[Misspretty101]

3 weeks ago my significant other was shot in his back at a party.He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition and spent a week in shock truama he was diagonosed with a t8 injury and has no feelng just below his belly button. he has since been moved to the spinal rehab center with a release date of early december. This has been extremely hard for me especially since i knew him before his injury he continues to maintain a positive attitude and i woud jus like to know what we should expect i kno that every injury is different but i would like to kno what his chances are of walking again and wat other things i should expect Thank you for ur help

[Tinbasher]

Hi there sorry to hear about your SO.

The truth is that it's probably too early to say what his long term prognosis will be. It depend on all sorts of things, whether his injury is "complete" or "incomplete" and all sorts of other stuff. His doctors will know best and they will tend to appear quite pessimistic especially at this stage. Folks here won't give you false hope but that doesn't mean there is no hope.What is important is to remember that even if he isn't one of the lucky ones, it is possible to live a full life from a wheelchair, it will be a different life but just as rewarding, work, children and travel are all relativly easy for someone with a T12 injury.

You will have lots and lots of questions and as soon as he feels up to you might tryand get him to drop by and visit us and maybe even come into the chat room.

All you can do for him now is be yourself and treat him as you always have.

Tin

This post has been edited by Tinbasher: 14 November 2009 - 08:43 PM

[The Black Sheep]

I think Tin summed up the exact outlook and advice I would have given. It's very early to tell what will happen.

Even if doctors give him a bad prognosis, or a pessimistic future scenario, it doesn't mean they're right, so always have hope. There are so many advances in the medical field and so much progress is being made. People are getting further and further in their recovery every day, regardless of what doctors may have told them in the passed, and their research always seems to be growing more optimistic. Hang in there.

[Misspretty101]

Thank you black sheep ad Tin im trying to be myself and i luv him very much and I am very optimistic. I plan on being with him regardless we are still young i am 20 and he is 22 so we still have or whole lives ahead of and recently he is talkin about having children in our future and i jus dont know what to expect

[Tetracyclone]

Dear Girl,

I was diagnosed complete until I moved my leg after 4 weeks. My rehab Doctor was pessimistic, my surgeon optimistic. I am 1 1/2 years out and I walk. but its more of a creep which doesn't get me far. Many of us can creep a little, a few can walk. Not much point in predicting. What you can say is his life is irrevocably changed and he will never be like he was before. That took me a year to recognize.

One eventually forgets one is disabled and lives fully. Fully is just very different. You will find your answers with time.

My prayers go with you both.

Pat

[The Black Sheep]

I have read a lot of different posts where people have gotten more recovery than they were told they would, including myself. I think that's one of the biggest things to realize is that the doctor isn't always right. I think that it's their safety-net to be pessimistic because, well, if you promise someone a good recovery and you're wrong, that's going to be even more depressing than offering no hope at all.

I am so happy to hear that you're devoted. You might not realize how much that could mean, but having someone stand by during one of the most traumatic experiences in a lifetime... You're giving him a lot more strength and motivation than you may know. And it's for the right reasons.