new intro

[Tschanne]

Hi, My name is Tom and I suffered a SCI last Sept. in a dirt bike accident. Long story short, I had a separation at C1 after being thrown from my bike into a tree. I have been unbelievably fortunate in the fact that with my type of injury that I am able to walk and function pretty much normally. I still have a few issues to deal with but most of them will be fixed soon, overall I consider myself truly blessed. I have had excellent care from the moment they helicoptered me to the trauma center to my release from PT. The doctors have been miracle workers in my eyes. I have my good days and my bad days but my bad days are getting fewer and further between and I hope in the coming months and  years that I can make even more progress.

I just wanted to say Hi and look forward to sharing and maybe even helping along the way.

[chrisarnold]

Hi Tom,

Welcome to the forum.

SCIs are very odd! I think you're right about the doctors; injuries that high often mean the end. Glad you are making progress, and keep up the good work.

Best wishes,

Chris

[LW]

Hi Tom,

Glad to hear you are making such a successful and speedy recovery! It makes such a change to hear a positive outcome and is very encouraging for others. You are definitely very lucky. I was diagnosed with a spinal cord tumour two years ago and am still having major problems now - I only discovered yesterday via my MRI results that a large portion of the tumour has been left in my body. Not so good.

I wish you all the best and hope you'll continue to update us on your progress.

Regards,

Leah

[Apparelyzed]

Hi Tom,

Lucky isn't the word!

Not many C1's make it at all, so welcome to the forum. 

Simon

[Tschanne]

Thanks for the kind words. I was reluctant to post anything as I didn't want to sound braggadocios. I realize the good fortune that I have been given and am thankful everyday. Like I said I still have a few  issues associated with an SCI, instability walking, ice cold and numb feeling feet, muscle spasms to name a few.

I have sixth nerve palsy from the nerve damage which causes my eyes to not line up perfectly making me have blurred double vision constantly. Through an operation, that can and will be fixed soon so I can get back to driving again, that's huge to a gearhead like me.

It's odd to say but I'm sure some of you can relate as there are some good things that came about after my injury, my relationship with my wife is stronger as she has been unbelievably supportive and patient with me and my situation. She has been my appointment scheduler, my driver and my confidante through out and has never once complained or uttered a negative word to me. We have cried together and laughed together and hopefully someday we can look back on this as a learning and growing experience.

[LW]

Hi Tom,

Don't know if this is worth mentioning but I found hot water bottles really helped the feeling return to my feet and legs following spinal cord surgery. In the beginning both my feet were ice cold and numb too and this made walking virtually impossible (in addition to the co-ordination difficulties/lack of balance etc). I had to persevere with it for a while but it was totally worth it - I would say 90-95% of feeling has returned in my left foot and 50-60% in my right foot. Being able to feel my feet on the ground has enabled me to walk much better and therefore given me the confidence to go out. I don't know if it will do anything for you but I thought I'd mention it. 

[Tschanne]

LW,

Tell me more about the hot water bottles, I'll try anything if it will help. How hot of water, how long did you keep them on etc. My feet feel like my socks have been submerged in a bucket of ice cold water. Constantly cold and clammy feeling along with a numb feeling. I tried heated hunters socks this past winter but they are junk and don't work at all.

Thanks for the reply

[LW]

Hi Tom,

I used to use the bottles about 2-3 times a day and always slept with at least one on my feet. It's handy because it doesn't take much effort; you can sit there with them when you're watching telly. I used to have mine quite hot (as long as you don't end up with third degree burns) and would test them on my hands first. I had that 'cold water' feeling you describe from the waist down and it made me very depressed. To give you a bit of background the numbness in my feet started 6 months prior to my diagnosis/surgery and was caused by severe spinal cord compression (it was a large and aggressive tumour that was laying over the main blood vessel in the cord and also causing left lung compression). It was very drastic and I thought it would never go. I also had chronic pins and needles in both feet. Something else that helped was sitting in a hot bath (when I could finally wash); it made my legs feel as though they had 'come to life'. I don't think it's pure coincidence because it was after the bottles and baths that the numbness subsided and the pins and needles largely disappeared (I only have them in my right foot now - to begin with it was the whole of my lower body). I don't know how it worked - at a hunch maybe the heat acts as a circulatory stimulant - but it worked. I'm not 100% but the increased feeling in my legs has enabled me to walk unaided and I can now go out, which is fantastic after being housebound for a year. If you have any more questions, let me know and I'll do my best!

Regards,

Leah.

[Andy]

hi tom

welcome to you

Andy