Woman Impaled By Mic Stand Gives Birth
Friends, Family To Perform Benefit Concert
POSTED: Monday, June 16, 2003
UPDATED: 6:28 pm EDT June 16,
2003
A local family is relieved after a pregnant woman who was in critical condition following a freak accident gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Local 4 reported.
Jessie Wickham, 34, gave birth to a 5-pound baby boy named Ryan in an emergency Caesarean section on June 13 at the University of Michigan Hospital. Doctors said the boy was delivered without complication even though the child was not due until July 7.
The delivery followed Wickham's surgery to repair a lung that was ruptured during a freak accident at her home on Wednesday, June 11. Wickham (pictured, left) was in a second-story loft in her home in Livingston County's Green Oak Township when she became dizzy and fell, crashing through a banister, police said. She fell onto the 3-foot microphone stand, which was amid musical instruments set up on the first floor, officials said.
Wickham was able to call 911 and her 7-year-old son helped guide emergency workers to the home, Local 4 reported.
The microphone pole pierced her body through the upper chest, from front to back, penetrated the upper left lobe of her lung and hit one of her shoulder bones. Friends told Local 4 that the microphone stand just missed her heart.
The stand was still in Wickham's chest when she was flown to the hospital. A makeshift landing pad was created for the medical helicopter at a nearby intersection.
Wickham's condition had ranged from serious to critical throughout the week until doctors upgraded her to fair condition over the weekend.
Her friends described her as a bass player and vocalist who opens her home to area musicians to practice.
Friend Lisa Huff said, "She's like the biggest-hearted person you could ever meet in your life. I mean, she'll give the shirt off her back to anybody."
Wickham's musician friends told Local 4 they planned to have a benefit concert on Friday to help pay for her medical bills.
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