Monday – 10/7/2013

“The race isn’t over ’til the finish line. It’s the comeback story of a lifetime.” – Kings of Leon

Sorry for the delay in posting any updates. The Cleveland Browns are tied for first place, and it’s left me in a state of shock that’s rendered me immobile. Okay, I guess I’ve already been immobile, but you get the picture.

Even if the Indians are no longer in the playoffs, the success of the Cleveland Browns has temporarily lifted the “sports funk” of a lot of people. Unfortunately, Brian Hoyer, a fellow Saint Ignatius alumnus is no longer at the helm. However, Week 6 is upon us and the Brownies are still playing for something. I’ve been to 2 games this year, the last with Bryan and my dad, and have been able to personally witness a victory… The first victory I have seen live since being in a wheelchair. I guess it takes an Ignatius man to get the job done!

As far as how I have been doing, I’ve been busy working out and working on helping to plan the upcoming fundraiser. They are both connected in a big way. I can’t have one without the other.

At times, it often feels like a spinal cord injury can be akin to stepping on a garden hose. The spigot can force as much water as it wants through the hose, only to have it jam up along the way. Crank up the pressure and a little bit might trickle out, but nothing substantial. Not until you lift your foot off the hose. In the case of an SCI, it’s the scar tissue build-up and myelin sheath destruction, the membrane that protects the spinal cord nerves, that do a pretty good job acting like the foot squishing the hose. Once damaged, the sheath and inherent scar tissue inhibit  the nerves ability to transmit electrical pulses, ultimately causing cognitive and physical impairment.

Scientists are working every day on ways to erode away scar tissue, but to date, no significant breakthroughs have been reported, although some pretty cool studies are currently taking place that may one day help restore function.

However, the spinal cord has shown that it is capable of functioning at a high-level, even with a significant reduction in nerve transmission. Patrick Rummerfield is a great example of this. Recognized as the world’s first fully functional quadriplegic, over 85 percent of his spinal cord was rendered useless at the C-4 level, yet he was able to cultivate the remaining nerves to pick up the slack. A lot of this is due to the way the body chooses to heal itself, but it’s been proven that exercise can also help propagate a similar result. But it usually doesn’t happen overnight.

Patience is a necessity when it comes to repairing the spinal cord. It’s been said that nerves grow at the rate of 1 millimeter per day, if they even grow at all. Some doctors claim that the spinal cord is not capable of regenerating itself and must solely rely on the undamaged nerves if there is ever to be any chance of recovery. However, doctors don’t know everything (no offense to those reading). This is why I continue to diligently work out several days a week.

I’ve been having some great workouts lately, some of which leave me feel like I could get up and walk right out of the gym, or at least scratch my own nose if I tried “just a little bit harder.” And then I can repeat the same work out a day later, only to feel like my body has a mind of its own and has completely detached itself from any thoughts I may try to send it. Up and down. Back and forth. The momentum pendulum swings the way it chooses, often leaving me feeling like a passenger along for the ride.

But the therapy is so important. I cannot stress this enough. Even if I am not kicking a football through the goalposts anytime soon, I am still improving my circulation, building muscle mass, warding off atrophy, improving my cardio health and along the way gaining an emotional lift. It is my hope that the October fundraiser will prove successful and allow me to continue riding the momentum pendulum in the hopes of one day typing this blog with my fingers rather than dictating it with my voice!

I am scheduled to appear on Channel 3’s “Live on Lakeside” television program this week to talk about the upcoming fundraiser, as well as the cost of living with a spinal cord injury. A few radio interviews are also lined up over the next 2 weeks to plug the event. Thursday, I will be honored with the Boys Hope Girls Hope “Rising Pillar of Hope” award. I’ll end the week with a fundraiser to support LEAP, the board that I sit on. A busy week…

Finally, I received an e-mail last week from the Life Flight nurse who installed my endotracheal tube while airborne on the way from Coldwater Lake to Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was a wonderful surprise to hear from her as well as to read her account of the events that transpired that day. I think she will let me off the hook for not remembering her, as I wasn’t exactly in the right frame of mind. However, she has invited me to speak at Bronson Hospital next year to which I’ve already agreed. It will be a real honor to personally thank (and meet) some of the people that worked so hard to save my life on that fateful July day.

I also hope to be able to thank many of you on October 27th at the Stand Strong Fundraiser! (If you are planning on attending, but have yet to purchase your tickets, please do so before you are shut out. Due to occupancy regulations, only a limited number of tickets will be sold.

Thank you for the continued prayers and support! AMDG.

Stand Strong!

Scott