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