Tue, Feb 09 2010
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Published May 01, 2009 03:41 pm - In a recovery that seems almost miraculous, a 9-year-old girl has returned home from a Valley hospital, 11 days after being mauled by a bullmastiff and left in critical condition. Amanda Smith recovers at home following dog attack 9-year-old must have additional surgeries By Rick Dandes The Daily Item KULPMONT -- In a recovery that seems almost miraculous, a 9-year-old girl has returned home from a Valley hospital, 11 days after being mauled by a bullmastiff and left in critical condition.
Amanda Smith, who was attacked by the dog April 19 in Kulpmont and flown by helicopter to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, was released on Tuesday. "She's very happy to get out of the hospital and be here," her stepfather, Bill Urbanavage, said Thursday while watching his daughter play with the many toys that friends, neighbors and family have showered upon her. Hannah Montana items top the list. "I love Hannah Montana," Amanda said with a slight smile -- as much as she could muster with the swelling and severe facial injuries she suffered -- a broken jaw and nose, fractured skull and a torn tear duct. "She's a strong girl," Urbanavage said. "She's stronger than anybody else I've ever seen. Sometimes, when I see her playing, it's almost like nothing happened." Doctors thought she'd be in the hospital for up to a month, said Jennifer Smith, Amanda's mother, who is finally breathing a sigh of relief after two stressful weeks. "They were amazed at how fast she is recovering." Amanda has had two surgeries, one to reconstruct her nose and the other to fix her jaw. Doctors are giving her time to build strength before an operation to repair a tear duct that was torn out by the dog. Plastic surgery will be needed in the future. Stitches in Amanda's skull will be removed soon. Scars on her face are expected to fade in about a year. "Believe it or not, after all this, she's not in pain," Jennifer Smith said. "But because of her jaw, she has to eat soft foods." While recovering, Amanda has a pick line -- similar to an IV -- attached to her arm that dispenses medicine to her. "I'm feeling OK," Amanda said. "I'm not hurt anymore." Over the next few weeks she has appointments with six different doctors at Geisinger. 
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