Thats a good question Craig and I'd hazard a guess and say that most of us feel the same way in that we all miss being able bodied. As for being happy, in general I'd say I'm happy but I've been this way now for 20years and it took me a lot of years to get to the point of letting go of all the heartache, I used to have a very successful career working with racehorses which was all I knew and that was over in a heartbeat.
I think the younger one is injured can determine how fulfilling life is, I have corresponded with many over the years and it seems that the younger one was when injured coincided with going back to school and then getting a job which can cater for their disabilities, basically getting on with life again. So, in answer to your question, is my life fulfilling....not really but thats been my choice
From your previous posts I can surmise that you're pretty unhappy, you were a very healthy person who spent a lot of time outside and you can no longer do that, yes, people will tell you that hey, you're a para, you can still do many physical things but you still cant do what you used to do. The best advice I can give is please just give yourself time, it does get easier as you get used to your new way of life. Don't be afraid to ask for help because mentally this can be as tough as the physical issues
Yep...it’s a mind battle. I was 51 years old when a dead tree fell across my back when I wasn’t looking or working on said tree. I was finally happy with my life until the accident happened. I think the most cruel part is not being able to control my body temp to be outside in summer and winter. Maybe that gets better with time or keeping ice packs handy in the summer months? I just don’t know anything anymore since I’m in uncharted waters now.
If I were to dwell on those things that have been so very important to me and that were lost with SCI, I would be very unhappy indeed. Instead, I've found other things that I can do that are of value and are fulfilling, and these do make me happy.
My injury happened suddenly. I was paralyzed from the chest down and my left leg was gone,...amputated in the car accident. It was one of those “first the good news...” type of situations. The good news was that I wouldn’t have to do rehabilitation. The “bad news” was that there wasn’t anything left to rehabilitate. In my case, this actually helped me “get on with life”. I wanted to get well enough to get out of the hospitals and nursing homes so I could go home, cook for myself, pick out my own groceries,...and wake up and go to bed when I wanted to. It’s amazilng how important we find out that these things are when we’ve had them taken away from us, as in hospitals and nursing homes. Yes, I’m happy now that I’ve gotten back these basic human rights and am living in my own home.
Are you happy with your life? I’m a new para and am wondering what the general consensus is with others. I’m just curious what others have to say?
20yr Quad here married 13 yrs ago. Couldnt be happier LIFE is what you put into it.
we cruise every year go to vegas every year i had a pool put in that i can get into so lots of pool /bbq parties. I just bought the wife a 2019 Dodge Challenger so we go to cars shows etc. i have a handcycle that i bike with the grand kids. the thing is so many curl up in a ball and revell in what happened to them. i never have i get out and make things happen
Yep...it’s a mind battle. I was 51 years old when a dead tree fell across my back when I wasn’t looking or working on said tree. I was finally happy with my life until the accident happened. I think the most cruel part is not being able to control my body temp to be outside in summer and winter. Maybe that gets better with time or keeping ice packs handy in the summer months? I just don’t know anything anymore since I’m in uncharted waters now.
Damn about the tree! I had a similar accident (without the breaking spine) with a tree about 10years ago when I was slashing the grass around it where I made a silly mistake and got too close to the tree as I was going around it and the front corner of the slasher hit and dragged the tree forward, broke (smaller tree with about a 10inch circumference trunk) and fell onto my back, I had an old Massey ferguson (we call them fergies over here) and it had a roll bar luckily because that saved my life, it took the brunt of the tree and all the branches hit my back, I stopped naturally but then was in a dilemma, how did I get out from the tree because I could feel my back was injured and bleeding and get home so I made the decision to slowly drive out from under that tree.....which i did feeling those heavy branches ripping off more skin. I got home, had a shower, looked at the damage and figured there was nothing the hospital could do because luckily the skin off was only a couple of layers,got my Mum to help bandage up the worse injuries. Anyway, seeing that you're a fellow worker on farms, I thought you may appreciate my story. Gee, looking back, Ive had some near misses over the years as I'm sure you have had also but you were unlucky in that one of those accidents caused your injury
Its completely understandable that you feel as though you dont know anything and its awful but it will get better, just give yourself time (easier said than done, I know), as for the ice packs in summer, they're great, I have some dog cooler mats which I put in the freezer in summer and use on my bed at night, they help so much for keeping my temperature down. Have you tried those 'ice hats' for using during the summer? Because regulating your head temperature is what helps for keeping body temp down.
hello 2510. What exactly is your injury? What spinal injury level are you and what mobility do you have? It would it help if you put more information on your profile.
I’m a T-8 and have full use of my hands and arms. My battle over the last year has been abdominal muscle cramps that just cripple me with pain. Doctor is still trying to dial in my pain pump meds. I’m wanting to get out and go as soon as possible. I simply just hurt physically.
2510, when we get a spinal injury, all of our digestive processes slow down. This allows pathogens (bacteria, viruses, parasites) to bother us more than before our injury. Besides laxatives, we may now need other digestive aides such as Betaine Hydrochloric Acid and digestive enzymes (such as Papain from papaya or Bromelain from pineapple). I keep Lugol’s iodine right beside me on my bedside table. If I get a stomach ache, I put three or four drops of Lugol’s iodine (which uses potable, food grade, alcohol) into a clean cup and add a quarter cup of water, then drink it. The water will look sllightly pinkish, and you will faintly taste the iodine, but it won’t be strong enough to “burn” at all. This diminishes bacteria in the stomach. I wouldn’t use this frequently — only when I have discomfort in my upper digestive area.
If any if this sounds too “far out”, then please try this simple, safe, remedy. Get Anise Tea at the grocery store. Make a strong cup of it —WITHOUT SUGAR — and drink it. Please.
For extreme stomach pain, I put a few drops of FOOD GRADE oregano oil in an empty capsule and take it with water. Do NOT let oregano oil touch your lips, mouth, or eyes. It burns. Here’s a research article about how good it is. Of course, it’s about giving it to pigs,...but why should pigs have all the fun? “Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) is an aromatic plant widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean area and Asia [6]. Oregano essential oil (OEO), a volatile oil, is concentrated from natural plant products which contain the volatile aroma compounds. These mixtures of volatile compounds exert different biological actions, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative activities [7]” (Page three) www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4903144/
hello 2510. When you say you want to 'get out and go', do you mean you want to exit from this life? It's going to be hard whatever action you take. I guess it depends on how much you value life. Most of us want to cling to the cliff edge no matter how bad it is. We seem to have this innate ability to want to survive. You've got to develop an interest which makes life more meaningful than death. If there is nothing you can turn your mind to then the future looks bleak. Like you, I am wracked with pain. No, pain is the wrong word. Excruciating agony is more like it. Sometimes it goes on for days and nights without end, the pain level so critical that I could scream. Do I think about suicide? Yes. do I actually reach for the tablets? No. I have a stash of pills in the drawer which are guaranteed to snuff out my life if necessary. I call it my emergency pack. It's been there for many years. Now and again I change the tablets to make sure they're in date. But it's not just the pain. My body crawls with a horrible sensitivity. During the evening I feel freezing cold yet my temperature is normal. I sit there shivering, tensing my muscles to try and keep warm or to get some degree of comfort but the comfort never comes. In the summer I become overwhelmed with the heat. My temperature goes up and I cannot control it. You are not the only one who has temperature problems. Most people with spinal injury have difficulty controlling their temperature. Particularly people with neck injuries. There are guys here who are hooked up to ventilators to keep them alive. Can you imagine how that feels? And yet they remain positive. I personally cannot move my hands and have limited use of my arms. I have neck injury but I'm not on a ventilator. I'm lucky enough to have just enough movement to make my life more bearable. You, on the other hand can move your hands and arms and upper body. You don't need a ventilator to live. There is so much you can do with your life if you put your mind to it. If you think negatively all the time you are bound to notice all your aches and pains. I've noticed over the years that the more negative I am the worse I feel. One can actually make one's pains, one's misery seem even worse by being miserable. You have a choice. Get out or get on with it. What more can I say? What more advice can anybody here give you? I have made a life. I have used what I've got, the limited abilities that I've been left with and made the best of it. I'm not a hero. I'm nobody special. It's up to you mate. Go on ... think of something positive that you can do or a talent that you can nurture. Focus your mind on doing something creative. You may find that there is suddenly a light at the end of the tunnel, that life is not as gloomy as you thought it was. I hope that is the case. Like I say, it's ultimately all in your hands but more importantly in your head..