Georgia College Graduate Paralyzed After Visit to the Chiropractor, Family Says

A Georgia woman was paralyzed after four arteries dissected during a visit to a chiropractor.

On June 16, recent Georgia Southern University graduate Caitlin Jensen visited a chiropractor for an "adjustment to her neck", according to a GoFundMe page established to offset her medical expenses. After the adjustment, Jensen "became ill" and hospitalized, where tests revealed she had four dissected arteries within 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," the fundraising page reads. "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."

Caitlin's mother Darlene Jensen told WSB-TV that doctors believe the young woman's stroke occurred "as a direct result of the neck manipulation."

"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," Darelene told the outlet, in a story published Monday. "The chiropractor called 911 and then called me and told me that she was 'having a reaction to the treatment.'"

The outlet added that Caitlin's family has retained legal counsel on her behalf, and that the cause of her injury has not yet officially been determined.

The name of the chiropractor that Caitlin visited on June 16 was not immediately clear and could not be reached for comment. WJCL reported that they were able to get in touch with the doctor, who declined to comment, citing HIPAA.

One month later, Caitlin remains in the neurological ICU at Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Georgia, in critical condition. While she is conscious, she is only able to respond to verbal commands by blinking her eyes and wiggling toes on her left feet, according to the GoFundMe, which also states she suffered a traumatic brain injury.

"However, the rest of her body sits in a state of paralysis due to the injury," the GoFundMe says.

Caitlin's brother Caleb Jensen told WJCL that he recalled speaking with his sister on the morning of June 16 before work, recalling, "You're talking to her and then 30 minutes later, she's in the hospital and now in the ICU,"

Caleb said that his sister is "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."

Caitlin graduated from Georgia Southern University in May with a degree in chemistry and biology, and looked forward to her future, the GoFundMe states. As of Wednesday morning, the page has raised over $38,000 of a $100,000 goal for medical bills.

A CaringBridge page has also been created in Caitlin's name to update followers on her recovery. There, Darlene shared an update Monday, writing that doctors have decided her daughter should remain on blood thinners for the time being after her blood levels temporarily dropped over the weekend.

Darlene also wrote in the CaringBridge journal entry that she hopes the spotlight on her daughter's story "will help others avoid this type of injury."

The organizers of Caitlin's GoFundMe and CaringBridge pages did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The name of the chiropractor that she visited was not immediately clear and could not be reached for comment. WJCL reported that they were able to get in touch with the doctor, who declined to comment, citing HIPAA.

The news station spoke with Dr. Steve Ranicki, a chiropractor in Pooler, Georgia who told the station that what happened to Caitlin is "incredibly rare."

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Ranicki said that artery dissections like the young woman's "often produce symptoms of headache and neck pain, which then drive people to a doctor's office."

"Once they've gone to the medical doctor or chiropractor the likelihood is, unfortunately, a stroke will occur," Ranicki told WJCL, adding that anything from someone tilting their head back in a hair salon or "horseplay or who knows what," could trigger the injuries for someone with the condition.

An update to Caitlin's GoFundMe page on June 29 from Darlene reads that her daughter "has a strong hand squeeze" and gave "the tiniest of nods with her head" for the first time since the incident.

"It would be easy to miss, but I swear - I saw her nod her head in answer to me today," she wrote.

Caitlin's family hopes to transport her to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta when she can leave the ICU at Memorial Health, according to the GoFundMe page and WJCL.

"We are still trying everything we can to get her into Shepherd," Darlene wrote on GoFundMe on June 29. "We're having trouble with the insurance part of it, and we really need that part to work out."