What is a Paraplegic?
Paraplegia is the impairment of the legs, torso. and stomach. The area of the spinal canal which is affected in paraplegia is either the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral regions.
Do you have any feeling or movement in your legs?
I do not. My spinal cord was damaged to the point of no regeneration.
What are your thoughts on Stem Cell Research?
I think that as a science, it's really moving forward in a positive direction. But I also believe that it is putting hope in a lot of people that really won't ever be able to walk. It is a great advancement for newly injured spinal cord patients, but not as hopeful for people that have been living with SCI for years. After not walking for 10 years, your legs and muscles have atrophied so much, the length of painful rehabilitation would be many months, and possibly years.
What kind of things go on in the daily life of a Paraplegic? Do you have to be careful about certain things?
I always thought that Paraplegia was fairly black and white, that you just couldn't walk. This is clearly not the case. Because you are always sitting down, you really have to watch out of pressure sores. Every 30 minutes or so, I have to lift my body up and get relief for a minute or two. I cannot go to the bathroom on my own, so I have to catheterize every so many hours. I am constantly watching how much I drink. I drink coffee, but I drink only decaf because caffeine fills my bladder up faster. Other than that, I only drink water. With a successful bladder and bowel management, paraplegics can prevent virtually all accidental urinary or bowel discharges. When I go out, I always have to make sure that I park in a level parking spot in fear that my wheelchair may roll away; which has happened and resulted in getting on the ground and scooting to get it. I also have a lot of spasticity. This is an involuntary movement of the muscles below my level of injury.Sometimes they get so bad, that just by transferring or repositioning myself in my chair, it can result in me ending up on the ground. I also may have spasticity as a result of bladder irritation, pressure sores, fractured bones, bowel program, or even a hang nail. And this is only a fraction of the things I have to watch out for. I haven't even gotten to the public aspect :)
What was Rehabilitation like?
Rehab was awesome. I will admit being on the stretcher going to rehab wasn't that great, but once I started therapy and created bonds with the therapists, nurses, doctors, cafeteria staff, and janitorial staff, it was amazing. I consider rehab my home away from home. It is where I started my new life, a new life I love more than the life I had before destiny put me there.
If you could rewind time, would you take back the night of the accident?
Not in a million years, No. I know this happened for a reason and this website is one of those reasons. I have met so many people as a result of this accident that I couldn't imagine them not being in my life. My life has changed for the better 100 percent.
They say people in wheelchairs can do anything able bodies can do, just sitting down. Have you found anything you physically can't do?
The only difference between you and I is that I can't walk. I will prove you wrong if you say that I can't do something :)
How did you come away from the accident with such a positive outlook?
My partner Shannon had a lot to do with the way I am today. If she wasn't right by my side the whole time I went through recovery, my outcome may have been a lot different. I also had a lot of support through my family. I would have to say the news was more devastating for my family to hear than myself. All I want to do is help people that are in my situation. Not nearly as many people take the news with a grain of salt and I want to be right next to those people saying "You can do this, and you can get on with your life".
