The first thing any therapist or doctor has to address with a newly injured person is the........but Im going to walk........syndrome. People naturally are scared to do anything that may be inferring that they are accepting the fact they may not walk again. The best way to deal with that is to go around the issue. The main things people need to do right out of the gate are Figure out if current living arrangement can accomadate a wheelchair, if so start findind resources to build a ramp Apply for social security Widen doors at current house, bedroom and bathroom are a must..........possibly drop hinges. If possible start looking into installing a roll in shower.( I had five years of hell without one) Get all need handicap equipment ordered b4 leaving hospital Learn about dysreflexia and how to prevent urinary tract infections, pressure sores. Make sure family is trained on help with catherizations, bowell routines, transfers Learn as much as you possibly can b4 you leave the hospital Once the person is out of rehab there will be a shock period to learn how to live in the real world in a chair. The hospital setting is set up for a paralyed individual, its scary at first going home which is normal. Start investigating going to school and getting a van to drive or ride in Ron
________________________________ From: Don Price <donpric...@yahoo.com> To: "quad-list@eskimo.com" <quad-list@eskimo.com> Sent: Tuesday, October 1, 2013 1:09 PM Subject: [QUAD-L] Survival Manual Suggestions Think back to right after your accident; you and your family were in the hospital, clueless, trying to figure out what was going to happen and how life was going to be from now on. It was a crazy, scary, emotional time for everyone: you, your family and your friends. Imagine if someone were to hand you--or more likely your family--a "Disability Survival Manual" that was intended to give you some advice from people who had been there before. What would it include? My Center for Independent Living (CIL) is currently working on such a manual. I'm tasked with writing an article on things that FAMILY and FRIENDS should know. So, I'm reaching out to you, my friends on quadlist, and asking for your input. What do you wish someone had told your family and friends right after your injury? I APPRECIATE any input you may have. Don Tempe, AZ C5-6 32 years
