Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs Pio Tikoduadua says he has come to terms with the possibility that his daughter may never walk again.
Speaking on The Lens@177, Mr Tikoduadua confirmed his daughter had undergone surgery in Australia on Tuesday night, following two earlier operations.
He said she had now undergone three surgeries in total, with the latest procedure focused mainly on orthopaedic treatment.
“On her right leg, she suffered one open fracture on the tibia and two other close fractures,” Mr Tikoduadua said.
“On her left leg, they had to reconstruct her knee because the doctor told me this morning, the cause of the injury had her left leg 90 degrees to the bottom half was bent 90 degrees to the top one.
“When she broke nine ribs, internal injuries included injured lungs, liver, and her spleen.”
She also sustained an open fracture to her right forearm. However, he said she was fortunate not to have suffered injuries to her brain or spine.
Mr Tikoduadua said his daughter had been in constant pain since the incident and remained dependent on painkillers every day.
He said watching her endure that level of pain as a father had been difficult.
“As a father you really don’t know what to say. I just keep telling her pain is part of the recovery.
“Trust God and trust the doctors and the nurses. They know what they’re doing. And I’ve seen progress since day one.”
Mr Tikoduadua said his daughter would need further support for her left leg, including a new knee, and would also need the rods and pins inserted during surgery to help her bones heal properly.
“But I believe she will be back on her feet at some point.
“I have no doubt about that.”
