“Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.”
It’s obvious that the early signs of Fall have started to permeate my surroundings. There’s been a change in the weather that unfortunately has lent itself to a change in my physical being. As a result of being unable to regulate my temperature the same way I used to before my accident, I find myself more affected by subtle changes in the atmosphere. The temperatures have begun to drop and in turn, my spasms have increased significantly. And these are not just a few muscle tremors, but rather violent shakes that wiggle me out of position in my chair. Not to mention, I seem much more lethargic than I do on the sunny days. However, if the forecast holds true, the sun should be shining again in a few days. Although, you know how I feel about weather forecasts…
I’m sure that some of my tiredness can be attributed to the events of the past week. My good friend, Eric, was in town last week and stayed with me at my apartment. We watched a lot of movies, drank a lot of wine, ate a lot of great food and had a great time hanging out. There were a few adventurous trips to the movies, grocery stores and clothing stores that nearly saw me break my neck again. I’ll spare you the scary details, but let me just say I am thankful my wheelchair comes equipped with a seatbelt!
The week was broken up with visits from both of my father’s sisters. My Aunt MaryAnn and Uncle Fred stopped by along with my cousins, Andrea and Deanna, to catch up and have lunch together (I had my favorite corned beef sandwich from Corky and Lenny’s!). Deanna brought her two-year-old daughter, Estelle, who of course had a fun time playing with the cats. Two days later, my Aunt Chrissy and Uncle Steve came over for a visit and brought with them some strawberry ice cream from Mitchell’s, a local favorite! They also brought along, Ruby, their young Boston Terrier, who was very entertaining to watch as he terrorized, Horatio, one of the cats, who at one point found himself 8 feet in the air after jumping to avoid Ruby. Very entertaining, indeed!
Katie stopped by with Communion for me on Sunday. Tagging along with her were, Maura and Sean, who are also very big fans of Horatio and LG. Katie stopped by again earlier today with Maura and her older son, Marty. In my opinion, Maura is the world’s perfect feline babysitter. She turns 9 tomorrow and I’m sure would want nothing more than a cat for her birthday. I told her I think she comes to visit me just to see the cats, but she assured me that is not the case. She also informed me that even though she is a year older she promises not to be “too cool” to continue visiting with me. Her father, Dan, is a teacher at my alma mater, St. Ignatius high school, where I have been asked. to speak to the freshman class of 350 students on September 23 as part of their Spirit Day. I’m excited to be able to participate and share my story and journey of faith with them. It’s amazing to think that 20 years ago I was a freshman myself and in the same position. Another reminder of how quickly life passes by.
I had the opportunity to try out a MotoMed FES bike at the SCI Forum a few weeks ago. The salesman promised me he would drop off a demo unit for me to use in my apartment for a few weeks. True to his promise, the bike arrived last Friday, and I’ve been able to cycle for about 30 to 40 minutes every day! It is a really cool feeling to see my legs moving again. “Really cool” is about the only way to describe it. As I watch my legs cycle, I try to connect the motion with my brain. Hopefully, over time, the repetitiveness of this action will pay dividends. I realize the odds are against me with a complete injury, but I plan to keep at it. Not to mention the cardiovascular and muscular benefits cycling will provide. This morning my friend Chris invited me over to his fitness facility, Buckeye Wellness Center, to check out the place. I had the opportunity to hop on another similar FES bike. This also allowed me the chance to compare the two bikes and decide which piece of equipment to purchase.
As I mentioned in my previous post, September is National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness month. While 30 days of focusing on spinal cord injuries is a start, it does not even begin to scratch the surface in raising the appropriate awareness needed to help those living with an SCI achieve a more enriched life. More research, more funding, more awareness and more advocating is needed now more than ever. Every 45 minutes someone in this country suffers a spinal cord injury, and in a fraction of a second his or her life will dramatically change forever. And the changes are severe – physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and even financially. The individual’s entire life will take on a new purpose and in many cases the rest of his or her days will be spent working tirelessly just to be “comfortable”. Hopefully it is a change none of you will ever have to experience for yourself.
However, the reality is that most of you know someone, other than myself, who has suffered such an injury. Or you might know someone who knows someone living with an SCI. These injuries seem to be all around us, yet not enough is being done to help those living with such an injury. So much more help is needed! Most of us living with an SCI believe in our own strength in the strength of others living with a similar injury. We believe in the foundations in place to help find a cure and the dedicated researchers and therapists they support. We believe in our friends and family and their ability to help support us whether it’s through their prayers, donations or other efforts.
It’s amazing to stop and think about the progress that has been made in the area of SCI research. A few weeks ago I posted about, Rob Summers, the 25-year-old man who was paralyzed from the chest down and can now stand and walk with the help of an FES device. Furthermore, he has regained voluntary movement in his toes, ankles, knees and hips without any assistance needed. His incredible story, and the untold stories of so many others, are a direct result of the SCI support in place today. And yet, it is still not enough. There is a lot more work to do before the full potential of SCI research, and potentially a cure, can be realized.
We live in tough economic times today. Not all of us are in a position to be able to donate to the foundations and individuals who need our support. However, we are all able to help spread the word regarding the need for more SCI awareness, research and funding. God has blessed us with a voice, and our ability to use that voice doesn’t cost us a dime. Take a moment to imagine what your life would be like if you were living with an SCI. Now, think about those people you know who are living with that reality.
Take this moment, this time, this “right now” to help improve the lives of those you know living with a devastating spinal cord injury. You can do this by spreading the word. Whether you “Tweet”, use Facebook, send an e-mail, make a phone call or just have a conversation with someone, you have the ability to inform others about National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness month. You have the opportunity before you to urge others to help support this cause in whatever manner they see fit. And I assure you, you have the utmost gratitude and appreciation of us individuals you are helping to support! And the best part is you’ll feel great about doing it!
Thank You.
Finally, don’t forget to take a moment this weekend to reflect on the events that rattled our country 10 years ago. Give thanks and prayer for all the individuals who have worked to make us safer over the past decade.
Stand Strong!
Scott