23 replies to this topic

[Hilary]

Hi out there!!

My sister stephanie who suffered a C3/C4 SCI almost five months ago - still has little or no sensation in her limbs yet has quite a lot of movement!! Her Consultant has told her that maybe she could learn to walk one day as long as she watches where she places her feet!!
Does anyone know of a similar situation?? Thanks !!

[Tinbasher]

Hilary, on Feb 28 2010, 10:15 PM, said:

Hi out there!!

My sister stephanie who suffered a C3/C4 SCI almost five months ago - still has little or no sensation in her limbs yet has quite a lot of movement!! Her Consultant has told her that maybe she could learn to walk one day as long as she watches where she places her feet!!
Does anyone know of a similar situation?? Thanks !!

I am T12 incomplete and have walked without sensation or proprioception for almost 25 years. It never ceases to be very weird and doesnt look too pretty. I need crutches for balance and cannot walk at all in the dark!

[Hilary]

Tinbasher, on Feb 28 2010, 10:35 PM, said:

Hilary, on Feb 28 2010, 10:15 PM, said:

Hi out there!!

My sister stephanie who suffered a C3/C4 SCI almost five months ago - still has little or no sensation in her limbs yet has quite a lot of movement!! Her Consultant has told her that maybe she could learn to walk one day as long as she watches where she places her feet!!
Does anyone know of a similar situation?? Thanks !!

I am T12 incomplete and have walked without sensation or proprioception for almost 25 years. It never ceases to be very weird and doesnt look too pretty. I need crutches for balance and cannot walk at all in the dark!

Thanks!! Unfortunately Stephanie has very little use in her arms & would not be able to use crutches but I will pass all this on to her & thanks once again!!

[Parachute]

Hi Hilary.

I am willing to speak to you but at the moment, I am unsure of how to send Personal Messages. Anyway, hopefuly someone will read this and kindly tell me what to do, to be able to speak to you.

I have an injury which is also C3-4 incomplete. I am a walker. I was in Stratford in August.

Edited by Parachute, 01 March 2010 - 11:03 AM.

[Tetracyclone]

Parachute, on Mar 1 2010, 05:58 AM, said:

Hi Hilary.

I am willing to speak to you but at the moment, I am unsure of how to send Personal Messages. Anyway, hopefuly someone will read this and kindly tell me what to do, to be able to speak to you.

I have an injury which is also C3-4 incomplete. I am a walker. I was in Stratford in August.

Click on the little box to the left of the person's post to whom you wish to PM. A menue will drop down. Click on "Send a message"

[Parachute]

Tetracyclone

Thanks very much

Parachute

[McTavish]

When I was in Rehab there were some women who could walk but they had no sensation in their legs. It always amazed me but in my opinion it's better than not walking and good luck to you all out there who can walk this way.

[spot]

Walking without sensitivity? Do it all the time. (If you want to call what I do "walking".) It is really wierd because I can run into things and not realize why I can't move forward. It turns out a foot is stopped by a box, doorframe or some other small obstacle. Can't feel a thing. A foot can get wrapped up in a chairleg and I won't know it until I try to stand up and the leg isn't where I think it should be. I can't figure out what is wrong until I look down and see where the foot is. I can't walk fast or far. Don't be surprised if your sister has a odd gait or trouble negotiating narrow places. But those are problems I have. Her injury may be very different.

I'm told I should just be glad I can stand at all. I wish her the best of luck. The harder she works, the better she should do in the long run. Or so they tell me.

[Slowlegs]

When I first started walking I had little or no feeling in my legs. It is a lot better but I still sometimes suffer from not knowing where my feet are. I got caught in a tin roof on a summers day because I couldn't tell my leg was stuck on a beam. Got out eventually by hooking/kicking the trapped leg out with the other one. I find one of the biggest issues I face now is walking on slippery surfaces because by the time I realise my feet are slipping out from under me my butt is usually landing on the ground.

[sherbs]

Hi

I also walk without much feeling in legs, it is weird, I often forget where my legs are or what they are doing, leading to many bumps and lumps on legs, especially my left leg, which I cannot feel at all!!. I have to look down when walking, but feel blessed that I walk at all.

Sherbs

[Tinbasher]

This is soooo nice I though I was the only one!

Can we have a wobbly walkers section LOL

[Hilary]

Hilary, on Feb 28 2010, 10:15 PM, said:

Hi out there!!

My sister stephanie who suffered a C3/C4 SCI almost five months ago - still has little or no sensation in her limbs yet has quite a lot of movement!! Her Consultant has told her that maybe she could learn to walk one day as long as she watches where she places her feet!!
Does anyone know of a similar situation?? Thanks !!

Thank you all so much for your very encouraging ( & good-humoured ) replies!! And good luck to you all!!

[Tinbasher]

Hilary, on Mar 4 2010, 07:18 PM, said:

Hilary, on Feb 28 2010, 10:15 PM, said:

Hi out there!!

My sister stephanie who suffered a C3/C4 SCI almost five months ago - still has little or no sensation in her limbs yet has quite a lot of movement!! Her Consultant has told her that maybe she could learn to walk one day as long as she watches where she places her feet!!
Does anyone know of a similar situation?? Thanks !!

Thank you all so much for your very encouraging ( & good-humoured ) replies!! And good luck to you all!!

Thank YOU for raising the issue. When your sis is ready bring her along to meet us

Tin

[poizon74]

I walk with little/strange feeling in my feet and lower legs. It certainly is weird but the more you do it the more used to it you get. I notice when I still start to walk that I feel pretty confident but after about 15 mins or so I start to notice the lack of feeling in my feet and I let it effect my balance etc.

Often times trying to ignore it or not think about it helps me walk easier, also walking faster I tend to get into a stride easier. Walking slowly is still pretty hard.

I did try running yesterday! I sort of succeed for about 1 minute but boy was it weird! My back felt jumbled as I ran and my legs felt so heavy, like I was running in molasses. I'm only 4 months out though so I plan on continuing to work on it and hopefully get back to my favorite exercise one day

[Soryfam]

I also having very little feeling in both of my lower legs. I walk with a cane and my walk isn't very pretty, but I can walk. I have been able to walk up to a mile, but right now I've had some complications and I'm using the chair quite a bit. I also run into things and get my feet tied up in objects and often it ends up in a fall.
Last November I ran into the rototiller blade (it wasn't on) and didn't know it until the blade hit my bone. It was a big gash and took 14 stitches in the ER. On New Year's Eve I tripped over a step stoll and bruised my right shin. The bruised turned into a hematoma that burst and I had to have surgery two weeks ago to debride it and put on a wound vac. For the most part I don't even feel the dressing changes-only when they touch way insidethe leg. UNfortunately my legs heal very slowly. I still have a bruise where I cut my left leg on the rototiller.
I've found that a lot of doctors and nurses don't understand this phenomenon and are skepical when I describe it. It is nice to hear other people's stories.

Sandy

[airart1]

got a good friend that is a walking quad.......he does good, looks kinda strange with his arms just hanging......

[Hilary]

Once again I'd like to thank each & every one of you for sharing your experiences & progress!! I shall pass all this on to my sister to hopefully encourage her toward some kind of independent mobility - however precarious !!!
Perhaps SCI is something that one doesn't really think about untill it directly affects one - but I can honestly say that you are all in my thoughts!!
Keep improving!! Regards - Hilary

[chickadee]

Hilary, on Mar 11 2010, 12:54 PM, said:

Once again I'd like to thank each & every one of you for sharing your experiences & progress!! I shall pass all this on to my sister to hopefully encourage her toward some kind of independent mobility - however precarious !!!
Perhaps SCI is something that one doesn't really think about untill it directly affects one - but I can honestly say that you are all in my thoughts!!
Keep improving!! Regards - Hilary

Just remember folks - slippery ground equals not safe at all for walking paras and quads. We've been nailed hard here this last winter with snow and ice. I went down very hard four times this winter on the ice. Last time, I wound up in the MRI box, and the computer spit out not pleasant things.

Walking is fine where it makes sense. But remember that she might use all kinds of implements - including a chair, or whatever - and not to give unrealistic expectations of what she 'should' be doing. I wall-walk or use my forearm crutches in the house, and use a chair when I'm out and about. Other things might come into play, like me. I have a very different injury, but my issues come from spacisity, nerve pain, and not being able to tell my legs quite what to do. Just take it slow and for what it is, and it'll sort out one way or another.

[Tinbasher]

Quote

Just remember folks - slippery ground equals not safe at all for walking paras and quads.

Amen to that, one broken arm and dislocated thumb plus a black eye or two (not all at once) testify to that.

Oh and if you think walking without sensation is hard try cathing or bowel care with your hand and thumb in a cast

[chickadee]

Tinbasher, on Mar 14 2010, 04:51 PM, said:

Quote

Just remember folks - slippery ground equals not safe at all for walking paras and quads.

Amen to that, one broken arm and dislocated thumb plus a black eye or two (not all at once) testify to that.

Oh and if you think walking without sensation is hard try cathing or bowel care with your hand and thumb in a cast

Yeah... early this winter, I fell out of my truck and smashed up my hip and hand pretty badly. I've also gone down hard four more times on the ice or snow, and even just this last week I flipped my chair backwards and landed on my back and elbow. Ouch.

I am seriously considering moving to a not-as-harsh winter environment. Or I can become independently wealthy and snowbird!

[GARYA]

I had a spinal stroke at T10 in October of 2007. After alot of rehab I can walk but have no fealing.
I've learned to put shoes on because i have broken toes from bending in the wrong direction.

[hawkitty]

Hi There,

My name is Adela, and I have a incomplete spinal cord injury from my T9-T11. I started out with NO movement what-so-ever. My doctors told me that I would never walk again, and they were WRONG! I can now walk up to 900ft at one time with forearm crutches/walker/caine. I don't have any feeling in my legs and have to watch them to know where they are. Tell her to be firm with them about what her goal is. If she is then they will work with her on it. She may also need AFO's to help her with keeping her knees and/or ankles straight, but it is possible. I will keep her in my prayer's and she will WALK again!

God Bless,

Adela

[Hilary]

hawkitty, on 29 June 2010 - 04:41 PM, said:

Hi There,

My name is Adela, and I have a incomplete spinal cord injury from my T9-T11. I started out with NO movement what-so-ever. My doctors told me that I would never walk again, and they were WRONG! I can now walk up to 900ft at one time with forearm crutches/walker/caine. I don't have any feeling in my legs and have to watch them to know where they are. Tell her to be firm with them about what her goal is. If she is then they will work with her on it. She may also need AFO's to help her with keeping her knees and/or ankles straight, but it is possible. I will keep her in my prayer's and she will WALK again!

God Bless,

Adela

Thank you so much for your very encouraging reply to my topic ref. my sister Stephanie!

I visited her in Hospital yesterday & took a copy of your e-mail. It has certainly given her more hope - I feared in recent weeks she seemed to be rather giving up!!! But on leaving her yesterday - she informed me that she was going to change her attitude & in her own words felt so much more " Up-beat!! "

Once again - Thank you so much & we wish you every success!!
Best regards - Hilary

[hawkitty]

Hilary, on 04 July 2010 - 09:59 AM, said:

hawkitty, on 29 June 2010 - 04:41 PM, said:

Hi There,

My name is Adela, and I have a incomplete spinal cord injury from my T9-T11. I started out with NO movement what-so-ever. My doctors told me that I would never walk again, and they were WRONG! I can now walk up to 900ft at one time with forearm crutches/walker/caine. I don't have any feeling in my legs and have to watch them to know where they are. Tell her to be firm with them about what her goal is. If she is then they will work with her on it. She may also need AFO's to help her with keeping her knees and/or ankles straight, but it is possible. I will keep her in my prayer's and she will WALK again!

God Bless,

Adela

Thank you so much for your very encouraging reply to my topic ref. my sister Stephanie!

I visited her in Hospital yesterday & took a copy of your e-mail. It has certainly given her more hope - I feared in recent weeks she seemed to be rather giving up!!! But on leaving her yesterday - she informed me that she was going to change her attitude & in her own words felt so much more " Up-beat!! "

Once again - Thank you so much & we wish you every success!!
Best regards - Hilary

Hilary,

I am sooo glad to hear that Stephanie is doing better. Maybe we can become pals. I don't know if she has access to a computer in rehabe. I know some have them and some don't. If she can maybe she can get on here. We could swap info and chat online or through e-mails or just through this sight. I remember my time in rehab being very difficult. I missed my home, family (which includes my dogs), and my friends. It was the hardest time I have ever gone through. If there is anything I can do to help Stephanie let me know. If just an encouraging word. I will keep her in my prayers. Remind her to just keep the state of mind that she can and WILL walk again. She can overcome all with the right attitude.

Adela