"We got the fracture unimpeded and in place, aligned, and they were able to put a screw in, brought the fracture together and stabilize it," Terry Martin said in a phone interview from Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn. "It was fabulous and the prognosis is he'll wear a halo for four to six weeks and then a C-collar for another four weeks, and within six months the fractured bone will be stronger than the original bone."
Terry said doctors operated through Jesse's throat, and afterward told the family they anticipate Jesse will regain "full range of motion" of his neck.
His hockey career, however, likely ended Oct. 30 when he awkwardly absorbed an open-ice check from North Dakota's Brad Malone in at game at Grand Forks, N.D. In addition to the C2 fractures, the hit also caused trauma to the spinal cord, and Jesse has lost some feeling and strength in his arms.
"The challenge will be that he's had some damage to the spinal cord, some compression, which is what they call it," Terry said. "Because of that, he does have some numbness in both arms and a lack of full range of movement in one of his arms.
"They say that there will be a fairly extensive rehab ... The prognosis is good, but there is no guarantee there will full recovery with that, but it should be enough, certainly, for a real good lifestyle."
