Ready for the next challenge
Link to original article Front page headlines Auckland Star 11-09-73
Yesterday while most kids his age were groaning their way to the start of another school term 13 year old Glen Mc Millan was taking part in a "miracle".Glen would have preferred to cycle the two or so miles to Mt Roskill intermediate School with the others, but instead he went by taxi.
Glen`s story begins three and a half years ago when he fell of his bike not far from his home in Albrecht Ave, Hillsborough. When two friends helped him home, his parents Mr and Mrs Max Mc Millan, patched him up and passed it off as another chapter in a typical boy`s life.
A short time later Glen collapsed. He was unconscious for 32 days, during which he stopped breathing four times and had to be kept alive by machines.
Tubes were inserted in his throat to allow him to breathe. Since his larynx was damaged he talks in a whisper.
He walks with a limp in his left leg and his left arm is weaker than his right.
His body is covered with scars from numerous operations, Patches on his legs are lighter than the rest where skin has been taken for grafts.
He spent 18 months in hospital, another year sleeping at home at night and spending the day in hospital , and only became able to breathe without a tube in his neck in February this year."
When we first learnt the extent of his injuries we knew only a miracle would get him back to a normal school life" recalls Mrs Mc Millan.
"Now a miracle has happened"
When Glen could breathe normally, he was sent to a special class for crippled children at a Mt Roskill school.
Despite having lost three years schooling. Glen proved well ahead of his class so it was decided to try him in a normal school.
Glen enjoyed his first day back at school and vowed he would be doing his best to catch his old friends who are now a year ahead.
In the last three-and-a half-years Glen has been under the care of neurologists, orthopedic and plastic surgeons, urologists and ear, nose and throat specialists.
As a result of grafts, he wears part of his nose in his throat and skin from his leg on his nose and shoulder. "The doctors were marvelous," ,says Mrs Mc Millan .
"They had to perform wonders to get him back to this stage. A number of times during the past three years we almost gave up, but they didn't."
" Miracle in action 1974"
Glen travels to and from school by taxi, but makes no secret of the fact that he can't wait to get back on his bike.
"She won`t let me, yet," he whispers looking at his mother who also makes no secret of the fact it will be quite a while before he gets the opportunity to fall of his bike again.
Mrs Mc Millan said today she would like to thank publicly,all the doctors and nursing staff who gave "undivided devotion" to Glen over the years. "There are just too many to mention" she said.
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