I need help. My brother dove into a swimming pool on 8/31/08 and broke two vertebrae in his neck (C5 and C6). The C5 was "crushed" and C6 had a several small fractures and a chip taken out where C5 was pushed into it. He has feeling, but no movement in his legs and hands. He can move his arms and wrists. He was flat on his back in traction for 6 days until they performed surgery on Friday 9/5/08 to remove fragments and place a protective shield in the front of the spine in the location of C5, then fused C4 to C6 using a rod and screws. He was making slow, but steady progress except for his breathing until last night.

His breathing was compromised by a build-up of fluid in his lungs that he has not been able to cough up, because his intercostal muscles (between the ribs) are paralyzed and he can only breath using his diaphragm. Last night he took a turn for the worse and today they intubated him, put him on a ventilator, and placed him in a medically induced coma.   

I have been with him and his family almost constantly for the last nine days, from hospital to hospital. Working with him when i have been able to (I am also a Licensed Massage Therapist and the Physical Therapists showed me how I could help with stretches, etc.

Our biggest concern at this point is his breathing. I have done some hypnosis with him and he had a hypnosis CD during his surgery. I want to make another CD that will help with his breathing particularly with getting the intercostals to work again. With the traveling and sitting with him, I don't have the time or concentration to write any scripts.

If anyone has experience with paralysis (particulary related to breathing at this point) and would be willing to share your scripts with me I would be very appreciative.

If you don't want to publish them in the public forum, I understand. You may email me directly at kathy(at)kathyyounghypnosis.com.

Thank you,

Kathy

Hi, 

My name is Kathy Young. I run a practice out of my home which is just outside of Manchester, New Hampshire.  In addition to being a hypnotist I am a Licensed Massage Therapist and split my time about 50/50.

I think this site is going to be a great way of networking with hypnotists all year long instead of just at the conventions.  I am looking forward to making new friends and getting new ideas to better help my clients. 

I will definitely be at the NGH conference  in August. In addition I will be attending Cal Banyan's 5 and 7 Path class. Hope to see some of you there.

I'll post more once I figure out how all of this works.

Kathy

www.kathyyounghypnosis.com