Hi, my name is Emily Dalsin. Two days ago, I hugged my son Andy and told him to be safe as he headed off to his annual cabin weekend with his buddies in Wisconsin. At 12:45 am, my husband Matt answered his phone. His voice got really quiet, and he turned his phone to speaker. We both heard one of Andy's buddies explaining that there had been an accident. Andy dove off the pontoon to swim to the dock. He meant to do a shallow dive, but he misjudged how deep the water was. He hit the bottom of the lake. He couldn't feel his arms and legs. His friends jumped in and saved him from drowning. One of his buddies is a nurse and began spinal cord protocol while stabilizing him. Another friend called the paramedics, and another called Matt. We hopped in the car and started driving north. We learned that Andy was being airlifted to North Memorial Hospital, a Level 1 trauma unit. We arrived at the emergency room before Andy, and we heard the helicopter land. We've been by Andy's side ever since. Here's what we know. Andy fractured the C6 vertebrae and decimated C7. He cannot move anything from his upper chest to his toes. He’s had two surgeries. The first one removed the bone fragments and took the pressure off the spinal cord while replacing C7 with a titanium insert. The second one fused his spine back together with metal rods, plates, and screws. We've had moments of hope and glimpses of joy. Andy currently can feel some minor touches to his toes and calves. He can move his neck, arms, and hands. Some of his fingers have movement, but other fingers have just sensation. The neurosurgeon told us that his spinal cord is encased in a membrane, and the membrane is still in tack. We get competing prognoses, but everyone agrees we are in for a 12 - 18 month recovery. Andy will spend the next few days in the ICU fighting. When he is stable, they will move him to a different part of the hospital. After that, he will move to a rehabilitation center. Our goal is to get Andy into the best spinal rehabilitation institute possible. Good rehab centers are expensive, and we can't afford them without help. Andy is 23 years old. He is ready to fight and do whatever it takes to recover. We will use all of the funds we generate to offset the cost of his care. He may never walk again, but it's also possible that with time and great care, he can beat the odds. He is our miracle, and we need your help to make sure he gets quality care. Please donate and pray. Every dollar helps, and every prayer gives us hope!
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