Injured Sisters teacher continues recovery

Gary Bowne has been through an experience that many people don't survive.

Bowne was hit by a car while he was riding his bike on Highway 242 on October 19. The impact launched him into the windshield of the vehicle and then sent him tumbling 15 yards down the pavement. Luckily, Bowne was wearing a helmet as he traveled along the bike lane adjacent to Sisters Park & Recreation District buildings.

The accident caused a traumatic brain injury. He spent weeks in the hospital before being allowed to go home.

Now recovering at his home, Bowne has a message for the Sisters community: "Thank You!" He's particularly grateful to the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department for their quick actions and exemplary care while waiting for AirLink to arrive.

One of the first people on the scene was Sisters School District Maintenance Manager Guy Selig.

"He was instrumental in helping to save my life," said Bowne.

In an interview on Monday, Bowne explained that Selig is a volunteer with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department and a trained emergency medical technician (EMT).

"I've worked with Guy many times during productions at Sisters High School, but because of my injuries and my helmet, he didn't realize I was the person who was hit," Bowne said.

At the time of the accident Selig was driving a school bus, and by law couldn't exit the bus because there were students on board.

"He saw me break the windshield and roll down the road, but all he could do was call 911 and alert the other bus drivers to the impending emergency vehicles."

Due to confusion brought on by another 911 call made right before Bowne's accident, the 911 operators thought they'd already received a call about Bowne's accident. Selig realized the situation and was insistent that Bowne's emergency was another situation entirely. Selig had to call again and made sure AirLink was alerted immediately.

Bowne wants to make sure everyone is thanked for their efforts to save his life.

"My neurosurgeon commented on what a professional job the Sisters-Camp Sherman first responders did when they arrived on the scene. The first few minutes of the accident were critical to my survival."

Home since mid-November, Bowne spent two months in the hospital and was heavily medicated to handle the brain injury, lacerations, bruising and broken bones sustained in the accident. He has successfully weaned himself off of the pain medications needed to get him through the initial recovery process and surgeries required to save his life. The pain medications also enabled him to undertake rigorous physical, occupational and vision therapy.

"I went through withdrawals from the pain medications but now I feel much better," said Bowne from his home in Tumalo.

Having endured the painful symptoms associated with weaning himself off of opiate pain medications, Bowne traded one type of pain for another.

"Now that I'm off of pain medications, the downside is I feel like I was hit by a car traveling at 50 miles per hour," he chuckled stoically. "Now I feel the full impact of my injuries. Every fiber of my being hurts."

Along with coping with constant pain from his injuries, Bowne is also struggling with regaining normal vision. His optic nerve was damaged from the head trauma, causing vertical double vision. That has stopped him from responding to emails and writing the thank you notes he so desperately wants to send to so many people

On December 13, Bowne went back into surgery to replace a piece of his cranium on the right side that was removed to accommodate the brain swelling from his injury.

"It was sitting in a freezer in the lab at St. Charles in a zip-lock bag," he laughed. "Once enough healing had taken place they were able to put it in like a piece of a puzzle."

The surgery went very well and has ushered in a new chapter of recovery.

"Without the skull piece, I had to have care 24/7 because of the potential of harm to the unprotected right side of my brain," he said. Before the surgery, Bowne was experiencing debilitating headaches, since the operation to replace the skull piece, the pain has diminished.

Bowne is quick to admit that this new chapter in healing is a struggle. But he's walking every day, his eyesight is getting better and the prognosis for a full recovery is good.

"As I recover, I want to thank everyone and show appropriate gratitude to those who sent me cards, donated money, prayed for me and visited me in the hospital," he said. "It's been nothing short of amazing grace."

During the first three weeks after the accident, Bowne now realizes that his brain wasn't really functioning. It took him awhile to comprehend the full scope of what people had done for him after the accident.

"When I heard about the benefit concert for me, I was convinced that I would be performing with my band. I put together a playlist and kept trying to get ready to leave the hospital to go perform."

Bowne also said he has little memory of his time in the hospital or the people who came to visit him. He now sees that there are different stages of recovery and he's grateful to be aware and reminded of how generous and loving his friends and family have been throughout the ordeal.

"My wife, Rita, and her girls have been so wonderful. I know it has been difficult for them. They have been stalwart supporters of my recovery. I'm so blessed in so many ways."