A Georgia woman has been left paralyzed after a routine chiropractor appointment she nearly canceled caused her to have a stroke.
28-year-old Caitlin Jensen, a recent graduate of Georgia Southern University, was rushed to the emergency room after a neck adjustment on June 16. She had suffered four dissected arteries in her neck. That led to cardiac arrest, a stroke, and a traumatic brain injury.
Jensen was hospitalized right after an appointment with Dr. TJ Harpham, 42, left her with four ruptured arteries that led to a stroke and three heart attacks.
The young woman still has a long road ahead of her. After losing her pulse for 10 full minutes before doctors were able to revive her, a stent was placed in one of her arteries. Months later, she’s now been moved to a rehab facility.
Jensen’s family said she has made great improvement after being moved to Atlanta’s Shepherd Center this week to start her physical therapy, the Daily Mail reported. Her mother, Darlene Jensen, confirmed that her daughter can now move both sides of her body.
“The surgeon that saved her life, and every other doctor that has looked at her, have all agreed that this happened as a direct result of the neck manipulation… The chiropractor called 911 and then called me and told me that she was ‘having a reaction to the treatment,’” Jensen’s mother said.
“You’re talking to her, and then 30 minutes later, she’s in the hospital and now in the ICU,” her brother, Caleb said, speaking about the tragedy.
He added that his sister is kind of “able to open her eyes every now and then and wake up a little bit. And kind of move her hands to squeeze a little. But that’s it.”
Here’s what Linda Foster wrote in a GoFundMe fundraising campaign she launched to help Jensen’s family pay for the medical bills that have been accumulating since the Georgia chiropractor severed the arteries in Jensen’s neck.
“Caitlin Jensen graduated from Georgia Southern University this May with a degree in Chemistry and Biology, ready to live the American dream. She was so excited about all the career opportunities and possibilities on her horizon. Then on Thursday, June 16, 2022, Caitlin Jensen went to the chiropractor.
“After an adjustment to her neck, Caitlin became ill and was rushed to the ER by ambulance. Once there, tests revealed four dissected arteries in her neck. This damage led to cardiac arrest and a stroke, as well as a loss of pulse for over 10 minutes, after which she was revived. Once the doctors were able to stabilize Caitlin, she was rushed to surgery. Doctors were able to repair some tears and placed a stent in one artery.”
The fundraising page stated, “Caitlin now lays in the neuro ICU in Memorial Hospital in Savannah, GA. She is in critical condition, and this trauma has resulted in a traumatic brain injury. Caitlin is currently conscious and able to respond to verbal commands by blinking her eyes, as well as wiggling her the toes of her left foot. However, the rest of her body sits in a state of paralysis due to the injury. Caitlin has a long road to recovery, and as a college student who has a very simple health care plan, she will need significant financial resources to get her through this road to recovery.”
Watch the video report here: InsideEdition/Youtube
Sources: AWM, Daily Mail
