Isaac's Epidural Simulator Surgery
Donation protected
Isaac’s Story
My son just wants to live…
This website is dedicated to helping my son, Isaac, raise money for a very new life saving medical procedure called an epidural stimulator.
As a 28-year-old young man, Isaac was injured in August of 2012 in a shallow water diving accident in Alberta, Canada. The accident left him a quadriplegic with paralysis from the upper chest down. I was studying at Manjushri Centre in the UK when I got the news of his accident, and, with the help of a lot of kind and compassionate friends, I was able to rush to Edmonton, Alberta, to be with him. Isaac remained in the ICU/Trauma ward for about 2 months until he was flown back home for an extended stay at a rehabilitation hospital in Vancouver.
Imagine, dream, change, inspire…
I remember clearly the first time I saw Isaac sitting up in a wheelchair in the lobby of the hospital. Behind him was a mural painted by one of the hospital’s doctors. Isaac was framed by the words imagine, dream, change and inspire. Despite the near-death trauma that he had been through, that is just what Isaac did. Isaac worked on improving the paralysis in his left hand by learning to play specific scales on the guitar for hours on end. He now plays guitar amazingly well. Isaac imagined driving a car again and with training and determination, he got his full driver’s license this summer. Before his accident, Isaac was very athletic. He decided to give wheelchair sports a try this year and now plays on a rugby team. I am so amazed and proud of him for keeping a positive attitude and dealing with all the complications that come with his level of injury.
Isaac’s daily struggle to maintain his life…
In addition to his courage and determination, Isaac lives with a life threatening condition called “Autonomic Dysreflexia.” He has daily problems with controlling his blood pressure (uncontrolled hypertension). This condition is the main cause of death for people who have a spinal cord injury like Isaac’s that are at or above the sixth thoracic vertebral level (T6). Simple functions like going to the washroom can shoot his blood pressure up so high that he has to use nitro paste on his chest and medication to bring his blood pressure back down. If his blood pressure drops too low, his heart can’t function and provide the oxygen that his system needs. He frequently ends up in the ER to get help stabilizing this condition. The inability to control his blood pressure has taken a toll on Isaac’s body, and he does not think that he can stay alive much longer without help.
There is hope…
An epidural stimulator would restore Isaac’s bowel and bladder functions as well as stabilize his blood pressure issues. An epidural stimulator has also been effective in helping people with paralysis move their limbs and eventually walk again. This would be a wonderful result for Isaac to achieve, but his primary goal right now is staying alive and improving the quality of his life.
This medical procedure is now being offered in many countries throughout the world, but Canada is not one of them. Isaac has been in conversation with a number of hospitals in other countries and has confirmation that he is a good candidate to receive an epidural stimulator. There is a big range in the cost for this procedure depending on the country offering treatment. Isaac has found a reputable overseas hospital where a 40 day hospital stay has been quoted at $82,000 US. Any donation that you can make to help Isaac achieve this goal would be wonderful.
We thank you from the depths of our hearts,
Isaac’s Mom and family
My son just wants to live…
This website is dedicated to helping my son, Isaac, raise money for a very new life saving medical procedure called an epidural stimulator.
As a 28-year-old young man, Isaac was injured in August of 2012 in a shallow water diving accident in Alberta, Canada. The accident left him a quadriplegic with paralysis from the upper chest down. I was studying at Manjushri Centre in the UK when I got the news of his accident, and, with the help of a lot of kind and compassionate friends, I was able to rush to Edmonton, Alberta, to be with him. Isaac remained in the ICU/Trauma ward for about 2 months until he was flown back home for an extended stay at a rehabilitation hospital in Vancouver.
Imagine, dream, change, inspire…
I remember clearly the first time I saw Isaac sitting up in a wheelchair in the lobby of the hospital. Behind him was a mural painted by one of the hospital’s doctors. Isaac was framed by the words imagine, dream, change and inspire. Despite the near-death trauma that he had been through, that is just what Isaac did. Isaac worked on improving the paralysis in his left hand by learning to play specific scales on the guitar for hours on end. He now plays guitar amazingly well. Isaac imagined driving a car again and with training and determination, he got his full driver’s license this summer. Before his accident, Isaac was very athletic. He decided to give wheelchair sports a try this year and now plays on a rugby team. I am so amazed and proud of him for keeping a positive attitude and dealing with all the complications that come with his level of injury.
Isaac’s daily struggle to maintain his life…
In addition to his courage and determination, Isaac lives with a life threatening condition called “Autonomic Dysreflexia.” He has daily problems with controlling his blood pressure (uncontrolled hypertension). This condition is the main cause of death for people who have a spinal cord injury like Isaac’s that are at or above the sixth thoracic vertebral level (T6). Simple functions like going to the washroom can shoot his blood pressure up so high that he has to use nitro paste on his chest and medication to bring his blood pressure back down. If his blood pressure drops too low, his heart can’t function and provide the oxygen that his system needs. He frequently ends up in the ER to get help stabilizing this condition. The inability to control his blood pressure has taken a toll on Isaac’s body, and he does not think that he can stay alive much longer without help.
There is hope…
An epidural stimulator would restore Isaac’s bowel and bladder functions as well as stabilize his blood pressure issues. An epidural stimulator has also been effective in helping people with paralysis move their limbs and eventually walk again. This would be a wonderful result for Isaac to achieve, but his primary goal right now is staying alive and improving the quality of his life.
This medical procedure is now being offered in many countries throughout the world, but Canada is not one of them. Isaac has been in conversation with a number of hospitals in other countries and has confirmation that he is a good candidate to receive an epidural stimulator. There is a big range in the cost for this procedure depending on the country offering treatment. Isaac has found a reputable overseas hospital where a 40 day hospital stay has been quoted at $82,000 US. Any donation that you can make to help Isaac achieve this goal would be wonderful.
We thank you from the depths of our hearts,
Isaac’s Mom and family
Organizer
Sandy Darrell
Organizer
Langley, BC
