In July 2024, Jorgen Paulsen was out with friends on the weekend and decided to head home early.
He said goodnight and hopped on an electric scooter just blocks away from home.
The following afternoon, Jorgen’s mom Susan got a call from his roommate. He couldn’t find Jorgen, and he wasn’t answering his phone. No one had seen or heard from him since the night before.
“This wasn’t like Jorgen,” Susan said. “We were worried something serious had happened.”
After exhausting all efforts to find him, Susan was in the process of filing a missing person’s report when she received a phone call from University of Utah Hospital.
Jorgen had been admitted to the Neuro ICU in critical condition. He was in a coma after getting into an accident while scootering home and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Jorgen spent 29 days in the Neuro ICU and 32 days at the Craig H. Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. During that time, he required three different brain surgeries and a tracheostomy to help him wean off a ventilator. He had to learn how to walk, talk, and eat again.
Less than a year after his accident, Jorgen’s recovery has been described by his care team as astounding and miraculous.
“Jorgen is one of the more remarkable recovery stories we’ve had,” said Derrick Allred, MD, brain injury medical director at Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. “His case is particularly interesting because it highlights the strong relationship that we have with our neurosurgery colleagues.”
Dr. Allred oversees all of the brain injury rehabilitation programs, apart from the stroke recovery program. He also cares for TBI patients.
“We really make sure we are on the same page with the rehabilitation team when it comes to the patient’s needs,” said Sarah Menacho, MD, neurosurgeon at Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. “This provides a continuity of care for every patient, whether they are at the main hospital or the rehab hospital.”
Drs. Allred and Menacho collaborate on continuity of care between the Department of Neurosurgery at 鶹ѧƷ and Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital. They often care for the same patients.
Dr. Menacho is the vice chair of the Department of Neurosurgery and the director of the Neuro Critical Care Unit at U of U Health. She is triple board certified in surgical critical care, neurocritical care, and neurosurgery.
Dr. Menacho was also on call the night of Jorgen’s accident. After reviewing his CT scan, she knew he needed surgery as soon as possible because of the swelling in his brain. Luckily, time was on Jorgen’s side from the beginning.
Just 19 minutes after the accident, Jorgen was at the Level I Trauma Center at University Hospital. Because brain swelling can be a significant cause of mortality in trauma patients, the medical team had to act fast.
Dr. Menacho and her team performed a decompressive hemicraniectomy, also known as bone flap surgery.
“We removed a large portion of Jorgen’s skull so that the brain could swell without being damaged and compressed by his skull,” Dr. Menacho said. “We also removed a large hematoma on the left side of his brain.”
Dr. Menacho also placed a pressure monitor in Jorgen’s brain so they could make sure his brain pressure was in a safe range.
Because of his serious condition and how quickly the team acted, Jorgen had his first surgery before the hospital was able to contact his family.
“They said it was touch and go and that they didn’t know if he was going to survive,” Susan said. “It was awful. A parent’s worst nightmare.”
Susan and her husband John were at their second home, an hour and 45 minutes away from Salt Lake City, when they received the call from the hospital. Their oldest son stayed at the hospital with Jorgen until they arrived.
“From that point on, we took turns at the hospital getting there early in the morning,” Susan said. “We stayed as late as we could every night. Our family pulled back a bit from the world and leaned on each other to get through it. Being there for each other every day was what helped us get through this difficult time.”
Jorgen transferred from the Neuro ICU to Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital on August 11, 2024. He had several hours of intensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy every day.
On August 28, Jorgen developed hydrocephalus—a common condition for TBI patients. He was immediately readmitted to University Hospital. Dr. Menacho surgically placed a shunt to drain excess cerebrospinal fluid from Jorgen’s brain, keeping his pressures in a safe range. He then returned to Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital.
“Because of the collaborative relationship we have with neurosurgery, Dr. Menacho and her team were able to surgically address Jorgen’s hydrocephalus fairly quickly,” Allred said. “I think this was another key to facilitating such a remarkable recovery.”
Jorgen is living with his parents while he continues his recovery. There are still daily struggles, but he is genuinely happy. He has some words of advice for others who may be struggling—with or without a traumatic brain injury.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” Jorgen said. “Before my accident, I never wanted to ask for help, and it can really bite you in the butt. But when you know that there are people there to help you, you can overcome anything.”