# My nephew has broken his back **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 18, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172 "2014-01-18T23:45:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/1 "2014-01-18T23:45:08Z")
Bad news for my family - my nephew, my brother’s step-son, had a vehicle roll-over while on duty in Afghanistan and has broken his back. He apparently isn’t paralyzed, thank God. At this point we don’t know much more. They med-evaced him to Germany and we don’t know when they’ll bring him home. He’s 21. StG ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/2 "2014-01-18T23:53:06Z")
Keep your cool. He’s in the hands of the most experienced trauma care people in the World. Give your brother & his wife all the support you can. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/3 "2014-01-18T23:53:57Z")
Sending prayers and good wishes. The military has cutting edge medical skills and the doctors see this sort of thing often enough to be very good at what they are doing. I know that is small comfort, but do know that once he got to medical care, they were very good. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/4 "2014-01-19T00:33:09Z")
It’s possible to do quite a bit of damage to the bones of the back without doing any damage to the nerves, so fingers crossed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/5 "2014-01-19T00:33:20Z")
He is not paralyzed, so the worry over the worst is not necessary. I have a Navy friend who had this happen to him. He could not fly fighter jets anymore due to the broken vertebrate. He needed immobile bed rest and then life went on. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/6 "2014-01-19T02:40:30Z")
I know it could be worse, but it’s still scary to have a kid continents away. With luck we’ll hear more soon. StG ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/7 "2014-01-19T03:06:59Z")
Wishing you the best outcome, and strength through this. He’s going to have great treatment, and he may have a very manageable injury. I broke three vertebrae, recieved no treatment, and somehow managed to walk away with zero linger effects. I hope it is something like that. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/8 "2014-01-19T03:55:05Z")
Oh, StG, that is terrible, but it sounds like the potential for a solid recovery. Wishing him and your family strength. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/9 "2014-01-19T03:57:04Z")
Best wishes for him. I have a good friend who broke his back in a motorcycle accident. Similarly, he was not paralyzed. In fact, he’s absolutely fine now - goes mountain biking, for instance. I hope your nephew has a similar experience. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/10 "2014-01-19T05:15:47Z")
Hang tough. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/11 "2014-01-19T16:43:54Z")
There are organizations that will assist with getting his parents (or spouse) to him so they can be with him in the hospital in Germany- PM me if you need details. They’ll likely transfer him to Texas or Maryland for additional care; both are top-notch facilities and staffed with well experienced medical folks. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/12 "2014-01-19T17:55:35Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > Best wishes for him. I have a good friend who broke his back in a motorcycle accident. Similarly, he was not paralyzed. In fact, he’s absolutely fine now - goes mountain biking, for instance. > > I hope your nephew has a similar experience. This. My brother broke his back (compression-fracture of a thoracic vertebra) in a motorcycle accident 14 years ago. No spinal cord injury, he’s led a normal life since then. OP, if your nephew has no spinal cord injury, then the worst is probably over with at this point. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/13 "2014-01-19T19:24:21Z")
Don’t worry, that happened to Batman, and he recovered nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/14 "2014-01-19T19:34:27Z")
Wishing your nephew all the best for a full and quick recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/15 "2014-01-19T19:43:58Z")
I broke my back (T2 and T3) about 10 years ago, and was able to actually walk afterwards. Stunned the folks in the ER, that was for sure. I still have some neuralgia but no loss of function. I wish you and yours the best, **StG**. Since he isn’t paralyzed (thank Og), then he is likely to recover completely. He may be out of the service, though. I am not certain about that. Maybe relegated to a desk job. Please keep us posted. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/16 "2014-01-19T20:56:25Z")
**StGermain** –call your Congressman & Senator, & ask for all the help he can give. You’d be surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/17 "2014-01-19T21:02:23Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > Don’t worry, that happened to Batman, and he recovered nicely. This is about a real person who is related to the OP, not a fictional character. Please try to keep such things in mind when dropping snark like that into a thread such as this. ## No warning issued. **Hal Briston** - MPSIMS Moderator **StGermain** , I really hope all goes well for your nephew. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/18 "2014-01-19T21:57:47Z")
Best wishes from me here, as well. Do please let us know, good or bad, how things are going for your brother’s corner of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/19 "2014-01-20T00:46:01Z")
Best wishes & hang in there. Its all you can do. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2014, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172/20 "2014-01-20T00:51:39Z")
The only person I ever knew who broke their back is also the only person I ever knew who won any bodybuilding awards; he was introduced to weightlifting after breaking his back in a car accident. It sounds like a horrible and painful thing to go through though, I wish him the best. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-nephew-has-broken-his-back/679172.md?page=2)