This is a step-by-step guide to the things we think should happen following a drowning or other brain injury. This assumes the person has been revived in a typical Emergency Room (ED) setting and is freshly arrived in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), or equivalent.

Take Organ Donation Off The Table.

Make Sure The Child Is Not Being Warmed – Robert, and others like him, were warmed to ‘protect the organs’. This is done at the expense of the brain which should be cooled to minimize swelling.

Control Brain Swelling – This can be done many ways: HBOT, hypothermia, Fish Oil, ProImmune, Vitamins (C, D, E), CBD, N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), Neupanex, Normobaric Oxygen Therapy, allopathic drugs, . . .

Beware Drugs Being Used – Especially Gabapentin. Most are used to treat symptoms and do not heal the brain. If a drug provides no noted improvement ask to begin weaning it immediately.

Resist Appliances – If possible, refuse a G-/J-Tube and Tracheotomy. While these are reversible procedures, our experience is that these slow recovery. Everything that can be fed through a G-Tube can be fed through an NG Tube. The surgeries to install these appliances also generally require anesthesia which is hard on the (already damaged) brain.

Decline An MRI – This is controversial, but we have never seen the MRI used to do anything but recommend abandonment of care. We have never seen a treatment plan changed because of the outcome of imaging. Again, the MRI is generally done under anesthesia which is hard on the (already damaged) brain.

Obtain Quality Food – The body cannot heal without the correct building blocks. Also, develop/continue a quality supplementation program including the anti-inflammation substances identified above.

Begin Developing A Discharge Plan – You will most likely need to transfer care of your child to outpatient facilities to begin real restorative care. A discharge plan should prioritize stabilization and parent training to care for a medically complex child.

Develop A Restorative Care Plan – We believe this plan should prioritize HBOT treatment to stop the breakdown of the brain and begin healing. HBOT is a time critical treatment and should be pursued aggressively. After HBOT, other restorative therapies can be pursued as time and finances allow. Always keeping in mind the need for the child to rest.

In advocating for your child, do not become argumentative. We have found that doctors do not have a sense of humor and we know of parents that have been removed/banned from the hospital. It is best to always present your desires as questions, “What is the harm in trying (insert topic)?” In some cases, we were allowed to pursue things (normobaric oxygen therapy and fish oil) because the doctor could not articulate that they were in any way harmful. In other cases (HBOT) we were denied at every request but we asked every time we had the opportunity. In hindsight we should have asked the doctors to document their denials in writing as the reasons changed and were inconsistent.

If you are denied a request keep asking. Staff in the ICU changes regularly and each change presents an opportunity to offer data and ask for changes. Once a request is granted be ready to defend it when the new staff comes on. We found that much of what is done is done out of habit and that nobody reads the charts. In one instance, I had to have the off-going doctor called at home to confirm his orders.

In making requests for restorative care have your facts in order and be ready to present research. I have tried to provide research papers, case studies and dosing guidance for everything we recommend.