Kabear97,
I'm Dave and had a C3-4 incomplete dislocate in 1967 from a
trampoline. I finished college in Math and with some additional classes,
taught
school for a few years. I loved those hours and most kids although the money
wasn't all that hot. I left after getting a call from Honeywell to do
computer programming in 1979. I spent a good share of '76, '77, '78' and '79
signing up with every state and private placement agency and sending out
many resumes on my own. The state came through with a home based computer
job about 2 days before Honeywell called. I'm sure I was hired to fill a
'quota' but I didn't and don't care as I did a lot of very good work for them
for 25 years before they gave my job to India and got 5 engineers for the
same price. I had and understand many lows involved with SCI life and
want to assure that nothing is forever - things change. WE are living life
at different levels now and it's wondrous to see what is available at those
different levels. My mom left me with a few very insightful thoughts -
"if you hadn't broken your neck - you'd have killed yourself with your mach
II, hair on fire lifestyle", AND "you still have the most magnificent organ
made by God to get you through life - your brain still works just fine -
don't goof that up". (that was a marijuana reference). Please know that
SCI life is an existence of ongoing experiments to see what works for you,
all the rules have changed and you need to try EVERYTHING. Giving up just
isn't a reasonable choice.
Everyone on this list has something unique to give to you and I'm sure
they will all share info as you ask. Please don't be shy - you are still
in a pretty crappy stage of SCI. It DOES get better.
AZDAVE.
Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize
you're wrong.
_Daveoconnell.com_ (http://daveoconnell.com/)
In a message dated 4/26/2010 4:58:47 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
[email protected] writes:
Hi, I was walking with my children 2 yrs ago & was struck by a teen who
went off the road & struck me as I was bent over. I am c4, 5 & 6
incomplete with feeling to the toes, just very altered sensation. I was
in the hospital for almost 1 yr. I use a manual chair & to amazement, I
have bladder sensation & bowels. Although I have my share of spasms (I
take 10mg ditropn b.i.d), leakages at night and my bowels respond every
2-3 days with no added help. Pre-accident was normally every day. I
have lots of tone/spasticity in L. leg & am considering baclofen pump.
I only take 20mg now of baclofen which does nothing. Any higher dose
tires me & liver function tests go abnormal. I am hooked on 25mcg
fentanyl patches q48 hrs and still have pain. I refuse to add more
meds. I do not ever sleep for more than an hr. every night. Waking in
the a.m. is horrible - never used to be. I want to wean off fentanyl.
Since I transfer to toilet with the transfer board (lots of work), I
would love to find pants that help b/c I can't pull them up under me.
This injury has caused our world to turn upside down & some days it is
so overwhelming. My kids keep me going & God's healing. I feel like
I'm the only mom in the world going thru this. At the time of the
accident, I was 5wks from grad. college (RN). Since then, I graduated &
passed boards. Now what???? I LOVE nursing & it's not easy to find it
from a w/c. If I am assisted to stand, I can hold a walker for 5-10
mins & a few steps - left leg hinders advancing it so dr. wants me to
consider pump. I have great use of my dominant hand & arm, left fingers
are closed. Anyway, I could go on forever, so thanks for listening.
(http://daveoconnell.com/)
