Young mother in wheelchair after breaking spine
Devin Heilman | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 8 years, 2 months AGO
<p>Julie Alverson, far right, spent six weeks in various hospitals after she slipped from a ladder on June 15 as she was gathering life jackets and supplies for a camping trip; however, she hasn't let the burst fracture in her L1 vertebra stop her. She is photographed here with her husband Phill, far left, and her children Caleb, Nicah and Sophia in their Post Falls neighborhood on Thursday.</p>
<p>The Alverson family smiles as their dog, Trigger, tries to jump onto Julie's powerchair. Julie, center, fell about 10 feet onto the cement floor of her garage in June as she was gathering supplies for a family camping trip.</p>
POST FALLS — It was a regular June morning for young mom Julie Alverson.
She and her husband had just listed their house to sell. They were planning a camping trip with their three kids to get out of the daily chaos for a bit, so she was in the garage gathering lifejackets and supplies.
But one slip of the foot changed her life in an instant.
"I was impatient, I climbed into the rafters when my husband wasn't home," said Alverson, 28, of Post Falls. "When I put my foot on the ladder, the ladder went out from beneath me and I fell."
Alverson fell about 10 feet onto an unforgiving cement floor. The impact caused a burst fracture in her L1 vertebra, damage to her L2 and internal bleeding that put pressure on her spinal cord.
"Everything went black, but it didn't seem for very long," she said. "The neighbors heard me scream and I called for help."
Alverson spent six weeks in hospitals and finally went home July 23. Her spinal cord wasn't severed, but now her mobility is limited and she is in a wheelchair.
"I can use my feet even though they don't bend when I want them to," she said. "I can feel them if somebody touches them, but I don't feel hot and cold, I don't feel wetness versus dryness and I don't feel pain (on my feet). Everything seems to be there, but it's different."
Alverson's friends, family and church family have rallied in her time of need. Her husband Phill, who used to work away from home for a week at a time, took a lower-paying job in town so he can be close to her. And she hasn't been able to work her part-time childcare job since the accident.
"She is very humble and feels undeserving for the help and support she and her family are receiving," said friend Mary Still. "Julie has a big heart for serving others and would rather be the one to give than to receive. Now it's our turn to give back."
To offset lost income, medical and other expenses, Alverson's loved ones are hosting "An Evening of Love" at the Post Falls American Legion from 4-8 p.m., Sept. 17. The event includes a spaghetti dinner, a silent auction and live music. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for kids 12 and younger and can be purchased at the door.
"I'm having a hard time dealing with all this. I don't like to take," Alverson said. "I feel like God is taking care of every little piece in my life."
The Post Falls American Legion is located at 1138 E. Poleline Ave.