Rachel's Recovery HBOT Round Two
Donation protected
They say "It takes a village" and without this village Rachel would not be recovering the way she is. Rachel still has a long way to go. Rachel's disability is not one that you can see. But, just have a conversation with her and you would understand that Rachel still has a long way to go. Every day is a new adventure in recovery for us.
Some of you know Rachel's story and some of you don't so we figured we would bring everyone up to speed on what happened to Rachel.
Rachel was a perfectly healthy 19 year old girl. She had graduated high school and was in college full time plus working a full time job. She had a boyfriend and drove a nice little yellow convertible.
Rachel has always been a loving person growing up. Especially to her little brother who she always had an awesome bond with.
She loves people, she loves animals, and would go out of her way to try to help who ever and where ever she could. Rachel is like her dad. She is a people person. Those that know Rachel, love Rachel.
Rachel had dreams of being a Special Education teacher and all this was taken away one July night.
July 27th 2011. While in the middle of a heated argument with her cousin Rachel all of a sudden stiffened up and dropped. Her heart just stopped. We were performing CPR within 4 minutes of the incident but Rachels heart did not start up for almost 9 minutes. Because of this Rachel is sufferring from an Anoxic Brain Injury.
An Anoxic Brain Injury or ABI is defined as:
When oxygen levels are significantly low for four minutes or longer, brain cells begin to die and after five minutes permanent anoxic brain injury can occur. Anoxic brain injury which is also called cerebral hypoxia or hypoxic-anoxic injury (HAI) is a serious, life-threatening injury; it can cause cognitive problems and disabilities. Some HAI injuries are due to a partial lack of oxygen; the term hypoxic means partial lack. Other HAI injuries are due to a complete lack of oxygen; the term anoxic means total lack. The greater the loss of oxygen, the more wide-spread and serious the injury will be.
When this first happened we were told there was no chance for quality of life because she was down without oxygen too long. The doctors kept on telling us that the best thing for Rachel was looking into long term care. As parents, who would not want to hear something like that about your child? So we fought for her survival with her.
We pushed for rehab and after almost a week of arguing with the doctors and Insurance companies Rachel was finallly evaluated and moved to Rehab Hospitals of Indiana. This approval from the Insurance company was for only 3 days. Even with some of the nurses were doubting her recovery when she first arrived.
Seventy two days later Rachel rang the bell, walked out of that rehab, and her recovery still continues today.
Rachel is a miracle and continues to amaze the doctors who we are all trying to prove wrong.
Rachel has had an amazing opportunity and qualified for HBOT Therapy.
HBOT otherwise known as Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment which enhances the body's natural healing process by inhalation of 100% oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. It is used for a wide variety of treatments usually as a part of an overall medical care plan.Under normal circumstances, oxygen is transported throughout the body only by red blood cells. With HBOT, oxygen is dissolved into all of the body's fluids, the plasma, the central nervous system fluids, the lymph, and the bone and can be carried to areas where circulation is diminished or blocked. In this way, extra oxygen can reach all of the damaged tissues and the body can support its own healing process. The increased oxygen greatly enhances the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria, reduces swelling and allows new blood vessels to grow more rapidly into the affected areas. It is a simple, non-invasive and painless treatment.
Rachel's HBOT treatments have been a huge success. Her posture is better.
Her speech is better.
Rachel sleeps better (Even snores when in a deep sleep).
Rachel's ability to re-learn or catch on seems to have improved as well.
As parents, after what we have been through. To see and hear about these improvements that not only we see but also her therapists. We would again do ANYTHING we can to help Rachel continue to regain abilities lost due o the Anoxic Brain Injury.
The great news is, with HBOT this time. We do not have to travel to New Orleans.(Even though Rachel would love it). These will be in Cincinati so lodging and food will not be necessary unless we are too tired to travel back or the weather gets nasty.
Rachel's first round went so well and it has been almost two years since her last HBOT. We can't wait to see how she does this time.
The Cincinati doctors are going to use the prescription sent to them by Dr. Harch in New Orleans. They think very highly of him and respect what he does.
We are trying to get these funds together by 10/01/2016 so all the treatments will be completed before the weather gets too nasty.
The funds raised here will go towards 40 treatments of HBOT for Rachel. These treatments are not covered by insurance and we are working dilligently to raise the funds.
You can follow her progress at www.facebook.com/forrachellapidus
Some of you know Rachel's story and some of you don't so we figured we would bring everyone up to speed on what happened to Rachel.
Rachel was a perfectly healthy 19 year old girl. She had graduated high school and was in college full time plus working a full time job. She had a boyfriend and drove a nice little yellow convertible.
Rachel has always been a loving person growing up. Especially to her little brother who she always had an awesome bond with.
She loves people, she loves animals, and would go out of her way to try to help who ever and where ever she could. Rachel is like her dad. She is a people person. Those that know Rachel, love Rachel.
Rachel had dreams of being a Special Education teacher and all this was taken away one July night.
July 27th 2011. While in the middle of a heated argument with her cousin Rachel all of a sudden stiffened up and dropped. Her heart just stopped. We were performing CPR within 4 minutes of the incident but Rachels heart did not start up for almost 9 minutes. Because of this Rachel is sufferring from an Anoxic Brain Injury.
An Anoxic Brain Injury or ABI is defined as:
When oxygen levels are significantly low for four minutes or longer, brain cells begin to die and after five minutes permanent anoxic brain injury can occur. Anoxic brain injury which is also called cerebral hypoxia or hypoxic-anoxic injury (HAI) is a serious, life-threatening injury; it can cause cognitive problems and disabilities. Some HAI injuries are due to a partial lack of oxygen; the term hypoxic means partial lack. Other HAI injuries are due to a complete lack of oxygen; the term anoxic means total lack. The greater the loss of oxygen, the more wide-spread and serious the injury will be.
When this first happened we were told there was no chance for quality of life because she was down without oxygen too long. The doctors kept on telling us that the best thing for Rachel was looking into long term care. As parents, who would not want to hear something like that about your child? So we fought for her survival with her.
We pushed for rehab and after almost a week of arguing with the doctors and Insurance companies Rachel was finallly evaluated and moved to Rehab Hospitals of Indiana. This approval from the Insurance company was for only 3 days. Even with some of the nurses were doubting her recovery when she first arrived.
Seventy two days later Rachel rang the bell, walked out of that rehab, and her recovery still continues today.
Rachel is a miracle and continues to amaze the doctors who we are all trying to prove wrong.
Rachel has had an amazing opportunity and qualified for HBOT Therapy.
HBOT otherwise known as Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a medical treatment which enhances the body's natural healing process by inhalation of 100% oxygen in a total body chamber, where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. It is used for a wide variety of treatments usually as a part of an overall medical care plan.Under normal circumstances, oxygen is transported throughout the body only by red blood cells. With HBOT, oxygen is dissolved into all of the body's fluids, the plasma, the central nervous system fluids, the lymph, and the bone and can be carried to areas where circulation is diminished or blocked. In this way, extra oxygen can reach all of the damaged tissues and the body can support its own healing process. The increased oxygen greatly enhances the ability of white blood cells to kill bacteria, reduces swelling and allows new blood vessels to grow more rapidly into the affected areas. It is a simple, non-invasive and painless treatment.
Rachel's HBOT treatments have been a huge success. Her posture is better.
Her speech is better.
Rachel sleeps better (Even snores when in a deep sleep).
Rachel's ability to re-learn or catch on seems to have improved as well.
As parents, after what we have been through. To see and hear about these improvements that not only we see but also her therapists. We would again do ANYTHING we can to help Rachel continue to regain abilities lost due o the Anoxic Brain Injury.
The great news is, with HBOT this time. We do not have to travel to New Orleans.(Even though Rachel would love it). These will be in Cincinati so lodging and food will not be necessary unless we are too tired to travel back or the weather gets nasty.
Rachel's first round went so well and it has been almost two years since her last HBOT. We can't wait to see how she does this time.
The Cincinati doctors are going to use the prescription sent to them by Dr. Harch in New Orleans. They think very highly of him and respect what he does.
We are trying to get these funds together by 10/01/2016 so all the treatments will be completed before the weather gets too nasty.
The funds raised here will go towards 40 treatments of HBOT for Rachel. These treatments are not covered by insurance and we are working dilligently to raise the funds.
You can follow her progress at www.facebook.com/forrachellapidus
Organizer
Randy Lapidus
Organizer
Columbus, IN
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