A fall from a 10-foot ladder triggered a cascade of neurological problems that might have left Mark Foster paralyzed on his right side for life. Working with a device that delivers an electrical shock through the tongue has allowed him to recover movement and speech, and even has him looking forward to a future where he can return to work. Combined with traditional speech and movement therapy, Foster uses a portable neuro-modulation stimulator — or PoNS device — to deliver a very small electrical current through his tongue to the brain. The current, controlled via a collar worn around the neck, helps form new pathways for existing skills, and can help increase the efficacy of existing therapies. Foster has been truly impressed, and has made more progress in six months with the PoNS device than in four years of traditional therapy. He was laying electrical wire on a build site in Paris, Canada, when he fell onto the cement below. He stood up, dusted himself off, and after a minute or two concluded that he was fine. At the urging of a co-worker, Foster went to the hospital for a CT scan and an MRI, which revealed that he had extensive swelling and an unusual formation of cells in his brain that pre-dated the fall. A week later, unable to sleep, Foster took a warm shower, which increased his blood pressure and led to a stroke. In June, CignaHealth became the fifth major insurance company to authorize a claim for the PoNS mouthpiece and controller.
