It all began around Thanksgiving 2011. He was complaining of severe pain in his neck and shoulders which there was no explanation for. He went to the emergency room several times trying to seek answers but was told it was muscle spasms. He went to his primary care doctor who was searching for answers too, but unsure what was going on. Finally one week later on Wednesday November 30, a spinal tap was done to rule out spinal menigitis. At that time they found blood in his spinal fluid and believed him to be bleeding from the brain. He was transferred to another hospital where two CT scans were done on the brain and nothing was found. They went back to believing it was muscle spasms. However at 3 am in the morning Les lost all feeling from his chest down and at that time an emergency MRI of the spine was run which showed internal bleeding in the epidural space of the spine. Emergency surgery was to be done to relieve the pressure and hopes he would fully recover. This was not the case however. He did not regain any sensation after the surgery, and to this day there is no recovery. There was no catastophic accident, in fact no accident at all... in pain one day, paralyzed the next at the T 3 4 level with a spinal cord injury.
Les did not make it to inpatient rehab until after the beginning of January however due to many other medical complications he had during the hospital stay. Once he made it to rehab, he worked hard day after day, trying to learn what was needed so he could go home and join his family. Home however would be in Sacramento now.
He has come a long way since he came home. Les and Paula have slowly been figuring out how to make this new life work. Les is much stronger and more confident in doing things on his own, and he is determined to keep trying, doing more, and gaining more recovery.
What is a Spinal cord Injury
11,000 spinal cord injuries happen every year in our country. Spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone at anytime, in many ways. These injuries can be life threatening and in many cases life altering. A spinal cord injury can turn a person's life upside down in an instant. Imagine losing all your freedom and Independence in a matter of minutes. Imagine having to re-learn basic functions and activities of daily living. Spinal cord injuries are unique for each person and the level of injury and severity make rehabilitation and prognosis difficult. Recovery is a painful waiting game. Spinal cord injuries can effect every aspect of life have a great impact on family and friends as well. In many cases SCI patients spend time in ICU, go through risky surgeries and rehab. They require special equipment such as wheelchairs and lifts, as well as specialized care. Often times the families of SCI patients have to re-arrange schedules and renovate homes to accommodate the new lifestyle. Some SCI patients are forced to live in nursing homes, because their families are not able to financially or physically care for them.There is life after a SCI, but it is not easy; every day can be a struggle.
Les did not make it to inpatient rehab until after the beginning of January however due to many other medical complications he had during the hospital stay. Once he made it to rehab, he worked hard day after day, trying to learn what was needed so he could go home and join his family. Home however would be in Sacramento now.
He has come a long way since he came home. Les and Paula have slowly been figuring out how to make this new life work. Les is much stronger and more confident in doing things on his own, and he is determined to keep trying, doing more, and gaining more recovery.
What is a Spinal cord Injury
11,000 spinal cord injuries happen every year in our country. Spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone at anytime, in many ways. These injuries can be life threatening and in many cases life altering. A spinal cord injury can turn a person's life upside down in an instant. Imagine losing all your freedom and Independence in a matter of minutes. Imagine having to re-learn basic functions and activities of daily living. Spinal cord injuries are unique for each person and the level of injury and severity make rehabilitation and prognosis difficult. Recovery is a painful waiting game. Spinal cord injuries can effect every aspect of life have a great impact on family and friends as well. In many cases SCI patients spend time in ICU, go through risky surgeries and rehab. They require special equipment such as wheelchairs and lifts, as well as specialized care. Often times the families of SCI patients have to re-arrange schedules and renovate homes to accommodate the new lifestyle. Some SCI patients are forced to live in nursing homes, because their families are not able to financially or physically care for them.There is life after a SCI, but it is not easy; every day can be a struggle.