263 replies to this topic

[Soryfam]

woodman, on Dec 20 2007, 11:05 PM, said:

It's a TRUE story.

As the doctor was telling me about options (enema, suppository, etc.) all the while explaining limitations, I was thinking, "F*ck the limitations, as long as it means that the microchip implant is gonna make me shit earlier instead of later, I'm good with that!"

I can't tell you how much of a let-down it was when he explained the actual procedure.

Whenever I start to entertain the prospect of a "CURE" for SCI based upon what I've heard or read, I just try to temper my enthusiasm by recalling this event.

Just be who you are; do what you've gotta do, and don't get your hopes up.

In this particular case, I would have been left (literally) full of shit.

LOL!! This is agreat story. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

Sandy

[Soryfam]

I had surgery for a MRSA infected spine in Nov 2007, so I guess that's about 9 months. Things are getting better, but I can't believe how tired I still get.

Sandy S

[kate42]

It'll be four years on November 22.

[china]

My partner Shaun was hit off his pushbike 23 year's ago, when he was 13, still learning and still hating every minute of it.


Maria x

[hurbshankin]

Broke my neck almost a year and a half ago, I've made a lot of progress, really miss my old life but i'm pluggin' along tryin' to make the most of it.

Hurb

[qbounce]

3 years this Oct, 1. Since then I've been a textbook Quad case of what to watch out for on things that can and do go wrong:

1) Pressure sore on tailbone for a year . . . had it surgically flapped over
2) Hetorotopic Ossification in hip joint . . . excess calcified deposit build up caused by traumatic injury (doesn't do anything. Just needs to be watched in case of any irregular growth)
3) Kidney stones . . . had to be blasted out. Just an unpleasant experience. And UTI's are EVERYONE's burden.
4) Another pressure sore on balls of my feet. Just stood in bed for 6 weeks to heal them.
5) Blood clot in my head blocking th left jugular vein. On blood thinners now and hoping it'll soon disolve and float away into the abyss!!

Yah, Whenever I think I've licked something, another comes along to take more time away from my actual recovery. Soon I'll be back to normal and hope eventually to start living OUTSIDE my house.-lol It'll be a nice change to FEEL what the weather is.

[Ashley]

It'll be 10 years for me, this month. I was 11 when the car accident happened. It sucked and I was hating life for years, but I'm getting over it and moving on. A lot of thanks to this website, actually.

ETA: I just have to say how WEIRD it is to say it's been almost TEN years. Wow. Sometimes it feels longer, sometimes not so long.

Edited by Ashley, 10 August 2008 - 07:19 PM.

[Kevin613]

Earlier this year (Friday the 13th of June) marked 13 years for me. C3-4 from an auto accident when I was 16. From my perspective, good days come and go.

~Kevin

[Stickman]

Coming up on 2 year mark, aug 25th. Had a tumor(ependymoma) removed from t8-t10. might have to have surgery again too!!

[Kwag_Myers]

Yesterday was my first anniversary. In the words of Paul Simon, "Still, tomorrow's going to be another working day, and I'm trying to get some rest. That's all...I'm trying to get some rest."

[eleanorigby]

11 years on August 6th. I was 13 when I was hurt, so in two years, I'll have been in my chair as long as I was walking which is a very weird thought. I didn't even notice the anniversary date until it had already come and gone, so that's a good sign? I'm with Ashley, the decade mark sort of blew my mind. 10 years! When I was first hurt I couldn't even fathom that.

[rn_boy777]

4 years ( dec 27, 2004)

Edited by rn_boy777, 16 August 2008 - 09:13 AM.

[airart1]

19 yrs..............

[caleb]

Will be going on two year feb 25
i was 18 years old testing jumps at the local snowboard park when i was caught off guard on a 40 foot going way to fast and ended up flyin over 70 feet and falling around 100 vertical on to my board then to my bottom and broke my 1L i had also broke my T12 trying to poll off a 720 off a 35 footer the year before only miner break on that one but the L1 one was shattered am now a incomplete T12 L1

[buffie]

1 yr 5 mths, still hoping and believing everyday that I will wake up and walk.

[Scribbler]

It looks like I still hold the record of 50 years, I was hoping someone would beat it as it makes me feel ancient in comparison to everyone else..

For all the newly injured, all I can say is take one day at a time. Set yourself small achievable goals, which when reached gives your morale a real boost. Don't make the mistake of setting the bar too high, if you cant get over it, you'll end up feeling depressed and unfulfilled.

I still set myself challenges, which I find gives me the insentive to carry on. Finding this site has helped me a lot, as I've made lots of great friends plus it feels like being part of a huge family where everyone helps each other.

I wish each and every one of you the best of luck.

Mike

[cosmosmallpiece]

Greetings All
43 years next week after been hit by a black taxi in London. with left me with a C7 injury

Edited by cosmosmallpiece, 04 September 2008 - 12:02 PM.

[hooplady]

My boyfriend was injured June 16th (gunshot; he walked right into an attempted robbery) so that's 2-1/2 months. Bullet fragments scattered from T2-T5. He's already got the obligatory pressure sore, MRSA, and UTI. But he's working really hard in rehab and we hope he'll be coming home soon.

[airart1]

wow, i hope it gets better. how could they let him get a pressure sore and hes not out of the hospital, talk about law suit! talk about neglegents!

[pochyetnost11]

My friend was injured in March, a C5/C6 complete. He is still in the hospital and was recently transfered back to the ICU with complications.

[charly]

Scribbler, on Aug 7 2008, 11:51 AM, said:

April 15th was 50 years for me. I was dragging 2 buddies from a downed and burning aircraft when it exploded and blew me up in the air. They were fine, just a few burns and scratches but I ended up landing in my neck and shoulders so was C4/5 for 50 years. I was married to one of my nurses for 43 years until last year when cancer took her from me.

I'm as active as I can be at my age, which, on the 16th will be gettong closer to 70 than I care to think about. I've had a fantastic life with no regrets and found new horizons during those 50 years; things I've done and people I've met, which wouldn't have happened without that explosion. Life certainly doesn't stop just because you cant walk. Thank goodness for the guy who invented the wheel, he can have my medal anyday...

Mike

Hi Mike, Sounds like you have a great appreciation for all of the wonderful things and people who have been a part of your life. I have been a c5-c6 complete SCI for 46 years. Worked, drove, soul mate of a wife (came with 2 young daughters 27 years ago), and more than 50 attendants over the years give much to be thankful for. I had always been quite healthy, until about a year ago. I have developed some breathing difficulties, necessitating my using a breathing machine (similar to CPAP used by those with sleep apnea) at night. Somehow I seem to be swallowing air--"aerophagia"(getting swallow test tomorrow)--which hampers my breathing. I am also now unable to belch without my stomach being pushed on after eating a meal. Have you, or do you know any older quadriplegics with similar difficulties? Seems there is an exceptionally small amount of literature available about the more "mature and experienced" person with sci. By the way, I have a friend, a c6 or c7 quad, complete, healthy, who was injured around 1955 or 1956. So, you are not quite the most ancient, but I do believe one of the earlier "pioneers". Chuck

[charly]

Rudy, on Oct 10 2007, 09:06 AM, said:

I am a 45 year old C3-4 quad. This March will be 30 years since my accident

Hi Rudy, Not to be intrusive, but how are you handling any breathing difficulties? I am asking because, after 45 healthy years with no breathing issues whatsoever, about a year ago I began having difficulty breathing. I am using a BPAP machine at night. I am having a swallow test tomorrow to determine if/how I may be swallowing air, causing my abdomen to distend to the point of hampering my breathing. Additionally, I can no longer belch without someone pressing my stomach. Any experience and/or ideas and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chuck

[charly]

gustifer, on Oct 9 2007, 11:47 AM, said:

As for myself, I'm 13 years into this journey. I'm the last surviving of about 7 other SCI's whom I was in rehab with (that were at least c7 up. There was a few para's there too but never kept much contact. I don't know why). I have a friend here who is 35years post and is one of the longest living quads today. Though now he is having trouble with a tumor in his bladder. His wife is also a quad and she is 17 years post. They live together alone and have been for I think 10 years now. I have a few other friends but I'm not sure of their exact time. Anyways, I just wanted to get an idea of how long everyone has been rolling on and see what makes of it.
Gus

Hi Gus, It has been 46 + years for me. Glad you asked the forum, because it gave me a few multi-decade-post-injury folks to reply to regarding my own current injury-related question dealing with recently developed breathing situation. Thanks, Chuck

[Ironside]

18th of May 1986, the day I joined the club. I was 16, and now I'm 39, 22 years sure have gone quickly

[Emily C]

Dx/12-07 para.

Congenital, rare and annoying!!!

I could "shuffle" across a small space for about 2 years b4 I came home from dinner one night and couldn't do that.
I went to a new N/S and he gave me the dx. What an interesting, frusturating ride!!!! I've learned a lot about myself in the process. Get mad (at inamiate objects a lot when they don't work right...) my aids when they say/ do something stupid or insensitve, and the same for strangers!

I've learned a lot about people too, my family and friends. How some stay in complete denial of what's happening to me. How much of a realist I've become. How I still continue to love ad trust God no matter what!

35 yrs ago, I was born 1lb 12 oz and at 24.5 weeks.

As usual, my best to all of you!!

[Travelling Blackbird]

It's been over ten years for me. I took a head injury in mid-July 1998, and on the 7th of September, 1998, had to buy my first wheelchair. Yup, it's my tenth anniversary of being a rolling traveler today!

[DatsunKid]

May of 2008 marked 22 years since my spinal cord injury and also 22 years since my marriage. Both are still very well intact...!

[cosmosmallpiece]

I came home to England for a holiday as I was living in Beirut and In the middle of September 1965 after being hit by a black taxi which went through a red light,

Edited by cosmosmallpiece, 08 September 2008 - 10:37 AM.

[charly]

cosmosmallpiece, on Sep 8 2008, 03:30 AM, said:

I came home to England for a holiday as I was living in Beirut and In the middle of September 1965 after being hit by a black taxi which went through a red light,

Hi Cosmos,
Looks like you and I are both 66, and have been quadriplegic for about the same amount of time--more than 40 years. Forgive me for coming straight to my issue. I am hoping you may have heard of and/or have some experience with "aerophagia"--excess swallowing of air. Until a year ago, I was quite healthy. Now I am having breathing difficulties that seem to be caused by my swallowing air. This leaves me with a very distended abdomen, which hampers my breathing. Also, I am now unable to belch or burp without someone pushing my abdomen. I have no indication or sensation of swallowing air, it just happens. To my knowledge, this never happened before some 6-8 months ago. I am on the evaluation trial--last week's swallow test showed that my throat and swallowing of food and liquids function fine--no danger of aspiration. I await the report to see what should be tested next. I use a BPAP (bi-phasic positive airway pressure) machine at night. Have you ever heard of this condition? Any thoughts or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Chuck

By the way, what is a "black taxi"?

Edited by charly, 08 September 2008 - 11:36 PM.

[irish]

hooplady, on Sep 4 2008, 02:31 PM, said:

My boyfriend was injured June 16th (gunshot; he walked right into an attempted robbery) so that's 2-1/2 months. Bullet fragments scattered from T2-T5. He's already got the obligatory pressure sore, MRSA, and UTI. But he's working really hard in rehab and we hope he'll be coming home soon.

/Where is he rehabbing1`