Neurosurgeon Warns of Risks as Family Faces Tough Choices After Australian Woman’s Bali Crash
Australian woman Rebecca Ode faces a critical decision after a severe motorcycle crash in Bali. Learn about the risks of flying her home and the costs involved in her treatment and transport.
Bollywood Fever: A neurosurgeon has issued a stark warning about the risks of flying home Rebecca Ode, an Australian woman injured in a motorcycle crash in Bali, due to fluid pooling near her brain. The family now faces the difficult choice of risking her life by flying her home sooner or continuing to fund her expensive treatment overseas.
Rebecca Ode, a 36-year-old former SeaWorld worker from Newcastle, north of Sydney, was rushed to Ngoerah General Hospital following the accident on a road in Nusa Lembongan at around 1 AM on Tuesday. Ode sustained severe injuries, including broken bones to her face, head, and collarbone, and is likely to lose her right eye.
After a 14-hour surgery on Tuesday night, Ode has regained consciousness. “She woke up and said, ‘What happened to me?'” neurosurgeon specialist Professor Tjokorda Gde Bagus Mahadewa told Daily Mail Australia.
Dr. Mahadewa highlighted the complications of flying her home given her delicate condition. “If the family wants to evacuate her right now, she would need to be transported with an air ambulance because there may be some fluid trapped inside the skull,” he told ABC. He suggested that if they could wait two weeks, she might be able to fly in business class, lying down in comfort.
Transporting her from Bali to Australia via a private air ambulance could cost over $100,000, and her medical bills have already exceeded $60,000. “With [an] air ambulance, she could be back in Australia in three to four hours, but if she waits two weeks, we will scan her skull again to make sure the liquid trapped in her skull has gone,” Dr. Mahadewa explained.
Rebecca Ode initially underwent a CT scan before being referred to specialists, including a neurosurgeon, plastic surgeon, ophthalmologist, and orthopedic surgeon. “We conducted several procedures, such as correction to her head bones. She had also suffered a leak in the brain,” Professor Mahadewa stated.
Despite multiple surgeries, including attempts to save her right eye, the ophthalmologist involved has said that her eye may not be salvageable. Ode is also suffering from amnesia and cannot remember the accident.
Nusa Penida police chief Ida Bagus Putra Sumerta confirmed the accident and stated that an investigation is underway. According to a police report, Ode’s Yamaha scooter collided with a parked motorcycle.
Rebecca Ode had been enjoying a break on the small island off Bali’s southeast when the incident occurred. Her family, unaware of the details, expressed their shock at the severity of her injuries. “We have no idea how the injury happened… there was no alcohol… and the extent of her injuries is quite traumatic,” her brother-in-law Jesse Wilton told news.com.au.
Ode’s injuries have left her with structural damage to her face, likely resulting in permanent disfigurement. “She will lose one eye if not two, and has titanium plates in her collarbones,” Wilton said.
Wilton also organized a GoFundMe campaign for Ode, describing her as a “strong and caring daughter, aunt, and friend [who] urgently needs to be medically evacuated home from Bali for ongoing treatment.” The campaign has already raised over $168,000 as of Friday night.
Ode’s mother Shari and sister Jordyn are by her side in Bali. Jordyn detailed the extent of Rebecca’s injuries on Facebook, explaining the severity of the damage to her eye and face and the necessary surgeries she has undergone. Jordyn wrote, “Her nose was split in half, and the cartilage was shattered. They had to rebuild her face, and I am desperate to get her home for professional help.”
Rebecca Ode had gone to Bali seeking peace after two difficult years following her father’s passing. The costs of getting her back to Australia, including medical flights and transfers, are expected to be enormous. “We are estimating it will be close to $250,000 just to get back to Australia,” Wilton stated.
As the family navigates this challenging situation, they continue to investigate her insurance cover and hope for more support to bring Rebecca home safely for her long recovery journey.
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