A Blanket Can Prevent Brain Injuries?

The Sun Sentinel shares a new method of preventing brain injuries.

20 years ago, only 1 % of people who experienced a heart attack survived without a brain injury.  Today that number has increased to 40 %. So, what’s changed?

The answer is cooling. The American Heart Association recommends dropping body temperature to 90-93 degrees after a heart attack. It may seem a little odd, but this technique has helped countless heart attack patients. Doctors now use emergency cooling treatments which reduce the brain’s need for oxygen and, consequently, reduce the risk of a brain injury. These cooling treatments are typically done with IV fluid.

But, about this new blanket… Well, it’s a cooling blanket which is filled with chilled fluids. The blanket has actually proven to be effective and doctors in South Florida recently began using it to assist heart attack patients.

Follow this link to take a look at how the blanket works.

Amputee will be ball girl in the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament

NJ.com shares an athlete’s inspirational story.

Like thousands of other athletes, Denise Castelli broke her leg during a softball game in 2008. However, Castelli didn’t heal as many other athletes do. She experienced one complication after the next, and had to have her leg amputated in 2009.

While an amputation could have easily ended Castelli’s athletic aspirations, she has remained persistent. After just two months of training with the Challenged Athlete’s Foundation, she was able to run with her prosthetic. Soon after, she began trying out for different athletic teams. This year she’s focused on getting back on the softball field.

 So, what is she doing in the meantime?   Preparing to be a ball girl in the U.S. Open tennis tournament, of course. While it may seem like an amputee may not be the ideal candidate for this position, Castelli has proven to everyone that she can perform just like anyone else. She runs around the court with no difficulty, and even did a 360 turn to catch a ball during tryouts.  John Korff, director at large of the United States Tennis Association’s board of directors, even predicts she’ll be chosen to work in the finals.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for her during the tournament!

Take a look at the video below to see what the Challenged Athlete’s Foundation is all about.

Amputee Veteran Makes History in the Golf World

Did anyone get to watch ESPN’s E:60 last night? If not, click on this link and watch the video on a veteran who exceeded everyone’s expectations while golfing at the Old Course. Such a touching story!

SCI Survivor Gets the Wedding She’s Been Waiting For!

MSNBC shares this bride-to-be’s inspirational story.

Rachelle Friedman celebrated her bachelorette party last August in Virginia Beach. This was just a month before Friedman was set to marry her boyfriend of five years.  But, when one of her bridesmaids playfully pushed her into a pool her life changed drastically.

Friedman experienced a C6 spinal cord injury and has been confined to a wheel chair since the accident. With an injury like this so close to her wedding date, it would have been easy for Friedman to give up hope. However, like so many survivors of catastrophic injuries have proven time and time again, Friedman did not let it take control of her life.

She is set to marry her supportive fiancé this Friday in the same dress she planned to wear a year ago. As for the friend who pushed her in the pool….she is still a bridesmaid and her best friend. Friedman explains it could have easily been the other way around, as this was something they always did to one another.

While she is hopeful to walk in the future, this bride-to-be has come to terms with injury.  She even plans to get a peace sign tattoo on the back of her neck where the injury occurred with the phrase “Let it Be” underneath.

Check out this video of Friedman back in November, 2010.

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SCI Survivor Cuts a Rug

Did anyone catch this on So You Think You Can Dance a few weeks ago?

Feel like you need a little inspiration? Take a look at this amazing video! Rodney Bell, who is paralyzed from the waste down, and his dance partner Sonsherée Giles put on an amazing show for the nation to see.  They duo is part of Axis Dance Company, which is a group of dancers both with and without disabilities. The group caught the attention of producer Nigel Lythgoe, who invited them to be the featured performers on Thursday, June 30. The performance was undeniably touching and just goes to show that we can do anything we set our minds to!

Why Stop at One Leg?

MSNBC shares a huge advancement for amputees.

Big news in the world of amputation recoveries! Surgeons in Spain have recently performed the first double leg transplant. Needless to say, this advancement can improve the quality of life for leg amputees everywhere.

You may be wondering why this surgery hasn’t been done in the past. In the interview with MSNBC, Dr. David Levi shares the surgery is not necessary for patient survival. He explains there is no reason to put the patient in a potentially life-threatening situation when there are awesome prosthetics out there. Therefore, surgeons would not have considered the transplant unless the benefits were greater than the risks.

Arm transplants have been done in the past and surgeons can use those outcomes as a guideline for what to expect. However, there are some major differences that can greatly affect the recovery process. Not only are the nerves in legs longer, but the patient will have to learn how to put all of his/her body weight onto these new legs. Both factors may cause the recovery time to be much longer than transplants in the past.

However, researchers remain optimistic and believe, if rehabilitation goes as planned, the patient will be able to walk within the next year. This is a story we’ll be sure to follow!
Would those of you who have experienced a double leg amputation consider this surgery?

Check out this video of the first double arm transplant patient.

Who said you can't do back flips after losing a leg?

Take a look at this amazing gymnast doing what he does best!

Amputee Set to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro

The Vancouver Sun shares the story of an amputee soldier doing the unthinkable.

Canadian Soldier, Cpl. Mark Fuchko, lost both of his legs after an explosion in Afghanistan. In the beginning Fuchko believed life as he knew it was over. However, his stubborn personality has led him to pursue what most would think is unattainable.

On August 8, Fuchko, along with four other wounded soldiers, will begin climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The group is not just attempting this to prove something to themselves, they are doing it for a good cause as well. They hope to raise $575,000 for the new stae-of-the-art Orthepedic Surgery Centre at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Edmonton, which rebuilds knees and hips.

There is no doubt that climbing the mountain will be difficult. At 19,340 feet, this mountain is not only the tallest in Africa; it is considered the highest free standing mountain in the world. The climb will require seven to eight hour hikes a day, a feat which would be difficult for someone without an amputated limb. However, Fuchko and his military pals are up for the challenge in hopes to give back to the community.

Check out National Geographic's video of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

 

Gabrielle Giffords Accomplishes Another Milestone

Adelaidenow.com shares Gabrielle Giffords amazing recovery.

Most of you have probably already heard of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and the traumatic event she endured. But, I’ll recap for those of you who don’t know what occurred:

While hosting a political event in Tucson, Arizona, gunman, Jared Loughner, opened fire. He shot Giffords in the head within a meter’s distance and the bullet went through her brain. Jared killed six people and left Gifford’s in critical condition. She had experienced a traumatic brain injury and her chances of survival looked bleak. Many predicted that Giffords would be in a vegetative state for the rest of her life, at best.

But, this woman is a fighter and she has far surpassed everyone’s expectations. She has had several milestones throughout the recovery process. Just a few days after the shooting, Giffords was able to sit up on her own. Today, although talking is a struggle, she is able to hold conversations with others. But perhaps her most touching milestone was when Giffords made her first public appearance at an award ceremony honoring her husband, a retired astronaut. Giffords received a standing ovation when she was able to stand on her own and wave to the crowd.

I couldn’t imagine being under public scrutiny throughout the recovery process, but Giffords certainly handles it with poise and grace.

Check out the video below from CBS News.