By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Countless times in recent years, Adriana Arias safely jogged a familiar route from her home in northwest Great Bend that included a jaunt down McKinley Street. That was not the case on Saturday, Aug. 16, when Arias was struck by a vehicle just after 6 a.m. in the 2200 block of McKinley. Her husband, Jose Enriquez, announced Wednesday that Adriana would be released from a Wichita hospital that day. Jessica Herrera, Adriana's sister-in-law, said the road to recovery has been a painful one.
"She did have to, unfortunately, bear a lot of the pain without any type of medication because they did not want to alter the brain activity," Herrera said. "If something were to change, they wouldn't know if it was the brain or the medication. She's very strong. They've had her try to get up and use the restroom by herself, but she is on a walker. We're hoping for her to recover soon and get out, but it's ultimately up to her body."
The 40-year-old Arias is a mother of three and a lab technician at the University of Kansas Health System - Great Bend Campus. She suffered multiple injuries in Saturday's accident, including a laceration on her head that resulted in hemorrhaging and required staples. Doctors found a dislocated bone in her right hand, and the accident tore Arias' shoes and a sock from her feet.
"As of right now, the point of impact seems to be her hip and the back part of her left leg," said Herrera. "She has lacerations from head to toe. She has black eyes. She has bruises on her forehead.
"They did mention that, because she's so athletic, because she takes protein and all that, it does help her body heal a lot faster. They did mention the muscle protected a lot of the bones. Thankfully, she wasn't broken. Their belief is because she has good muscle, she avoided broken bones."
Arias was Lifewatched to Wichita shortly after the accident. Herrera knows few details about the driver involved in the accident, but can confirm it was not an on-duty or off-duty police officer, and it was not a hit-and-run.
"We know very little," she said. "We haven't really asked or engaged in anything. We're being respectful. Honestly, we don't know the story of the other party. We just know (Adriana is) pretty hurt."
"A lot of people run up and down Vets Park," Herrera said. "I know a lot of children walk home from school. It's kind of scary at this point, just because I know she wouldn't have been in the middle of the street. It's beyond belief that she was exercising and this tragedy happened. Thankfully, it didn't get too, too serious, but it is definitely something scary to think about, especially for those of us who have children."
Adriana's family is thankful for community support thus far. Friends and neighbors have stepped in to help. Adriana's two oldest children have stepped up to care for the third sibling, who attends elementary school in Great Bend.
Accidents are expensive, regardless of who is at fault. Arias has health insurance, but already the medical expenses are piling up. The family incurred accommodation costs while they stayed near Arias in Wichita. Both Adriana and her husband work in Great Bend. Neither is currently able to work until Adriana can return home. The family is accepting financial donations.
An account has been established on mealtrain.com to help provide food for the family. Users may also make financial donations on the page by CLICKING HERE.