Julie Walker returns home for rehab

IT'S been four weeks and four days since the accident that changed Julie Walker's life and, on Thursday, she nervously made her way home to the Mary Valley.

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IT'S been four weeks and four days since the accident that changed Julie Walker's life and, on Thursday, she nervously made her way home to the Mary Valley for the next stage of her rehabilitation.

The operations are over, but the Gympie Regional Councillor now faces a long journey of healing, both physically and mentally, after being involved in a traffic accident on February 2.

The 48 year old was glad to be back at her Valley acreage, but said she felt very nervous about getting into the car for the trip home.

“As soon as I put my foot into the car I burst into tears,” Cr Walker said.

“I tried to be strong and kept telling my self it would be okay, but I couldn't control it.”

And it's no wonder; Cr Walker's body took the full force of the impact when a four wheel drive and her Hyundai i30 hatchback collided on the Mary Valley highway.

She was trapped in the car for nearly half an hour before being released, stabilised and choppered to Royal Brisbane Hospital for emergency treatment.

The councillor sustained two fractured vertebrae in her neck, one in her back, a broken collarbone, four broken ribs, an arm broken in three places, a fractured leg, internal injuries and life threatening damage to a vein near her spinal cord in her neck.

She will wear a neck brace for at least another three months and undergo intensive physiotherapy while taking a cocktail of drugs to help get movement back into her battered body.

“I'm like a kid learning all over again,” she said.

Doctors released Cr Walker from hospital after operating and inserting nails in her left arm and right collar bone to help mend the broken bones last week.

Her husband Gary said the operation took five and a half hours and left Cr Walker in a lot of pain.

“The doctors couldn't control the pain at first,” he said.

“I was screaming, 'cut my arm off, get rid of it',” Cr Walker said.

Drugs finally controlled the pain but memories while unconscious during the crash gave Cr Walker comfort.

“I lost about a week of my life and can't remember anything about the crash, but I do remember something very weird.

“I was like floating around in Never-Never Land and I saw Garry's mother and father (both have passed away) standing by a door.

“No words were spoken, but I know they didn't want me to go through the door - they wanted me to go back.

“They used to live only 500m from the accident site.” she said.

Cr Walker once again thanked everyone in the Gympie region for their support and good wishes.

“Everyone has been fantastic,” she said.

Originally published as Julie Walker returns home for rehab