Peta Paratene, Redland, in intensive care after seizure, skull fracture causes critical brain bleed

A Bayside family is anxiously awaiting a miracle for their “sleeping beauty’’ after a freak seizure and a fall caused her skull to break, triggering a critical brain bleed.

A Bayside family is anxiously awaiting a miracle for their sleeping beauty, Peta Paratene.

A Bayside family is desperately waiting for their “sleeping beauty’’ to wake after she suffered a freak seizure in Brisbane last week, leaving her in a coma.

The extent of the damage to her brain is yet to be determined, with doctors unable to tell the family what will happen next.

Peta Paratene, a 28-year-old administration assistant at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, was walking along the road in the inner-west suburb of Milton when she was captured on CCTV grabbing her head and falling backwards.

She hit her head on the ground, cracking her skull which then caused a critical brain bleed.

Peta’s sister, Shaylee Paratene, said paramedics arrived to her sister’s aid within minutes and she was taken into emergency surgery to stop the bleed.

“She was in the operating theatre for more than four hours and oncologists could tell us very little as no one was with her when it happened,” Shaylee Paratene said.

Peta Paratene.

“The bleed was so bad that they had to remove the left side of her skull,” she said.

She said Peta, a Wellington Point State High School graduate, was the “it girl of the Redlands”.

“Growing up, she was very cheeky, mischievous and always was awarded age champion at school for athletic events,” Shaylee Paratene said.

“We have had so much support and messages from people we haven’t seen for years, which has been so overwhelming.

Peta Paratene is fighting for her life in hospital.

Peta was taken out of an induced coma 24 hours after her operation but was still unconscious, with doctors now only able to monitor her for any signs of brain function.

“Every day is different and she has daily scans to see if there is another bleed but she is just there asleep and makes some occasional movement,” Shaylee Paratene said.

“We can see her eyes and fingers move when we talk to her or play music... doctors are telling us to not get our hopes up but we are trying to stay positive.

“If she makes it, which she will, the best case scenario is that she will have severe brain damage and a long road to recovery.’’

Peta, her mother Michelle and sister Shaylee.

The family has started a GoFundMe page to ensure Peta had the best medical care possible.

“Our costs include prolonged hospitalisation, specialised treatments, therapy sessions and potential rehabilitation programs... we want to ensure that she receives the best possible care and support during her recovery,’’ Shaylee Paratene said.

“But these financial burdens have placed an immense strain on our family’s resources.

“Your generosity and compassion can make a significant difference in helping Peta persevere through these challenging times.

“Our whole family has come together to support her, only she could bring us all back in one room as we have been quite divided for some time.’’

She also thanked the strangers who came to her sister’s aid after her seizure and called an ambulance.

“We would love to know who helped her so we can thank them — without her she might not be alive,’’ she said.