[Connie King]

Hello my name Is Connie. My husband Mark is currently a quadriplegic. He fell at work 16 feet. injured his spinal cord at C3-C5. he is also on a ventilator right now. we have been dealing with a lot for 7 months. we are looking into rehabs around Ohio. If any one has any advice to give me it would truly help. I'm at a loss right now. Dealing with a hospital that has never had a spinal cord injury. They try to tell me there is no hope. i know there is!! So any advice would be much appreciated thank you.

[Kodie]

Hi Connie,

You should check out Shepherd Center in Atlanta,GA. That's where I went after my injury. Great facility and great people. Their website is HERE.

Best Wishes,
Kodie

[ericr]

Connie King, on Jan 26 2010, 10:05 PM, said:

Hello my name Is Connie. My husband Mark is currently a quadriplegic. He fell at work 16 feet. injured his spinal cord at C3-C5. he is also on a ventilator right now. we have been dealing with a lot for 7 months. we are looking into rehabs around Ohio. If any one has any advice to give me it would truly help. I'm at a loss right now. Dealing with a hospital that has never had a spinal cord injury. They try to tell me there is no hope. i know there is!! So any advice would be much appreciated thank you.

Hi Conniefirst off id like to say im sorry hear about your husband. But want you to know as a recent c5 c6 quad it does get better. I amreading your post and wondering if your husband is still in the hospital if he is you definetly want to be somewhere that deals with sci. Here is a few places I found in my research that look really good for sc in your area. In looking at hospital 's if possible you want to find a "model" program if possible there are about 20 in the U.S. Shepards in Atlanta, Kessler Inst, Chicago Inst. to name a few. I have heard really good things about Ohio State University Medical Center from a friends sister who is a physiatrist in Columbus. Not sure if they are a model facility however thats just a guideline that many hospitals follow.

I go to a place in florida where I am from that specializes in strength training for sci and love it. Many places like the one i attend is designed to help you regain mobility by a rigurous 5 day week program. Many require you not to be on vent or at least be medically stable since they are not medical facilities but more like a gym. I heard of a place called SCI STEP in Mason ohio from what i hear and seeon there site they have all the good equiptment that i use at my therapy. the one piece of equiptment i dont see them have is a locomat. this is an expensive piece and not many places have. if you can find a place that has one i would defimetly consider going there.

here are a few sites that may help in your search

www.brianandspinalcord.org
www.christopheranddanareevefoundation.org
www.neuroxcel.com (my therapy)

i hope this helps and good luck

Eric

[guido]

Hi Connie

I'm from the UK so can't help, but I want to say, keep battling for what you know you should have. The "accept there is no hope" line is a terrible yet commonly used one, by medics who have no imagination or empathy. Hope comes from many unexpected places and, yes, does need to be kept alongside with reality and living your lives daily, but there are many people here who have had surprising things happen to them, and all of those people kept a positive mental attitude when the going got tough. And there are others who have got on with it as is and had full lives where many believed they couldn't. You can check my profile for my particular line of belief and thought.

Specialist spinal care is very important in the early days. As you have other questions, be sure to come back here and ask, and use the wealth of experience and support.

Good luck, and keep on keeping on!

Guido

[clayton]

Connie King, on Jan 27 2010, 04:05 AM, said:

Hello my name Is Connie. My husband Mark is currently a quadriplegic. He fell at work 16 feet. injured his spinal cord at C3-C5. he is also on a ventilator right now. we have been dealing with a lot for 7 months. we are looking into rehabs around Ohio. If any one has any advice to give me it would truly help. I'm at a loss right now. Dealing with a hospital that has never had a spinal cord injury. They try to tell me there is no hope. i know there is!! So any advice would be much appreciated thank you.

Hello , i'm not sure what part of ohio you are from but when i was 16 i was treated in Green Springs ohio St. Francis Health Care Centre
It was such an amazing place and sooo much to offer with wonderful staff , My dr. said i would never walk again but miracles happen and mine happened there it's such a wonderful possitive place ... good luck w/ your search

[Mcowling]

Connie King, on Jan 27 2010, 03:05 AM, said:

Hello my name Is Connie. My husband Mark is currently a quadriplegic. He fell at work 16 feet. injured his spinal cord at C3-C5. he is also on a ventilator right now. we have been dealing with a lot for 7 months. we are looking into rehabs around Ohio. If any one has any advice to give me it would truly help. I'm at a loss right now. Dealing with a hospital that has never had a spinal cord injury. They try to tell me there is no hope. i know there is!! So any advice would be much appreciated thank you.

[Mcowling]

Connie King, on Jan 27 2010, 03:05 AM, said:

Hello my name Is Connie. My husband Mark is currently a quadriplegic. He fell at work 16 feet. injured his spinal cord at C3-C5. he is also on a ventilator right now. we have been dealing with a lot for 7 months. we are looking into rehabs around Ohio. If any one has any advice to give me it would truly help. I'm at a loss right now. Dealing with a hospital that has never had a spinal cord injury. They try to tell me there is no hope. i know there is!! So any advice would be much appreciated thank you.

Hi Connie.....I feel for you sweetie. My husband fell sept. 2008 and is now a T8 complete paraplegic. What a chaotic and emotionally exhausting year + In any case, we did rehab at Metro in Cleveland. they have an entire floor devoted to spinal injuries. I would recommed it. Now, if we have any issures....infections etc....we go to Akron General. There is always hope sweetie. I'm so sory you're on this ride. It's not easy, but things do settle down after a bit. We're still in the process. Hugs and angels sent your way.
Mary

[DonnaU]

Connie King, on Jan 26 2010, 10:05 PM, said:

Hello my name Is Connie. My husband Mark is currently a quadriplegic. He fell at work 16 feet. injured his spinal cord at C3-C5. he is also on a ventilator right now. we have been dealing with a lot for 7 months. we are looking into rehabs around Ohio. If any one has any advice to give me it would truly help. I'm at a loss right now. Dealing with a hospital that has never had a spinal cord injury. They try to tell me there is no hope. i know there is!! So any advice would be much appreciated thank you.

Connie, I've been where you are, and I still am. They told me my husband will never walk again, in my heart I know he will, I don't know why maybe because he so wants to, it doesn't matter to me, I just want him to be able to come home. It's been 2 1/2 years since his accident. I am in Ohio also though. I don't know if I can be much help to you but I can tell you somethings to watch out for and maybe talk you through some things, and, perhaps you could give me support as well at times. Where in Ohio are you? I am in the Youngstown area, his accident happened in Youngstown but he was life flighted to Cleveland and had surgery there. His rehab was in the Akron area and because of very bad pressure sores he's had to be in a nursing home because oddly enough hospitalization and medicaid don't really seem interested in him having help at home. I don't know how this all works, this is my first time out here but feel free to contact me and I'll keep you and you husband in my prayers. There is always hope, you're right. I would rather have him home in a wheelchair than where he is now. He was doing so well until the pressure sores.