Spinal Cord Independence is Possible!

A spinal cord injury can be one of the most harrowing experiences, but such an incident doesn’t imply that all hope is lost. Spinal cord damage can undoubtedly change your life’s course.

But there’s still hope. After all, significant improvement has been observed by many of those in a similar situation with time, and every day brings new possibilities with it.

Here are a couple of spinal cord injury recovery tales to inspire one to continue being confident in the face of these dark challenges.

Friendliness Reclaimed

Dana G. was a typical high-schooler back in the summer of 2000. Months off from her senior year, Dana was on her way to satisfy her mother when a mack truck going 55 miles per hour slammed into her car at a red light. She had suffered an injury to the cervical segment of her backbone. The driver walked off with no injury whatsoever.

After six months of rehab in Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, Dana started to develop sensation in her triceps. She regained feeling in her arms and hands. That fall, returning to school, Dana managed to graduate with honors, and thanks to her powerful support system, she was able to go back to life. Today, she also handles her daughter’s soccer team. Also, Dana is an instrumental force in planning the Push Nation Fest, an event designed to unite people who have been influenced by spinal cord injuries — and sits on the board of the Core Foundation — helping raise money for the destitute.

The Walking Miracle

Pat was left a quadriplegic by accident, but rather than accept his fate, Pat — together with his dad’s tireless help — decided to take his rehab into his own hands just a year after starting treatment at a rehab center that was concrete.

Pat’s condition has improved so dramatically that he is now able to run and walk. He started entering races as a way of raising money for spinal cord research. In 1992, he completed an “Ironman” triathlon and was a licensed race car driver. Despite how spinal cord injuries sometimes have no cure, Pat has managed to reclaim his life. This adventure has led him to dedicate his time to helping others who have been influenced, along with his example, continues to inspire patients everywhere. Medical investigators are still trying to ascertain how Pat was able to generate a complete recovery, as his case might bring them.

Race to Recovery

Dustin S. prefers to think nothing in life is impossible. During a fateful car accident in 2010, his life was forever changed when a spinal cord injury left him paralyzed from the chest down, but thanks to a radical new treatment declared in 2014, he’s made incredible strides in recovering movement and sensation throughout his body. The procedure involves implanting a device on the spine that can help jumpstart them and primarily stimulate the nerves.

Dustin is now able to stand and move the lower half of the body, one of four guys, to receive this treatment. He was able to complete the New York City Marathon in autumn 2015 as a hands cyclist. Dustin attributes a lot of his recovery to the late Christopher Reeve and the work his organization has been able to achieve in the past few decades. Dustin’s epidural stimulation, along with the other test subjects, have managed to regain a tremendous amount of their functions, providing hope to the countless individuals facing a similar situation.

That One Night, It Just Happened

One night, Sean M. playfully jumped into his bed when he suddenly lost feeling and movement from his chest down. He noticed that he was having trouble breathing. After being rushed to the hospital, he became aware that he had sustained a spinal cord injury that required immediate intubation and an eventual tracheostomy.

After fighting through several infections, Sean was able to eventually breathe independently again and regain gross motor skills in his arms assisting with his transferring ability. Through years of hard work and dedication, Sean is now living in a home with modified independence. He now has his own youtube channel, “The Angry Quod” where he encourages individuals that have sustained SCI to ‘get better every day’ and “face your adversities”.

Hope Lies Ahead

With some luck, the tales of triumph and personal struggle described above can provide a little bit of respite from the psychological and physical rigors of life adversities. Sean, Dustin, Pat, and Dana have been through a whole lot, but thanks to years, they have appeared stronger and happier. Their spinal cord injury recovery tales are a testament to the value of staying the course when it comes to treatment. Remember that breakthroughs are happening all the time if you or somebody you love has been affected by an event. Keep your spirits up, and remember that nothing is impossible.