Prayer Request for a Man who is a Quadraplegic

sptimes.com ^ | July 11, 2005 | beaversmom

[beaversmom]

Even though I believe in GOD, I'm not a religious person and I go back and forth on the power of prayer, but I figure I would offer my friend's brother's story up to the prayer warriors that are so committed on FR.

I've known my friend since the third grade. Her one and only brother is seven years younger. When he was fourteen a friend's cousin visiting from California thought it would be a nifty idea to point a gun at him and pull the trigger. He suffered spinal cord injuries and has been a quadraplegic ever since. He's in his early 30's now so he has been in this state for almost 20 years.

My friend sent me an e-mail today stating that the bed sore he has suffered from since April was worse than anyone thought. It has spread to his hip joint and pelvic area. He had a high fever and a blocked catheter and that was when he was taken to hospital last night. He is supposed to have surgery soon but they had to bring in another surgeon to do the pelvic surgery.

[beaversmom]

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/12/Worldandnation/Common_pressure_wound.shtml

Here's an article about pressure wounds in general and Christopher Reeve. Hopefully my friend's brother's outcome will be be better.

Common pressure wound led to fatal infection

Nearly all paralysis victims will suffer from pressure wounds, or bed sores. In Reeve's case, the wound became infected and led to his death.

By LISA GREENE, Times Staff Writer Published October 12, 2004

Christopher Reeve became the Superman of paralysis recovery, moving fingers when nobody expected he could and pushing technology to new levels for people with spinal cord injuries.

And yet in the end, Reeve fell to one of the most common maladies.

Bed sores, or pressure wounds, are an ever-present threat for paralysis patients, and most suffer at least one. But while the wounds can be expensive and hard to treat, they are rarely deadly.

"We were totally shocked," said Dr. Barth Green, president and co-founder of the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "I think it's a personal sacrifice he made, because of the tremendous commitment he made to public speaking and lobbying. I think he just didn't take care of himself."

About 3 to 4 percent of deaths in people with spinal cord injuries are due to infections that began with a pressure wound, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

But the threat is always there.

Sores are "extremely common, even with the best of care," said Dr. Venerando Batas, medical director of Tampa General Hospital's rehabilitation center.

In another way, Reeve's death wasn't unusual. Breathing problems, heart failure and infections eventually kill many people with such injuries, and typically within seven to 11 years of the injury, according to the center in Birmingham.

Pressure sores start when weight drives blood out of tissue, and the tissue begins to die. People with paralysis are at risk because they can't move to shift their weight or feel the pain from pressure.

The sore begins with a red area on the skin that often means more damage underneath.

The dead skin becomes an open sore. It can grow bigger and reach deeper, into muscle, then bone. Sometimes patients need surgery to remove dead tissue or place a flap of skin over the wound.

The biggest threat is infection - especially because paralysis patients often have weak immune systems. They generally can be treated with antibiotics. But if infections aren't treated fast enough, or if the germs resist antibiotics, they can spread into the bloodstream, which can quickly lead to organ failure and death.

"Bed sores used to be the major cause of death in paralysis patients," Green said. "For it to go so far and become severe is just tragic."

Even if it doesn't kill, a sore can take weeks to heal. One wound can cost $100,000 to treat.

Dr. David Halpern, chief of plastic surgery at Tampa General Hospital, sometimes operates on a wound to close it. But even he thinks that's not the best approach.

Paralysis patients use special cushions and mattresses to minimize pressure. They're taught to shift their body weight every two hours, or have someone do it for them.

"The best treatment is prevention," Halpern said. WEB SITES

Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation

www.christopherreeve.org/

Reeve Irvine Research Center

www.reeve.uci.edu/

Society to Increase Mobility

thestim.org/

[Tribune7]

prayer bump

[Mamzelle]

Prayers for your friend and you.

[WV Mountain Mama]

Prayers going up for your friend that the Lord will grant him restoration. I will also pray that the Lord will touch your heart in a way that you have not experienced yet. May He fill both of your souls with His love, faith and healing. Amen

[commonasdirt]

Pressure sores are certainly the main concern of anyone with an SCI. I have a small one at the present time (I am a paraplegic. For me it is less of a concern than it would be for a quad. I can move myself around and try to keep the pressure off it. Since my days in a VA rehab unit whenever I was tempted to fall into any level self pity I have always thought of the many quads I have known and realized that things could always be much, much worse. I hope that his doctors are able to help him.

[Sally'sConcerns]

I'll be sure and say prayers for your friend and his healing.

When I was 16, I was involved in a motorcycle wreck and they used traction on both of my legs to straighten out my pelvic bones and the tail end of my tail-bone. Because it hurt so much for me to move, I developed an infected bedsore about the size of a dollar bill folded in half. Since I wasn't capable of eating, I'd gotten down to 83 lbs. so a bedsore that big on my derriere was major.

Antibiotics, making me turn over and shining a special light several times a day on the affected area helped to cure it. I still have a large scar to show for it but the wonderful news is I survived it.

I tell you this story because it sounds as if you need a
positive story about bed sores and the fact they can be healed. I won't say all of them can be healed but I'm living testament that some of the severe ones can be cured.

Your friend, his family and his physicians are all in my prayers to cure the bedsore or as they're now known, pressure wounds.

God Bless!

[Humidston]

I lift up your friend to our Lord Jesus, to be healed of that vicious infectious sore. May our heavenly Father comfort this family and may He bring peace and healing to your friend. "Where two or more are gathered..."

In His name, amen.

[sr4402]

Prayer Bump

[lilylangtree]

Adding my prayers for your friend and you.

[TXBSAFH]

Prayers sent from TX.

[AliVeritas]

Done.

[TXBubba]

Hey girl. I'll be praying for your friend's brother and for you also. A friend of mine's Dad was a ventilator dependent Quad. for 10 years. He was a wonderful surgeon before his accident. The fact your friend's brother has made it this long is a blessing.

[beaversmom]

Thank you TX--congratulations on the birth of the twins. Hope Mrs. TX's nerve pain will ease soon.

[beaversmom]

Thank you TXBub.

[beaversmom]

Thanks to everyone for the prayers. I'll try to post an update when I hear more info.

[devane617]

Although I have been confined to a wheelchair almost my entire 50 year life, I do not have a SCI, and therefore have never worried about pressure sores. I have several friends with SCI's and they all have had problems at one time or another.

If a God exists, I hope he blesses this guy.

[Jackknife]

God, help this young man combat this problem. Give the doctors guidance and skill in their treatment. Amen

[RJL]

Prayers sent for this friend and his family.

[B Knotts]

Prayer BUMP

[scott7278]

A prayer has been made.