5 replies to this topic

[BrokenAquarian22]

Hi everyone

I just joined this forum - I have never been on a spinal cord forum before I have never really talked to people about my injury or condition - I guess its time

I am a female that was injured on November 30, 2004

when I was walking to work and a Semi pulling 2 empty flat bed trailers was going too fast and hit the brakes, his trailers jumped the curb and slammed me in the back, resulting in a T-9 incomplete injury I was 20.

I can feel my entire torso and I can move my hips but below that there is no movement or feeling. If I try to move my toes into a "fist" my feet start to burn and I can feel a little if someone pushes on the tendons in my feet or in my legs.

In physical therapy they attach an electric muscle stimulator to my lower back and the top of my legs in the front and I can feel buzzing all the way into my toes now - when we first started I could feel a little but now its alot more.

I can't do my own bowel and bladder - I have short arms and I am overweight so my mom does it for me. When I first got home from the hospital I couldn't push anything out, but now I can almost empty my bladder and my mom says that I am getting better at releasing my bowel (starting to be able to push a little out too) but I only do this at night during the bowel program. The rest of the day I get cath'd.
I hope to be able to just get onto the toilet in the near future and letter rip (so to speak) Lol having someone up your butt still isn't ok for me - even if it is my mom

Sorry for such a long post.

Edited by BrokenAquarian22, 15 July 2006 - 07:07 AM.

[BrokenAquarian22]

I guess I am the only one, oh well

[miss piggy]

Hi BrokenAquarian22
Hi my name is miss piggy and i am a care giver for a t10-t12 .Lots of people are on holiday at the moment,so it's really quite..I am sure when people catch up with the posts they will reply . WELCOME

[Joed]

Welcome BrokenAquarian22.....

Most people with SCI would agree with you that the bowel/bladder deficiency is the worst part about our conditions. I hope you can continue to improve over time. I'm three yrs. post-injury, and am still improving in that area, albeit slowly.

I would encourage you to find ways to do your own bowel program, if possible. That will help toward preserving your sense of dignity and self-sufficiency. Both are very important in the SCI recovery process.

If weight is the obstacle right now, then beginning a healthy diet would be a good starting goal. Having a good diet is critical for those of us with SCI anyway...but with a weight loss, you may even find that you have more function than you realize now, and you certainly will have more energy to apply toward your physical therapy.

Good to have you here, although I'm sorry for the reasons that brought you.

~Blessings.

[Avocado Baby]

Hi there!

I have Spina Bifida around the same area as you, although I think it may be a little higher. I've never fund at at what level it actually is. I totally agree with you that the bowel and bladder problems we face are really hard and upsetting sometimes. However, you said that you've improved some since your injury so I have no doubt that you'll get even better at dealing with it. I've had Spina Bifida since birth so have had to learn things as I've grown and it has taken time but you do learn to cope better and gain independence. Medicine is always advancing too so there are more and more things to help people like us.

Glad you've found us. Everyone is really helpful.

Take care

Ali

[BrokenAquarian22]

Thanks guys

Thats the thing about SCI's they are ALL different, sometimes it seems like a good thing and sometimes its kinda frustrating I am just glad that we all have a place to come and talk about it.