Georgia College Graduate Paralyzed After Visit to the Chiropractor, Family Says

Georgia College Graduate Paralyzed After Visit to the Chiropractor, Family Says: During a visit to a chiropractor in Georgia, a woman suffered the dissection of four arteries, which ultimately led to her paralysis.

Caitlin Jensen, who graduated from Georgia Southern University only a few weeks ago, reportedly went to see a chiropractor on June 16 to get an “adjustment to her neck,” as stated on a GoFundMe page set up to help defray the costs of her medical care. Following the adjustment, Jensen allegedly “became unwell,” and she was then admitted to the hospital, where it was discovered that she had four dissected arteries within her neck.

According to the page that raises money for her, “This damage led to cardiac arrest and a stroke, as well as a loss of pulse for over ten minutes after which she was revived.” “Caitlin was hurried into surgery as soon as the physicians were able to bring her condition under control and stabilize her. The doctors were able to mend some of the tears, and they also inserted a stent into one of the arteries.”

According to Darlene Jensen, Caitlin’s mother, who gave an interview to WSB-TV, the medical professionals feel that the young woman’s stroke was “a direct outcome of the neck manipulation.”

In a piece that was published on Monday, Darelene was quoted as saying that she had told the news organization that “the surgeon… that saved her life, and every other doctor that has looked at her have all concurred that this happened as a direct result of the neck manipulation.” “The chiropractor contacted 911, and then they called me to let me know that she was ‘having a reaction to the therapy.'”

The news outlet also reported that Caitlin’s injuries have not been formally attributed to a specific cause and that her family has hired an attorney to represent her in this matter.

Caitlin went to a chiropractor on June 16, but the name of the practitioner was not immediately obvious, and we were unable to get in touch with them for comment. According to WJCL, they were successful in getting in touch with the doctor; however, the physician declined to respond, claiming HIPAA.

Caitlin is still in a serious state one month after she was admitted to the neurological intensive care unit at Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Georgia. According to the GoFundMe, which also indicates that she sustained a catastrophic brain injury, while she is cognizant, the only way she is able to respond to vocal directions is by blinking her eyes and wiggling the toes on her left foot. This is the case even though she is conscious.

However, the remainder of her body is still in a paralyzed state as a result of the injuries, according to the GoFundMe page.

Caleb Jensen, Caitlin’s brother, recalled to WJCL that he had spoken with his sister on the morning of June 16 before going to work. He said that he recalled his sister saying, “You’re talking to her and then 30 minutes later, she’s in the hospital and now in the ICU,” Caitlin was admitted to the hospital and placed in the intensive care unit shortly after their conversation.

According to what Caleb said, his sister is “capable of opening her eyes from time to time and regaining some level of consciousness when she does so. And she did something with her hands as if to squeeze it a little bit. But that wraps everything up.”

According to the GoFundMe page, Caitlin graduated from Georgia Southern University in May with a degree in chemistry and biology, and she was excited about the opportunities that were ahead of her. As of the wee hours of Wednesday morning, the page has raised more than $38,000 toward the target amount of $100,000 for medical expenses.

In addition, a CaringBridge page bearing Caitlin’s name has been established in order to keep her supporters informed about her health. After her blood levels temporarily decreased over the weekend, her physicians have determined that her daughter should continue to take blood thinners for the time being. Darlene provided this news on her website on Monday and wrote that the decision was made by the doctors.

In the entry that she made on CaringBridge, Darlene also expressed her hope that “others will be able to avoid this type of harm” as a result of the attention being placed on her daughter’s tale.

PEOPLE reached out to the people who organized Caitlin’s GoFundMe and CaringBridge pages for donations, but they did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

It was not immediately clear what chiropractor she went to, and a representative from that office could not be reached for comment. According to WJCL, they were successful in getting in touch with the doctor; however, the physician declined to respond, claiming HIPAA.

The television station interviewed Dr. Steve Ranicki, a chiropractor located in Pooler, Georgia. Dr. Ranicki shared with the TV station that an incident like the one that occurred to Caitlin is “very unusual.”

According to Ranicki, arterial dissections like the one the young woman had “frequently elicit symptoms of headache and neck pain, which subsequently prompt people to seek medical attention.”

“Once they’ve gone to the medical doctor or chiropractor the likelihood is, unfortunately, a stroke will occur,” Ranicki said in an interview with WJCL. He added that anything from someone tilting their head back in a hair salon to “horseplay or who knows what,” could trigger the injuries for someone who has the condition.

Caitlin’s mother, Darlene, posted an update to Caitlin’s GoFundMe page on June 29, stating that her daughter “has a strong hand squeeze” and gave “the tiniest of nods with her head” for the first time since the incident. The update reads that this was the first time Caitlin had moved her head since the incident.

“It would be easy to miss, but I swear – I saw her nod her head in answer to me today,” she said. “It would be easy to miss, but I saw her nod her head in answer to me today.”

According to the GoFundMe page on WJCL, Caitlin’s family wishes to have her transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta as soon as she is able to leave the intensive care unit at Memorial Health.

On June 29, Darlene wrote on GoFundMe, “We are still trying everything we can to get her into Shepherd.” She said this despite the fact that they had exhausted all other options. “We’re having difficulties with the insurance part of things, and we really need that part to work out,” said the business owner.