"Oh my gosh, I've been a baker forever," said Patti Dailey with a big smile.
As the owner of Rustic Crumble Bakery and Coffee Shop in the Northern California town of Weaverville, Dailey loved welcoming and serving people in her community. Her days started at 2:30 a.m., and often stretched long — 12, 14, sometimes even 16 hours — before she could leave the bakery. The pace was grueling but fulfilling.
On January 26, 2025, everything changed in a moment.
Dailey was outside trimming one of her trees, balancing on a ladder 12 feet in the air with a chainsaw in hand. "I don't remember what happened," she admitted. "I was told that a branch I cut fell and knocked the ladder out from under me."
The fall left Dailey with a traumatic brain injury and a compressed spinal cord. She was life-flighted from Weaverville to a hospital in Redding. After initial scans revealed the extent of her injuries, she was flown again — this time to UC Davis Medical Center. She was admitted on January 27.
What happened?
For Dailey, the first few weeks after the accident are still blurry.
"She was in the ICU for a week," recalled her son, Ben Dailey. "She hurt both her spine and her brain. Once she stabilized, she was transferred to the Rehabilitation Hospital."
For Patti Dailey, that transition marked the beginning of a long and difficult journey: 64 days of intensive therapy that would reshape her life.
Hard work, perseverance and recovery at the Rehabilitation Hospital
At UC Davis Rehabilitation Hospital, Patti was treated by Shane Stone, a board-certified spinal cord injury doctor and director of the Spinal Cord Injury clinic. Stone is an assistant professor at the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
"When I first met Patti in the ICU, she had the strength of 1 out of 5 in all her muscles," Stone said. "To walk on her own, the strength in her leg muscles should be at least three, which she didn't have at the time. I remember telling her, 'You're going to do really well.' She didn't believe me because she could barely move any muscle. But I knew that people with her injuries and who have that strength will do well."
Dailey was surrounded by a team of specialists: spinal cord injury physicians, neuropsychologists, social workers, case managers and therapists.
Her mornings would begin with medication checks, followed by hours of occupational, physical and speech therapy. The treatment plan was designed to restore her health and independence.
Initially, she was having a lot of pain and dizziness. She had a slow start to her recovery. When the team got her pain under control, Dailey started working hard and making progress.
With spinal cord injury, it is not just about walking. It is also the control of the bowel and bladder. "In that type of injury, the bowel and bladder tend to recover the slowest," Stone explained.
Touched by everyone's compassion and support
Dailey needed a long hospital stay to restore strength and bowel and bladder function. She started to take part in a bowel program and bladder program to gain more control and limit accidents. Her journey to recovery was not easy, but she had a lot of support.
"There was a day I was crying, just really struggling," she remembered. "A very sweet gentleman who came to clean my room noticed. He sat with me, and with his broken English, said, 'It's going to be OK. You're going to be OK.' Everyone was like that — genuinely caring."
By March 28, Dailey was strong enough to leave the hospital. She could brush her hair, shower on her own and use the walker to move around. Each milestone felt like a triumph.
"In many ways, Patti is very unique and remarkable in her perseverance. Going from barely being able to move muscles to being able to walk and get dressed and do things on her own is really impressive," Stone said.
April brought cautious optimism. "I have some days that are definitely a struggle," she admitted. "I've always been independent and a multitasker. Now, I can't do everything I used to, and that's been humbling. But it's also given me perspective."
Dailey is continuing her rehabilitation recovery at UC Davis Point West Clinic. She is making progress and regaining strength.
Going from barely being able to move muscles to being able to walk and get dressed and do things on her own is really impressive," Shane Stone, spinal cord injury doctor.-Shane Stone, M.D.
A new health obstacle to cross
Spinal cord injury is not Dailey's first serious health problem. In 2015, she had breast cancer. Her treatment at the time put the cancer into remission.
In June, she received devastating news: her cancer had returned. With the pressing need to focus on her cancer treatment and health recovery, she had to make the difficult decision to close her beloved bakery. When she announced that on Facebook, the community in Weaverville showed an outpouring of love and support.
Dailey's gratitude for the support of her community and the medical care she received remains unwavering.
"I would really like to stress the amazing care I received at UC Davis," Dailey said. "Both, the inpatient and outpatient care teams were the best! They definitely made this recovery process easier with their care, love and encouragement. Dr. Shane Stone and Dr. Meela Mehdi are not only amazing doctors, but also amazing humans as well."
