There is a major development to report tonight about the progress of 18 year old Luisa Carrillo. She is the high school girl who jumped out of the moving during last Sunday night’s frightening hijacking of a bus by Guatemalan bandits armed with a gun and a grenade. The fall fractured Luisa’s skull in two places and she had been on selective life support since Monday at the Healthcare Partners Hospital. But this morning her doctors – led by neurosurgeon Joel Cervantes took her out of the medically induced coma and so she is conscious tonight. Doctor Cervantes discussed her progress with us.
Dr. Joel Cervantes, Neurosurgeon
“Luisa as of this morning that put her to sleep has been taken off and she responded very well to the point that we was able to be taken off the
ventilator and the tube that is in her throat was withdrawn which means she is breathing fully on her own. Besides that she has a tendency to be sleeping but she can wake up for brief periods of time and she can answer very basic questions.”
Keith Swift,
“What is her prognosis now?”
Dr. Joel Cervantes,
“Well if we were at 60-40 approximately yesterday I would say she is at 70-30 for survival at this point.”
Keith Swift,
“What is the time line for recovery?”
Dr. Joel Cervantes,
“I think she might need to be another 24 hours or maybe by tomorrow we have her out of ICU but for that we need to see her eat. We have started her off with liquid at this point and if she is out of the ICU perhaps by mid-week she will be able to leave the hospital we are hoping I everything goes as planned.”
Luisa is a fourth form student at Sacred Heart College in Cayo and is scheduled to graduate in June. We are told that in addition to her family – her teachers and classmates have been visiting her.
