RECOVERY OF NEUROLOGICAL FUNCTION AFTER ACCIDENT

[Gary Anderson]

I have just heard from my mate in USA. He is going through a rehab programme just now called "step by step."

My mate broke his neck in Iraq when his jeep crashed and was told he would be quadriplegic. He woke in hospital to find that he could not move a muscle.

Gradually, things began to return and he has made remarkable progress. In the space of 6 months he is now walking on 2 sticks. Spending some of the week at home and the rest at the spinal unit having intensive therapy.

His spirit and determination is amazing and he is utterly determined to recover as much function as possible.

I must be honest, I had never heard of this. I only knew able bodied and non able bodied. However, he tells me that he has what is known as central cord syndrome and recovery started from his feet up. However, that is not to say that there will not always be a weakness. He will always have some sort of weakness. As it is not possible to recover everything 100%.

His ultimate aim is to walk unaided but we dont know as yet if that will be possible. However, as he says, compared to being in a wheelchair, this is brilliant.

Naturally, he is delighted and so are all his friends. As he says, compared to being told he is paralysed in all 4 limbs - this is a wonderful position to be in. I shall keep you posted as he progresses.

[Andy]

gary , Mine is central cord syndrome too and my recovery started like your friends.  My arms have remained significantly weaker than my legs which is common in central cord syndrome incomplete injuries.  It took me many months to get onto sticks/crutches and today I can just manage small distances indoors with one crutch.  It sounds like your mate has an excellent chance of significant recovery.  I wish him all the best

[Gary Anderson]

Thanks Moose.

I must be honest, I had never heard of that before. I always thought if you broke your neck then that was it - goosed and in a wheelchair if you pardon the expression. Apparently though it depends on the amount of damage to the cord.

'Frinstance, we had a guy in our plastic surgery unit recently. He was competing in a motorcycle race in France in 2004 when he came off his bike, which landed on top of him, beaking 4 bones in his spine and 4 in his neck. He was repaired with screws and plates and sent to a spinal unit in England where he spent 6 months. At first he could do zilch then he gradually recovered. Now, to look at him, you would never guess. He is walking without any aids at alll. When he told me he had broken his neck - I am ashamed to say I laughed. I could not believe it.

As you know, when I came on here I knew NOTHING about SCIs but that has improved over the past year. However, he tells me that the doctors are "optimistic" about him making a full recovery. As he says, even if he does not recover 100% the way he is now is better than being confined to a chair.

I shall pass on your best to him and keep you posted as and when I hear.

[Gazrobs]

Mine is a similar injury/story so I've now progressed to walking with one stick only & I can walk without a stick inside the house. My arms are not as good as my legs & I suffer burning pins & needles from the waist down & still reduced feeling from the neck but I've progressed a lot through luck & will power. Unless you are very lucky then you don't make a full recovery.

Also you hear about people breaking their necks & surgery blah but IMO that's not the 'real' story as some folks who break their neck can make a recovery (ish) but it depends if they damaged their cords or not (as opposed to just the bones in their neck) & how badly & then is it complete or incomplete. As Andy has mentioned previously everyone is different but you get some general guidleines e.g. incomplete central cord syndrome level = xx. It took me months to walk but I managed it & then have gained strength/stamina since but I just wish my arms/hands were as good as my legs etc.

I drive with virtually no feeling in my right foot & a little in my left (over the brake peddle) & I tend to have to look down to command my legs what to do when I'm walking & can't walk outside at night due to the lack of feedback but I do pretty good on some days but as mentioned walking isn't the be all & end all but it helps.

Of course I've had some medical problems this year which has put me back a lot so I'm climbing mountains again that I've already climbed but I'm up to about a mile now but it kills me but I'm sure it's doing me some good 
If your mate has this much recovery already & he keeps trying hard the future looks good I'd say so I wish him well. Look how far I've come in 6 years & I'm sure Andy will say similar with a lot of hard work. If he has any questions I expect we've 'been there' so get him to fire them over.

[Gary Anderson]

Thanks Gaz for a laugh someone printed my mate a "Been there got the Tshirt."
This guy is a C5 quad complete and honestly the way he lives his life is truly amazing. NOthing is beyond him.

Dont worry. Any questions will be posted here. I would not dream of going anywhere else.

[Gazrobs]

Also on the 'breaking' the neck thing I know two motorcyclists that 'broke' their necks but made a full recovery so it absolutely depends on the cord damage as there is no going back when that is damaged (currently) unfortunately due to the nerves not being able to repair/fix themselves as has been discussed many times before. Your mate has a good future I suspect compared to some for sure.

[Jilly]

Well Im impressed with all the hard work guys.

When I was a kid, I thought that if you broke your neck you died! instantly! However of course since then I have learned otherwise. Lol!

Like you Gary when I joined these forums I knew nothing about spinal cord injuries, thats why I joined, to get information. There I was, in a new relationship with a guy who was T5 Complete.....Its been almost a year since I joined Apparylised and I have learned sooooo much. 

[russ]

Thanks Gaz for a laugh someone printed my mate a "Been there got the Tshirt."
This guy is a C5 quad complete and honestly the way he lives his life is truly amazing. NOthing is beyond him.

Dont worry. Any questions will be posted here. I would not dream of going anywhere else.

<pedant>
Is this the same mate that's been improving and walks with sticks? If so then he must be C5 incomplete surely?
</pedant>

[Gary Anderson]

Russ, With apologies due to a very busy day on Friday I did not check my message for typos. Naturally, he is an "incomplete." Even me with my little knowledge of SCI but being in the medical profession know that "complete" means goosed.

This guy's jeep overturned in Iraq - in total he spent about 3 hours in the place before he was airlifted out to a military hospital in the USA.

I was talking to him over the weekend and passed on all your best wishes. He will keep me posted on how he improves. HOwever, it appears that he stands a very good chance of making a complete recovery and eventually being able to walk unaided.

[Jilly]

That IS good news. Tell him from me to keep up the good work!

[miss piggy]

Wow Gary that is such good news . We wish him lots of luck with his progress 

[Gary Anderson]

Thanks Miss Piggy. His parents are over the moon as are all his friends. THis is more than we could ever have expected. He is at home with his family and the for a few days of the week he is in a rehab unit at a military hospital to further his therapy.

He is extremely lucky and i think he knows that.

[Lynne]

Hi Gary,

That is fantastic news about your friend.  It's good when you hear something like this.  I wish him all the best with his recovery.

Lynne

[Gary Anderson]

Thanks Lynne. It brought a warm glow to me too. I remember how I felt when I felt the first tinglings. Here's hoping the same thing does not happen to him. I got on OK and then as you know in January suffered an accident that knocked me back almost to the start of where I was 18 years ago. Now, the body is older and the spirit weaker than it was way back then.

[Jilly]

awww....well..I dunno exactly what state the bod is in...but I reckon the spirits actually doing ok!