There was great excitement with the news that Hamlin has acutely lived through his cardiac arrest after CPR. But, as I have tried to emphasize, he is far from being able to return to any normal life style. His neurologic was deemed "intact." but that does in no way mean that anything but his
basic neurologic functions are intact. Having dealt for decades with post cardiac arrest issues in patients, they typically have significant residual issues with their heart and lung functions. From what I have been told, Hamlin is definitely dealing with these. Commonly, these issues never return to baseline. As far as the neurologic, his memory is bound to be affected. He is having balance issues now that cannot be explained by weakness alone. Virtually all of these patients deal with varying degrees of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Just like Injury Reports coming from teams tend to be overly optimistic, reports on Hamlin should be assessed with caution. As I pray for the young man, I know that his journey out of this tragedy is not even close to over.
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What’s next for Damar Hamlin’s recovery process after his return to Buffalo?
Bills safety
Damar Hamlin’s doctors determined he was strong enough to be
transported back to Buffalo on Monday, one week after he went into cardiac arrest during his team’s game in Cincinnati.
Hamlin remains hospitalized but is no longer in critical condition. His doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said Monday that Hamlin has “met a number of key milestones.”
This is a tremendous step forward. Here’s what we know about what could come next for Hamlin in his recovery.
What are the likely next steps for Hamlin?
Hamlin’s next goal will be to get out of the hospital and return home to continue his recovery. Hamlin has been up and walking around on his own and tolerating a normal diet. Based on the reports that have been released, his heart and lungs seem to be the primary concern going forward, so he will be constantly monitored and continue to undergo additional testing. This will be a combination of scans (MRI, CT, etc.) and lab testing on all organs.
Doctors have stated that Hamlin is neurologically intact. This means that despite Hamlin going into cardiac arrest, the medical team was able to get his heart beating quickly enough that he did not experience brain damage due to reduced oxygen.
One key in Hamlin’s recovery is to determine the exact cause of the cardiac arrest. Was it something like commotio cordis? Or is there an underlying problem that needs to be addressed? If there is any sort of physical or structural abnormality to the heart, that will change his recovery plan.
https://theathletic.com/4055359/2023/01/03/damar-hamlin-cardiac-arrest-procedure/
How long of a recovery process does he likely face?
Hamlin’s recovery is dependent on quite a few things, but until we know the source of the cardiac arrest his recovery process will remain a bit unclear. It could take months to figure out the cause. It is also dependent on which organs were affected and how much damage was caused.
What we know right now is the medical team on site perfectly executed its
Emergency Action Plan and kept Hamlin alive. He now faces a long road to recovery that could take months or even years.
When asked about Hamlin’s future, one of his doctors at UCMC, Dr. William Knight IV, said “The best outcome is back to who he was before this all happened.” It’s too soon to know how long that might take, but the fact it’s even a possibility is incredible.
https://theathletic.com/4055531/2023/01/04/damar-hamlin-nfl-emergency-plan/
What are some of the challenges he could encounter?
There are three components to Hamlin’s recovery — physical, neurological and psychological.
Hamlin is already progressing physically. After a week in the ICU, and a few days sedated and on a ventilator, he is going to be incredibly weak. Hamlin has already been walking around the hospital. He will slowly increase his level of activity as he builds up his strength, but it will take a long time for him to get back to where he was.
Testing on Hamlin’s neurological function has been great so far. Some symptoms may not manifest until later, though. This can include memory, motor function and balance. He will continue to be monitored to ensure any neurological issues that may arise are identified and addressed quickly. Hamlin has been talking to his family and teammates and was even able to watch
the Bills’ emotional win in Week 18.
Finally, there’s the psychological component. Hamlin may or may not remember exactly what happened on the field, but he underwent a traumatic experience. This aspect of recovery can’t be overlooked.
What are his prospects for returning to athletic activities?
We are far away from knowing whether Hamlin might be able to return to physical activities and eventually football. He has made tremendous progress in just one week, but the goal right now needs to be to get out of the hospital. If he continues to progress as he has so far then anything is possible. Hamlin will continue to require extensive testing on his heart and lungs (and all other organs), both of which are vital to return to any high-intensity activity. It’s too soon to speculate on his athletic future.