Paraplegia

Published on: February 8, 2012

Television Station in NY Wins Award for Spine Injury Story

by Stephen Bilkis

A New York television station was awarded three Bronze Telly awards recently, one of which featured a man from Byron, New York, who suffered a paralyzing injury.

The station runs a national health care series known as “Second Opinion”, which was awarded a Bronze Telly in their health and fitness category, because of an episode it produced on spinal cord injuries. The series features a doctor as a host who deliberates over medical cases with a panel of experts. They debate the diagnostic procedures the medical professionals employ, how the test results are interpreted, and decide upon the best course of action for the patient in question.

The victim on this particular award-winning show was a Bryon man who fell 20 feet out of a tree and was paralyzed from the waist down on May 7, 2007. According to source, he fell from a tree while attempting to rescue the family pet, a cockatiel from a tree. He had climbed that same tree numerous times before.

Published on: February 2, 2012

Paralyzed Veterans Urge Congress to Leave VA Alone

by Stephen Bilkis

The Paralyzed Veterans of America’s president appeared before Congress to urge the legislative body away from affecting their health care.

“Without a doubt, the Department of Veteran Affairs is the most effective health-care provider for veterans. The VA’s specialized services, including its system of spinal cord injury (SCI) care, are incomparable resources that are not duplicated in the private sector. These services are being threatened by proposed cost-cutting measures, the drive toward so-called ‘management efficiencies’ and, unfortunately, through politics,” the Paralyzed Veterans’ president told a researcher.

Using both oral and written statements, the president pled his case before the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees. He urged immediate action on three main points. The first was the lack of staff at hospitals, especially nurses. According to Paralyzed Veterans, there are 140 nurses less than the minimum requirement for nursing personnel delivering care at the bedside. Secondly, the shortages in staff lead to fewer beds. The VA is in need of more nurses, physicians, psychologists, social workers, and therapists, but because of the lack there were 288 unavailable SCI beds in the VA system. Finally, there is a lack of long-term care when it comes to veterans who suffer spinal cord injury or dysfunction. There is no specialized SCI long-term care beds west of the Mississippi and only 150 beds in the entire VA system.

Published on: December 25, 2011

Study shows dangers of spinal cord injuries

by Stephen Bilkis

Spinal cord injuries can either be complete or incomplete paralysis. With a complete spinal cord injury individuals are not expected to improve. Of all of the spinal cord injuries, 50% of them are complete. When this occurs, the individual loses complete motor and sensory function where the injury occurred. Usually, paraplegia can occur at the point of the injury or below it. Most spinal cord injuries cause lower limbs to be paralyzed, a source mentioned.

An incomplete spinal cord injury can occur. There are three types of syndromes similar to thoracic spine injuries. These injuries can cause a variety of neurological deficits depending on the impact of the fracture on the spinal cord, a study stated. The three syndromes of an incomplete spinal cord injury can be anterior cord syndrome, Brown-Séquard syndrome, and central cord syndrome.

Anterior cord syndrome results in a failure of motor function and pain to happen. A loss of temperature sensation also occurs. The injury strikes in the front of the spinal cord. The limbs will regain their movement and equilibrium. The sensory inputs of the muscles and tendons are not affected by the injury. However, an individual with anterior cord syndrome does have to be cautious about what happens to the limbs after the injury to prevent bleeding or other injuries from occurring without the person realizing it, a doctor warned.

Published on: December 12, 2011

Utah Teen Severely Injured In Wrestling Match

by Stephen Bilkis

A benefit dinner was held recently in behalf of Heber, Utah student who suffered a severe neck injury while wrestling that left him with the possibility of permanent paralysis.

The high school senior, who attended Wasatch High School, was performing a wrestling move that he had done numerous times before. While performing this move, a vertebrae in his neck was dislocated, leaving him the possibility of life-long paralysis or paraplegia, stated a source.

His friends and family have stated that the high school senior has kept a positive outlook, and always has a smile on his face, even facing the future lifelong adversity. According to a witness, the high school wrestler has begun to feel some sensation in his arms, which has added to his feeling of elation. Hospitals in Brooklyn and Suffolk County have taken note of these developments.

Published on: November 21, 2011

Paralyzed 25 Year Old Quickly Becoming Dressage Champion

by Stephen Bilkis

A spinal injury has not slowed down a 25-year-old dressage champion, at least not much. According to a doctor, the young woman broke her spine in a tragic riding accident at the age of 20.

The young woman fell off of a friend’s horse when the horse suddenly reared, and then was further injured when the horse fell on top of her. Since the accident, the young woman from Inverness has worked her way back up to being a top competitor at Scotland’s Para Dressage Team. She has also competed in competitions for non-disabled riders with her horse, Murphy.

The Inverness woman knew she had been severely hurt as soon she landed. She began riding at the age of four, and literally grew up in the saddle, states a New York Spinal Injury Lawyer. She spent a month in physiotherapy at the Queen Elizabeth Spinal Injuries Unit in Glasgow. At the hospital she learned how to sit up by herself, and once she did so she was determined to ride again. Therapy like this are common at hospitals in Queens and Staten Island.

Published on: November 18, 2011

Three Men on Trial for Paralyzing Police Officer

by Stephen Bilkis

Earlier this month, a preliminary hearing wrapped up for three men accused of beating and causing paraplegia an Oklahoma City Police Officer. The Oklahoma County Special Judge ruled that the three men could stand trial.

The officer was attacked when he was escorting the defendants out of a northwest Oklahoma City bar last February after the bartenders there asked him to. The men were allegedly trying to start fights with customers.  Witnesses testified that one of the men held the officer in a headlock and lifted his body. This is likely when the officer’s neck broke.   The operating surgeon said the officer suffered a complete spinal cord injury. A spokesperson indicated that the injury likely shortened his life by 10 to 15 years.  Witnesses also reported that another of the men threw haymaker punches at the officer’s head while the third kept anyone from coming to the officer’s rescue.  All three men are charged with one count of maiming or assault and battery by means of force that is likely to cause death. If convicted, each defendant could face a life sentence in prison.  The judge dismissed another charge of conspiracy to assault and battery of a police officer. He agreed with defense attorneys who insisted the three men did not plan the attack.  The District Attorney reported that the man’s family has remained strong throughout the testimony, even if they were disappointed with the conspiracy charge being dismissed. The possibility of life imprisonment seems “just” enough to them, at this point.

The DA is expected to appeal the dismissal of the conspiracy charge. The three men are to be arraigned on June 10. The pre-trial date will be set then. Oklahoma City Police Officers have initiated a bowling and auction event set for June 11. The proceeds are to go to the officer and his family. Police in Queens and New York City are sympathetic to the officer in this case.

Published on: November 11, 2011

Marquis Daniels Released From Hospital

by Stephen Bilkis

Boston Celtics player Marquis Daniels was released from the hospital on February 7th, 2011 after sustaining a spinal cord injury during Sunday’s game.

Daniels was playing with his team, the Boston Celtics, against the Orlando Magics when he sustained his injury. The injury occurred when Daniels tripped over Gilberu Arenas, reports a New York Spinal Injury Lawyer. Daniels hit his forehead against the ground, which resulted in his spinal injury. He lay motionless on the court floor for several minutes before being removed from the court on the stretcher. According to a knowledgeable person who has studied cases in Nassau and Suffolk County, to give the fans a sign of hope, he did manage to flash a thumbs up sign as he was being carted off the floor of the T.D. Banknorth Garden Stadium.

A spokesperson for the Boston Celtics team informed the press that Daniels was released from a local hospital early this morning. He was said to be in good spirits and joking with the nursing staff.

Published on: November 4, 2011

Farm Accident Causes A Construction Worker’s Life To Be Forever Changed

by Stephen Bilkis

A 26-year-old was working on top of a farm-building when the roof of building collapsed out from under him, causing him to fall six meters to the floor. The roof sheeting, which he had been standing on, is what collapsed.

The 26-year-old was sub-contracting for a larger company at the time of the accident, stated a New York Spinal Injury Lawyer. After the accident, the 26-year-old is now a complete paraplegic and is forced to use a wheelchair.

A researcher in Queens discussed how the Health And Safety Executive (HSE) had found that there were no measures in place to assure that this kind of accident would not take place. They also stated that there was no real indication in the job to require the 26-year-old to be on the roof in the first place.

Published on: October 23, 2011

In an accident at Disney World in 183, a college student was paralyzed from the neck down

by Stephen Bilkis

In an accident at Disney World in 1983, a college student was paralyzed from the neck down. The young man (at the time) was set up to receive up to $42 million over the next 51 years in accordance with an out-of-court settlement reached with the family entertainment institution.

The 21-year-old senior music major from Mississippi Valley State College was reported as saying, “It came out more than I expected.”

The trombone player and other students from around the country were rehearsing for the opening ceremonies performance when a platform fell on him. The impact broke his neck and spinal cord, leaving him a quadriplegic.

Published on: October 18, 2011

Fire Fighter Smashed by Beam Has Returned Home to Finish Recovery

by Stephen Bilkis

A fire fighter from Duns was airlifted to a hospital after being seriously hurt while dealing with a blaze in the Borders. He lost the use of his legs after suffering serious spinal injuries when a beam fell on him while fighting a fire at the Eye mouth golf club.

Last summer, fire crews were called to a fire in a green keeper’s shed at the golf course. The building was ablaze and the fire fighter was injured when part of the structure collapsed.

About 35 members of the Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue responded to the shed where a number of chemicals and pesticides were stored, including three specialist chemical incident vehicles and two fire service experts.