Reference no: EM133329006

Question: Comment on it and Your responses should be substantive (pertain to content and are not comments such as "That was very interesting" or "I never heard of this before") and explain what you have learned.

In 2011, we received a call at 4 AM on a school morning that my brother was in an accident and in the ER. Abdullah got this motorcycle as a high school graduation present from my parents. Abdullah wanted to leap over a fence with a ramp while partying with pals. The engine roared, excitement surged, and speed was maxed. He was unable to move or feel in seconds. Abdullah's neck impacted the sidewalk. Abdullah was hospitalized. The present he so wanted was his downfall.
A healthy person has a CNS (brain and spinal cord) and a PS (contains cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerves). Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal are spinal cord areas. 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 4 fused coaxial vertebras. On each vertebra, left and right, are 31 pairs of spinal nerves. Motor and sensory nerves transmit and receive external signals.

ER doctors requested CT and MRI scans to examine his spinal column and discovered he smashed his C-2 and C-3 vertebrae and damaged his C-4. The spinal cord is an important element of the central nervous system, and since it was wounded, it could not coordinate reflexes or deliver brain orders to the body; afferent and efferent impulses were hindered.

This trauma profoundly damaged his homeostasis, causing quadriplegia, paralysis of the arms, trunk, and legs (paralysis from the neck down). Because to spinal cord injuries, afferent and efferent neurons aren't receiving or transmitting instructions to the CNS, preventing arm and leg movement. Abdullah initially had neck and back discomfort, then paralysis and numbness in his arms, legs, and trunk. His hands, feet, and toes were numb. Abdullah lost bladder control, causing enuresis (involuntary urination).

When my family and I arrived to the hospital, the neurosurgeon told us my brother had cracked several cervical vertebrae. The surgery's success rate was 1%. For abnormalities, he required to stabilize the spine. Dr. Jamjoom would make two incisions in the neck to access the spine. This procedure would stabilize the spine and realign the bones. Left and right vertebrae would be screwed. The screws are then connected by inserting one metal rod per vertebra. Over time, metal rods and screws fused to the body, stabilizing the neck and spine. After surgery, Abdullah's neck will be cast in a four-poster orthosis. A four-poster orthosis helps align, support, and move moving body components. My brother's life depended on a 99%-failed procedure. My mother agreed to the procedure, and Dr. Jamjoom prepared for surgery.

The neurosurgeon told us my brother had survived after hours of waiting and hoping. We were all happy and grateful. We didn't sure whether he'd recover till he woke up. Abdullah woke up in excruciating agony and screamed for painkillers, but the staff ignored him. The doctor yelled at the nurses for not providing Abdullah steroid pain medicines to numb pain and reduce inflammation. After a few days, the doctor advised, "Get up." My brother remarked, "Doc, I don't know if I can," and his voice had altered, becoming harsher, as if his vocal chords were also impacted. "Rise! What makes you believe you can't walk after brain surgery? "Jamjoom remarked. Abdullah healed but wore a neck band for a time. Abdullah's life and rehabilitation were a miracle, claimed the neurosurgeon.

Abdullah's icy neck still aches after 11 years. Since then, I've wanted to work in healthcare to save lives and advocate for people. I didn't want a dying patient to feel unheard. Hopefully I'll be an ER nurse.