sewwieq kien qed isuq bi speed ecessiv biex jimpressjona !!!!!
wayne scicluna
Mar 14th 2012, 18:04
Isma l-bravu l-iehor. Int fejn taf jekk dan sab xi roqgha diesel jew xi zrar? Imma ovvjament la kien bil mutur, kien qed jitkessah. X'mentalita bazwija dik hej!
Alfred Grech
Mar 14th 2012, 13:40
What a shame - may God comfort the family and may hopefully one day she'll recover.
S.M. Cuschieri
Mar 14th 2012, 13:34
What a heartbreaking video clip. How I wish I were financially stable enough to give this family the financial aid they need. May her parents be given the strength they need to face such challenges. A mother of a two year old myself, I could not stop the heartbreaking pain I felt watching this clip.
Mr Justin Grima
Mar 14th 2012, 12:51
What a tragedy...I remember her so happy :/
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