Medical Miracle

If you are a pro football fan, you have heard about the devastating spinal cord injury sustained by Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett. On Monday, his doctors reported that "a best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely" and went on to explain that he would not walk again. Plus he could easily die from blood clots, respiratory failure, or infection.

Then yesterday, promising news. Everett's sedation levels were lowered, and he was able to voluntarily move his arms and legs. Dr. Barth Green, chairman of the department of neurological surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine, had this to say:

Based on our experience, the fact that he's moving so well, so early after such a catastrophic injury means he will walk again. It's totally spectacular, totally unexpected.

I believe prayers from around the nation will help Kevin Everett, so be sure to pray for this young man.

But I was also amazed at the medical science that gives this man hope to walk again.

ESPN reports that Dr. Andrew Cappuccino ran an ice-cold saline solution through Everett's system, putting the injured player in a hypothermic state. Dr. Green from U of Miami hadn't seen such positive results before.

We've been doing a protocol on humans and having similar experiences for many months now, but this is the first time I'm aware of that the doctor was with the patient when he was injured and the hypothermia was started within minutes of the injury. We know the earlier it's started, the better.

Basically, Dr. Cappuccino's quick action reduced spinal cord damage from swelling and movement. He also repaired a break between the third and fourth vertebrae and also alleviated the pressure on the spinal cord. He wasn't able to repair all the damage, though, and Everett has a long road ahead of him - just staying alive in the short-term, and learning to walk again in the long-term.

It is amazing - here is a highly-conditioned professional athlete, running faster than fast on his special teams play, who bonks helmets with an opposing player on a typical tackle (no cheap shots from either side) and suddenly can't even walk.

But he is alive, and we are witnessing a miracle now that this man may, indeed walk again someday.