Parika accident leaves mother paralyzed

Juliann Jettoo, a 28-year-old mother of two, finds herself battling severe injuries and paralysis at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) following a harrowing accident on March 15.
The incident, which occurred at Bushy Park, Parika, East Bank Essequibo, involved a collision with motorcar, PAF 8633, leaving Jettoo with multiple injuries that may have permanent repercussions, according to her reputed husband Fred Hope.

Hope, who has been living with Jettoo for the past eight years, told Guyana Times that since the accident, their family has been faced with immense challenges.
He said on March 15, he and his wife left their home, both on motorcycles to run errands. According to the man they went several places but they met up at a store to make a purchase for their child and on their way home the accident occurred. He said that he thought his wife had taken another route home but when he arrived home, she was not there.
“When I get home, I asked the children way y’all mommy deh she hasn’t come home yet and they said no. So, I call her phone. When I call, a man answer and say that she reach up in an accident and that she lie down on the road and she deh bad. So, I jump on my motorcycle and I went there,” the man recalled.
Hope said when he arrived on the scene, his wife was severely injured and several persons were standing at the scene.

“I started screaming and begging them to help me take her to the hospital because how she was, they thought she was already dead. But when I go, and touch her, it felt like she had some life in her still. I then decided to feel her pulse and I realised her heart was beating.”
He said that the Police arrived shortly afterwards and Jetto was taken to the Lenora Cottage Hospital where she underwent immediate surgery and was later transferred to Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC). At that hospital she underwent another surgery.
Her reputed husband said Jetto suffered several injuries, including broken hands, ribs, a damaged spleen, a collapsed lung, and a fractured jaw that resulted in the loss of several teeth.
According to Hope, he was told that the motorcar, which hit his reputed wife was by a car and she was pinned against a culvert. The man, who is a welder, told this publication that he now finds himself unable to work as he devotes his time to caring for his wife.
“Since the accident, I can’t work. I have to leave my children with their grandparents and I haven’t seen them in five days because I have to be by their mother’s side. They are crying to come home because they heard what happened to their mother,” he said.
He said since the incident, his wife had to undergo two surgeries and she is still unable to do anything for herself. He said due to the accident, one of her hands is paralyzed, and doctors said they are uncertain if she will ever get to use her hand again.
“They said it is 50,50 and if she can use it again, it will take six months to one year for her to recover. Sometimes I am frustrated but I have to keep pushing because my wife is a good person and doesn’t deserve any of this. Many nights when I go home, I cry and ask God to please let her hand work back and for her to be ok because it is hard”.
“I can’t work and it is the church that she goes to that help me with a little money and that has been helping me for a little while.”
Hope said that shortly after the accident, the driver of the car was arrested and was later released on station bail. He said that when he revisited the police station to follow up on the matter, he was told that his wife needed to recover fully for them to proceed with further investigations.
“They said that they don’t want to pressure my wife’s brain now… they even said that there were no cameras in the area so they will have to ask my wife what happened. When I asked my wife, she said all she knew was she was riding and a car swerved in front of her and she doesn’t know what happened after,” he said.
Hope is calling for justice, and praying that his wife gets a full recovery. (G9)