“My Girlfriend Broke Her Back. Her Parents’ Response Shocked Me”

There's no such thing as a perfect parent but there are some non-negotiables for anyone raising kids. It goes without saying that parents should care for, care about and protect their children. And the caring part can't stop once they leave home.

What was meant to be the beginning of an exciting, new chapter has turned into a nightmare for one woman. She and her partner had just bought their first home together when she fell down a flight of stairs and broke her back. The partner has told how her own family rushed through to help after the accident. But the badly injured woman's parents seemingly couldn't care less.

Recovering from spinal fractures is no child's play. It can take between six and twelve weeks for the bones (or bones) to heal but full recovery can take several months.

Spinal fractures can be caused by trauma, like a car accident or falling down a flight of stairs, or by osteoporosis. Either way, it's painful and you'll likely have to spend a lot of your time resting.

"Immediately following a vertebral fracture, pain can be intense and debilitating. This acute phase typically lasts from a few days to several weeks, depending on the severity of the fracture and the individual’s overall health," explain the experts from the Atlanta Spine Institute. You'll probably be given medications such as analgesics and anti-inflammatories to manage the pain.

You might also need to wear a brace that holds your back in place until the fracture has healed. As you can imagine, wearing a brace will make it difficult to move as freely as you’re used to.

"Severe fractures — especially unstable fractures — can damage your spinal cord and affect your ability to stand or walk," notes the Cleveland Clinic site. "This damage might be permanent and irreversible."