Traumatic Brain Injury 155Case Study 8-2: Closed Head Injury and Amnesia After a
Motor Vehicle Accident
The Wanamakers were beginning life anew. Jerry and Anna Wanamaker quit their high-
paying jobs, packed up their children and belongings, and began the long journey from California
to Iowa. Five years ago, they had met at work when Anna had taken the prize job as the Southern
California district sales representative for a large high- tech computer com pany. Both had previ-
ously divorced, and finding each other in the chaos of the single world was a blessing. Their casual
friendship at work slowly blossomed into mature love. Their wedding had been a traditional one,
with standard vows, children as ring bearers and ushers, rice, and a brief, practical honeymoon.
The Wanamakers took pride in their practicality, but they also had dreams. The move from
California to Iowa was to be a dream come true. Tragically, it turned into a nightmare outside
of Flagstaff, Arizona. A snow- packed interstate highway, poor visibility, and huge out- of- control,
tractor- trailer trucks prematurely ended their dream.
Realtors are quick to note that when purchasing real estate, location largely determines its
value. This dictum made Jerry and Anna’s dream a possibility. During a summer visit to his Iowa
farm family, Jerry noticed that the neighbor’s farm was for sale—160 prime acres of land, with all
of its machinery, outbuildings, and a large four- bedroom home. Amazingly, Jerry and Anna found
that they could purchase it with the sale of their fixer- upper California home. Property values had
soared in California and sunk in Iowa.
The night before their cross- country journey, their friends from work threw a big going- away
party. Punch was drunk, tears were shed, and parting gifts were given. The party ended at
9:00 p.m., for the Wanamakers needed an early start. At sunrise the next morning, with their two
children in the backseat of the sedan, seat belts securely fastened, they bid farewell to California
and began their dream. California traffic was sparse during the early morning, and though
there was a light rain, they made good time. Five hours later, they crossed into Arizona. Later, in
Kingman, Arizona, they lunched and gassed the car. Two hours later, the Wanamakers began the
climb into the mountains and pine trees of the state. Gradually, the rain turned to snow. Soon the
snow was heavy, visibility was limited, and the initial slush had turned to ice. They could barely
read the sign welcoming them to Flagstaff at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Then, in the distance, Anna
thought she saw several buildings on the freeway. Panic engulfed her and Jerry as they realized
they were seeing huge tractor- trailer trucks, crashed and crumpled ahead of them. The brakes of
the car did little good, and they crashed into a jackknifed truck loaded with produce. The trucks
behind them, traveling too fast and recklessly, slammed into their car and toppled onto others, and
a deadly chain reaction ensued. That snowy, winter day, six people lost their lives, and Anna lost
her memory and speech.
Jerry and the children walked away from the crash without a scratch, but the Jaws of Life were
necessary to separate Anna from the car. She was then placed in an ambulance and transported to
the nearest hospital. During the accident, the roof of the car had collapsed on her head, causing a
serious closed head injury. At the hospital her head was cleaned and shaved, and a neurosurgeon
suctioned the blood clot from inside her brain and stopped the bleeding. The dangerous pres-
sure within the brain was relieved and the blood supply restored. Jerry and the children spent
an anxious eve ning in the lonely surgery waiting room, and early the next morning, the doctors
announced that Anna would survive.
After 3 weeks of hospitalization and nearly 2 months in a rehabilitation fa cil i ty, Anna, with
Jerry and the children, resumed their lives. At the farm, Anna used the newly constructed wheel-
chair ramp to enter the house, of which she had absolutely no recollection. She could barely talk to
her new neighbors and always had a slur, requiring many repetitions. Anna had no memory of the
accident. In fact, she had no memory of that dreadful day, the going- away party the night before,