Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

I'm going to probably take the rest of the year off on blogging, but I'll still be tweeting.  My tweets aren't subject specific all the time, so it's a little more "well-rounded."

If interested, follow me on twitter. My handle is wordsmithsteve.

Happy Holidays everybody and a Happy New Year.

Article that summarizes Spinal Cord Injury levels and classifications

Spinal cord injury is a complicated subject.  They can be complete or incomplete, occur at different levels of the spinal cord, and classifications can change as recovery takes place.

I found a great article in the sci-info-pages website.

Spinal Cord Injury Levels and Classifications is a great summary on this issue.

Another short interview with me about my book

This is a little old, but here is a short interview I did about  the book with a book blog.

Bent Over Words

Bowel Bladder and Sexual Function podcast transcript from Transverse Myelitis Association

Finally, here is a transcript from a podcast from the Transverse Myelitis Association on bladder, bowel and sexual function in SCI patients.

I am a member of TMA (online, though. I've never physically attended any of their events, though one day in the future, I'd like to).

TMA podcast transcript

Proper way to poop

Continuing with the digestion theme, I found a post yesterday that dealt with the proper way to evacuate.

One of the issues spinal cord injury patients deal with is that of evacuation.  Many of us need to use suppositories and stool softeners to enable us to do this function.  Others need to digital stimulation and do abdominal massages and rocking.  And there are those who need to do both.

But some of us can get away from limiting the amount of the above strategies.  I have not taken any suppositories or stool softeners since being discharged from the hospital. I rock back and forth sometimes, and digital stim even less and do abdominal massages even less.

I write about increased fiber consumption a lot.  To a lesser extent, I write about exercise and moving around.

Well, even before my SCI, I used to wonder why sitting in the handicap stall in public restrooms would be more difficult for me.  And now, many times, I will lift my legs up high while sitting, and it will sort of resemble a crouch.  After reading the post below, now I know why.

 Proper way to poop

How @DelTaco and Chinese Take Out Helped Me Recover from Spinal Cord Injury pt 2.

Part 1 covered how the bean burrito from Del Taco helped me with my bowel recovery.

This part will cover how a local Chinese Take Out restaurant, Wa Wa helped me recover.

Even before I suffered my spinal cord injury, I was a regular customer at Wa Wa. Hands down, it makes my top 5 Chinese food to eat in Long Beach, CA - not just price factored in, but also quality of the food.  I'd stop in after work, or on my way home from the library, or the matinee on weekends.  I think their made to order items are better than many sit down places.  But enough of how much I like the food here - for that, you can read my reviews on Yelp.

Anyway, once the hospital approved me to eat regular food, I asked one of my friends to bring me their Wor Won Ton Soup.  And if it wasn't my favorite soup at that time, it is now.  After a month of being fed intravenously, or pureed foods, that soup hit the spot.

At this time, my bowels weren't working at all, so having this soup served two purposes: 1. It was like having my neighborhood brought to me at my hospital room, and I felt connected to my neighborhood. That was important because I'd end up spending 52 days in the hospital.  2. It tasted really good.

Their Wor Won Ton is full of vegetables, and I know it is fresh because once, before I got sick, I was passing by the place early in the morning and I saw them getting their vegetables delivered.  And vegetables are among the most nutritious foods to consume, and contains a lot of fiber. So, needless to say, in addition to how much I like the taste of this soup, this soup helped with my nutritional and digestive needs.

But Wa Wa helped me most was my walking recovery. When I first moved back into my own place, I made it a goal to be able to walk there. It is located about 10 blocks from where I live.  At first, I could only walk about half that distance, but I worked and worked until one day, I was able to pop in there.  Of course, as a reward to myself I had lunch there.  Fast forward two years later, and now, not only do I walk in there as if I hadn't suffered an injury to my spinal cord, but can also order to-go take out and carry the meal home.

During this entire ordeal, they have been really supportive throughout my recovery, which I appreciate a lot, so they've been  a part of my recovery on several levels.

Here is the link to Part 1

Check out Toe Up to 10K on Amazon.

How @DelTaco and Chinese Take Out Helped Me Recover from Spinal Cord injury - Pt 1

When people talk about healthy eating, they usually don't mean fast food.  However, the fast food chain, Del Taco, and a local Chinese take out place called Wa Wa Restaurant both played a role in my recovery from spinal cord injury.

When the spinal cord is damaged, it is not just the legs and arms that are affected. Several body functions also break down, such as temperature regulation, memory, and bowel and bladder functions (and many more areas).

First Del Taco - the 1/2 pound bean and cheese burrito from Del Taco helped me with my bowel recovery.

After being discharged from the hospital, I returned once a week to the hospital for physical and occupational therapy.  On the way home, we would order a Fiesta Pack at a local Del taco. A Fiesta Pack consists of 6 regular beef tacos and 6 1/2 pound bean and cheese burritos

To backtrack a bit, in the first five months of my recovery from spinal cord injury, I had to do a bowel program called digital stimulation - this entailed someone other than me (until I regained enough mobility to do this myself), to pull out stool manually.  Sometimes, if all the stool hadn't been removed, I'd have an accident some hours later, but I wouldn't know until the stool was already coming out.

The first time I ate the bean burrito (and a taco), within the hour, I had a feeling of having to go to the bathroom.  What came out was  a normal shaped stool, and came out naturally, on its own, without straining or without manual assistance.

The following week and the week after, the same thing, although not always within the hour, sometimes later that evening, or the next day.  Usually, there was enough leftovers for me to have a second serving, so many times, I'd end up having two or three natural evacuations (in the morning, I'd still have to be checked to see if any stool was left to come out). But, having a natural evacuation in the morning was extra special because I wouldn't have to go through digital stimulation.

I'm sure it was the fiber content from the beans that was the catalyst.  It made me realize the importance of adding fiber to my diet. Under the bowel program, the stool was being removed manually, but the burritos help me achieve a natural evacuation, and I think it made my muscles stronger since they had to push out the stool, and also re-trained my nerve-muscle communication to let me know when stool was ready to come out.

This may seem like TMI, but spinal cord injury affects several areas of the body, and all need to be addressed.    I'm convinced that having these natural evacuations before I fully regained this function helped me recover faster.  The bean burrito from Del Taco was the start of this realization between fiber and bowel recovery, and for that, Del taco has a soft spot in my heart (and I also really like the taste of their bean burritos (ask for green chili)).

Pt 2 will cover how Wa Wa Restaurant helped me recover in areas other than digestion.

Check Out Toe Up to 10K on Amazon

My SCI Not in Vain

A while ago, I wrote out some thoughts stating that I feel my spinal cord injury has not been in vain.  I ended up expanding on that thought, and the result ended up being a guest post on some blogs.  The piece below has been modified a bit from the one that has been posted previously.

A Tragedy Not in Vain

In June 2012, I was afflicted with meningitis. As a result, my spinal cord was damaged.  The most visible consequence was my legs inability to move, thus, my inability to walk.  The literature I read implied that movement would be regained between 2 – 12 weeks of the affliction, usually 4 – 6 weeks. I hadn’t moved my legs in 7 weeks.  The literature also indicated that the longer it took for any initial movement to return, the less significant the recovery would be.

Admittedly, I’ve had a remarkable recovery.  I walk at almost the speed I did before the injury, and unless you observed me closely, you probably couldn’t tell that I was ever paralyzed.  The adjustments I now make to other areas that were affected are minor.  But I would not want to relive the experiences of the last two years.

Beginning with my time in the ICU, I lapsed into semi-consciousness, I couldn’t breathe independently, I couldn’t swallow, speak, move my legs, nor wiggle my toes.  I had no control over my bladder or bowels.  There was a chance I would be significantly brain damaged, and also the chance that I would not walk again.   Actually, there was a chance that none of the functions I lost would return.

One by one, those functions did return – maybe not to the level of efficiency before the spinal cord injury, but well enough, if not almost completely.

I wrote a book about my recovery, Toe Up to 10K: A Journey of Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury.  Initially, I wanted to write a book because I found very little information about the recovery process from spinal cord injury.  However, as I recovered more and more, I also wanted to document my recovery to give people an idea of what recovering from a spinal cord injury is like.

 

Many times the prognosis for recovery will be bleak.  But no one can predict what the outcome will be for any given individual.  This is why even if one is told he/she will not walk again, it is important, especially in the beginning, to try – and to not give up easily. 

I won’t be stoic and say that my spinal cord injury was not a tragedy.  It was.  But it also gives me the opportunity to share my story, and if I could inspire one person into not giving up, then my injury has been in vain. 

Recovery vs. Improvement

I participate in spinal cord injury forums - and I think forums are a fantastic resource for any subject - you get to share your experiences and ideas with others, so people wouldn't have to reach goals/face obstacles themselves.

Recently, one form user reminded us that there is a difference between recovery and improvement.  To summarize, recovery is a result, and improvement is a process.  We may never recover 100%, but we are always improving.

This is so correct when thinking about spinal cord injury recovery.  Each day, time heals a little bit more of our nerves (if it is a type of injury that is condusive to healing).  And each time we exercise, we improve our strength.  Even if we don't see improvement on a daily basis, we will see it if we view it in a longer time frame.

There will be only one time when we are recovered - that is when we have recovered 100%. But 100% of the time, we are improving.

Thanksgiving and Gratitude

Thanksgiving, in the United States, we are taught, commemorates a harsh winter in the New England colony, when the colonists food ran out and the Native American tribes shared theirs, saving the colony from starvation.

Today, it is a day we reflect on everything we should be thankful for.

I believe being thankful and grateful is beneficial to one's health.  Given the spinal cord injury i suffered two years ago, I am grateful and thankful to have recovered as much as I have.  I am also grateful and thankful for all the support I have received.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I will be taking a few days off from blogging until after this holiday, so this will probably the last post until early December.

Be Happy Be Healthy

We have all heard of stories of studies which link happiness to health.

Here is another one.  A Bad marriage Can Break Your Heart

According to this study, women who are unhappy in marriages have a higher risk for cardiovascular disease than those who are happily married.  In this study, the risk for men did not increase.  However, I believe their have been other studies that show happy marriages benefit the health of both partners.

Slow Improvements in Recovery Could be an Illusion

When people are diagnosed with an injury to the spinal cord, often they are told, "within such and such a time..."  And much of the references one finds on the internet will say, "such and such a time..."

Many people, including health professionals assume that after two years, your level of recovery is pretty much set.  While this may be somewhat true, it is sort of misleading.

For people who have recovered a lot, there is less amount to be recovered, so it seems we are recovering less. But the field is shortened, so relatively, we are probably seeing the same amount of recovery, whether two months or two years.  Using football as an example, if the opposing goal line represents full recovery, and spinal cord injury occurs at your own goal line, you have 100 yards of recovery.  You gain 90 yards. Relatively, you've recovered 90%.  Now you are at the opposing team's 10 yard line.  You gain 9 yards.  If you are at the beginning of recovery, 9 yards would represent a 9% recovery.  But since your playing field is now 10 yards long, that 9 yards represent a 90% recovery from your current position.

So, in absolute terms, it might not seem you are recovering as fast as before, but relatively speaking, you are probably recovering just as fast as before - it just doesn't seem like it because you've shortened the playing field.

Is Thinking Positive Enough?

I was reading a critique about Tony Robbins, in which the reviewer stated that one of the flaws of all the self-help gurus out there is they promote an idea that positive thinking will overcome obstacles.

Those who know me know that I am a proponent of positive thinking, and have been a reader, viewer and listener of Tony Robbins for many years.  Whether it is Tony Robbins, or other motivational speakers, this part of the message almost always seems to get misunderstood.

Regardless of how this statement is presented, positive thinking alone does not get you what you want.  And most motivational speakers make this clear.

But this is an important aspect of self-help. Why? Because it is motivational.  It is sort of like the ignition to get started on the road to success. Success is achieved not by thinking, but by action.  However, if you think about a positive outcome, you will more likely act upon your thoughts, and those actions will be more diligent because you will care more about the result.

So, today's post is a shout out to all those motivational speakers out there who motivate us and get us to do things for ourselves instead of just daydreaming.

Customer Reviews on Amazon UK

I meant to do this post a couple of weeks ago, but had trouble posting due to the computer I was using at that time.

This morning, I woke up to find I had a second customer review on Amazon UK.

As a author, I really really appreciate customer reviews (especially if they approve of the book).

That said, a shout out to ML. H and Golden J.  Thank you very much for your kind reviews.

Read the reviews at Amazon UK

Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry Host Reception for Veteran's Care

This news is about two weeks old, but Prince William and Prince Harry hosted a reception to pay tribute to those who participate in the care and rehabilitation of Bristish veterans of recent conflicts.

 I damaged my spinal cord just by a freak coincidence of basically catching a cold and having that virus hit the spinal cord. Service members of all nations risk their lives in carrying out the duties thier nation's governments asks of them.  As opposed to me, they placed their bodies in a situation which sustaining a spinal cord injury is very much a possibility.

This blogpost is a Shout Out to the Royal Hignesses and to Queen Elizabeth, who made a suprise appearance.

Here is the link to the story from the Royal's website. Armed Services Rehabilitation

Running, the perfect participation sport

I really hadn't heard of the Paralympics until August 2012, right after I was discharged from the hospital and Oscar Pistorius was in the headlines. Of course, Pistorius was in the headlines before that during the Olympics Games, but I wasn't paying attention tot he Olympics while in the hospital.

The Paralympics  parallels the Olympic Games and is for those who have sustained disabilities.  Although, not called the Paralympics at that time, it was started for a group of British WWII veterans who had suffered spinal cord injuries.

I started thinking about this because and also about sports for people in the position I am, really no longer disabled, but not really fully-abled either.

There are many sports that are for both wheel-chair participants and fully abled-bodied persons.  Basketball comes to mind.  There is wheel-chair basketball, and regular able bodied basketball.
I really wouldn't be able to participate in either.  I am no longer a paraplegic, so I wouldn't qualify for that type of league, and given my "recovered, but not at pre-injury level" I really couldn't participate in a neighborhood pick-up game.  The best I could do is to play a stationary version of H-O-R-S-E.

Tennis would present me with the same issues.  I can't play wheelchair tennis, but there is no way I could compete with fully able bodied players.

That's where running comes in.  Races are open to all levels of ability: those in wheelchairs, albeit these racers use tricked out wheelchairs for racing, the fully able bodied, and those who are like me, fully recovered, but not fully able bodied.  And I wouldn't be competing directly with others, it would be with myself - competition with others would only be in finish placement, but it's not a matter of going against one another and having one winner and one loser.

Originally I had wanted to run a 10K as a way of objectively proving to myself that I have come back from my injury, but it really is the perfect sport because people of all levels can participate at the same event at the same time.  Because of this, more so than most other sports, it is a sport of inclusion.

Featured on Transverse Myelitis Association Blog

I submitted a guest blog post to the Transverse Myelitis Blog and they published it yesterday. Hooray!  I am very grateful they allowed me to share my story.

Here is the link:  My story

Kaizen

I have written about this before, and just did a guest blogpost about it, but Kaizen is a really good term.

Kaizen is a Japanese term that loosely means "continuous improvement over time."  In practice it means that small changes over time leads to big improvement.

For me, it was the realization that my recovery wasn't spontaneous.  It was a gradual process, even in the beginning, when the improvements seemed to be great.  Also, it was a process that was augmented by hard physical work.  It's not that I woke one day was able to breathe strong enoughto be taken off the respirator - well, yes, but each day I worked on my lungs and then the lungs were tested each day to see if I was well enough to breathe independently.

The same for walking and standing.  First my toes moved, then my legs, then I slowly gained strength, enough for me to stand with assistance, then to walk a few steps with assistance, then graduated to a walker, then to crutches, then to a cane.

Doctors and other healthcare professionals sometimes put benchmarks on improvements, but I think as long as you work to improve incrementally, you will experience big changes as a result of all the small improvements.

Stay Gold

This is a condensed version of a guest blogpost I wrote.

In the novel, The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, the character Johnny tells Ponyboy to "Stay Gold."

It is based on Robert Frost's poem "Nothing Gold Can Stay."

There are several interpretations of the way the novel uses the line, as well as the meaning of the poem.

I have been using this term a lot lately, since the last time I saw the movie a few months ago.  I've felt like re-reading the book for the past couple of months.

When I tell a person to stay gold.  I mean it a little differently than the novel or the poem.  To me, Stay gold means to stay strong; stay positive.  Gold medals are awarded to champions. To stay gold means to stay a champion.

My Spinal Cord Injury has Not in Been in Vain

I may or may not be able to post the rest of this week, and into middle of next week.

I've been asked to write some guest blogposts, and I'll probably link those posts into this blog when the time comes.  This is because when I write guest blogposts, I try to be a little bit more detailed.  And my posts here are more of a chit-chat - so they are similar, but a little different.

That said, my topic for today is My Spinal Cord Injury Has Not Been in Vain.  It was a tragic event and I wouldn't want to go through what I have been through to recover.  However, there is a silver lining.  That is I recovered nearly completely, and I get to share my story (with anybody who will listen to me talk or read my book).  My spinal cord injury has not been in vain because I believe someone who faces an obstacle will read my story and be inspired. And if it turns out that I have helped at least one person out by sharing my story, then the injury has not been in vain.

This is also a reason why I encourage other people who have faced obstacles to share their stories.

Lazy Bowel

I learned a new term this week.  It is called lazy bowel.

I have noticed that ever since I injured my spinal cord, my digestive system has been kind of slow.  If I didn't augment the process by eating as much fiberous foods as i do now, I might go days at a time, or would need to use suppositories or laxatives regularly.

I still don't go everyday, but I do manage at least 5 days a week, and many weeks, I will have a bowel movement all seven days of the week - although I will sometimes practice DS, but this practice, too is uncommon for me nowadays.

This seems to be a common problem with people who have sustained spinal cord injury.  A change in diet to include more fiber has benefited me greatly.  But, remember to drink more water when consuming more fiber.

Inspirational Story: Zachary Pickett

It's been so long I've numbered an inspirational story that I will officially stop numbering them.

Here is a story I read during a summer,but had forgotten about until now.

For some reason, I was remembering an episode of Get Smart - the KAOS agent was in a wheelchair, so CONTROL was on the lookout for a man in a wheelchair.

When Max sees this, he says to the man, "I thought you couldn't walk."

The KAOS agent replied, "I can't, but I can run."

Just because one cannot walk doesn't mean participation in sports is eliminated from one's life.  We see wheelchair basketball and para-olympics.  However, in almost all these cases, adaptations are made for the participant.  There are very few stories in which someone who lost the ability to walk compete athletically with those who have the ability to walk - without any adaptive gears.

Zachary Pickett is a young man who was a water polo player at his high school.  He injured his spinal cord in a diving accident.

He's inspirational in at least two fronts - 1. He walked at his graduation.  2. He continued to play water polo after his injury.

This specific article appeared on the website Purpose 2 Play, but many media outlets covered his story.

Zachary Pickett's story

Music good for well-being

I have written about using music as an inspiration.  Here is an article that was one of the headlines on the MSN homepage.  It is 10 ways music is good for your well-being.

For me, during the course of my recovery, I have used different songs as anthems to get me through certain stages of the recovery.  "You Raise Me Up," by Josh Groban when I was in the Cardiac Care Unit,  and "Carry On," by Fun. when I was walking again "well enough," but improvements had slowed down, but I knew I had the capability to improve/recover even more. 

Here is the article:  10 Ways Music is Good for well-being

New Facebook Page

I started a Facebook Page that shares the same name as this blog and my book.

I wanted a page for my book, but also wanted to share SCI stories on Facebook.

Toe Up to 10K page on Facebook

Tristan's Road to Recovery

I have written about Tristan before. He is the young man who injured his spinal cord as a result of a diving accident.

The expenses associated with spinal cord injury, as with any other major medical condition is staggering.  Not only is there a lot of medical follow-ups, but the costs of rehab, the non-medical adaptive devices, etc. etc.

If you would like to help, a page has been set up at GoFundMe.com

Finding Inspiration - A Guest blog post onthe Zen Reader

Recently, I did a series of posts about where i find inspiration.

I compiled a list and wrote a guest blogpost that appeared in the blog, the Zen Reader.

The Zen Reader

Gratitude - on Zensanity Blog

As part of my publicity tour, I have been asked to guest blog.

The first two I did are based on topics I've covered here, but more organized.

Here is a guest blogpost on gratitude, which appeared on the blog, "Zensanity."

Gratitude - Zensanity blog

Irony of Spinal Cord Injury and Fitness #fitfam

Yesterday, I tweeted When recovering from spinal cord injury, every day is leg day, and core day, and arm day and ____ day. #fitfam whatever your day, be great

I follow, and have quite a few followers who are fitness oriented.  Certain days are designated for certain types of workouts. These days are called, "Leg Day," "Chest Day," etc.   And this is generally done to maintain the fitness of these areas.  I'm also sure the exercises for these days are customized to the needs of that area - whether these areas only need maintenance, or some extra work. 

For those of us who have regained some mobility and strength, it's important to do work on all areas each day, but go through weeks/months with the emphasis on a particular area.  For many people, including me, that would be the legs - but depending on my situation, exercises were changed to emphasize different parts of the leg.

And I walk - I try to walk at least 10 blocks each day, sometimes two miles or more. I have noticed that when I don't go out for a walk for a couple of days, my muscles stiffen and I cannot walk as well as long.  

Here's where my tweet comes in.  As much as I can on a daily basis (and sometimes the muscles just need to rest, but something everyday - doesn't have to be excruciating every day) - not only do I work on my legs, but I also work on my core and arms.  I work with a kettlebell and plank each day - in addition to my walks.

I was working with a kettlebell even while in a wheelchair, and at the hospital, my occupational therapist always had me on weight training exercises.  This is because the stronger the upper body is, the less pressure it puts on the legs.  Also, once I was walking quite competently, my balance was still suffering. This is when a physical therapist had me start planking to strengthen my core.  I'm convinced that planking has helped me regain my balance tremendously, but being above the legs, I'm convinced that it has also helped me with my walking by placing even less pressure on the legs to do the work. 

Spinal cord injury also wrecks havoc on bowel functions.  I'm very fortunate that my bowel functions returned enough that I no longer need to be on a bowel maintenance program/routine.  However, this is also due to a change in diet.  I consume much more fiber now than before I got sick.  So, I am eating healthier now than before I got sick. 

I still have mobility issues - my legs are stiff; I still have occassional spinal cord related bowel issues; I still can't run "full speed" for more than the distance to cross a street.

What's the irony?  I think I am more fit now than before I got sick.  I wasn't out of shape before, but now, I eat better, and have more targeted workouts.  And when I was in the hospital, I lost over 20 pounds.  I've gained about 7 pounds back, but an increase in waist size has not accompanied the pounds back. So the weight gain is probably due to muscle gain. 

Finding Inspiration: Visualization

While in high school, I read the book, The Silva Mind Control Method, by Jose Silva.  The book introduced me to the concept of visualization.  Visualization helped me perform better on tests, and I used visualization alot until I graduated from college.  Then I stopped, until I read Antyhony Robbins, book Unlimited Power. 

I still read and listen to motivational speakers, but I generally do a half-hearted job of the using the techniques, now days, except when I was recovering from spinal cord injury.  But even then, I concentrated on the walking part, and not on other issues. 

When you set a goal, then visualize you acheiving the goal, it is like a premonition, and then your sub-conscious starts working to acheive it.  When you see yourself acheiving your goal, it motivates and inspires you. Give it a try. 

Finding Inspiration: Motivational Speakers, esp. Tony Robbins

I've been listening to motivational speakers since high school.  Before Tony Robbins came on the scene, I think they were called self-help authors/speakers.

I had read books by others, such as Dennis Waitley, but the book that put everything together was Unlimited Power by Antrhony Robbins.  I had seen Robbins on tv, and liked what he was saying, but I couldn't afford to attend his seminars.  One day, I picked up this book, and all the stuff that I had been reading the last few years all came together.  I found out that one of the first authors re: self improvement was Jose Silva.  Silva's book, The Silva Mind Control Method, happened to be the book that got me interested in the art of visualization.

Anyway, it doesn't matter who you listen to, and there are many, but motivational speakers, do just that - they motivate you.

When I was recovering, I started listeing to some old Anthony Robbins CDs. Granted, I didn't do the exercises - although I had done them years ago, and it wouldn't have hurt to do them again - but listening to these motivational talks inspired me, and I believed they helped me get better, faster.

October Book Tour Schedule for Toe Up to 10K

Taking a break today from the Finding Inspiration set of blogposts.  I started a virtual book tour for Toe Up to 10K  last week, and will last until December 5, 2014. 

A big Shout Out to PumpUpYourBook.com for arranging this tour.

The tour is not exclusive, I will still be doing interviews and stuff on my own, but this will be a big help.   

So, I've got only a couple more topics on the Finding Inspiration set of blogposts,but today, I wanted to post my first stop.    

It'll be a mixture of interviews, me guest blogging and blog mentions.  The good thing about this is that it is virtual, and I get to do the work from home.   

Here is my first "stop."  

Review From Here Interview

Finding Inspiration: Humor

When I was released from the hospital, I spent four months rehabilitating at my parents' home.  During this time, whenever possible, I watched episode after episode of comedies, such as I Love Lucy, Mork and Mindy, the Andy Griffith Show, Get Smart, and several short film of the Three Stooges.

I believe laughter is a great benefit to recovery.  It improves your mood and attitude, both of which I believe are beneficial to health.

When I was in college, my roommate and I discussed who is funnier, The Three Stooges, or the Marx Brothers.  During this debate, he mentioned Norman Cousins, a university professor who maintained that humor was a vehicle to defeat illness.

It's not too hard.  After all, smiling takes up less effort than a frown.

41D Man of Valor - Book Review

Generally, I focus stories on individuals who overcame or are overcoming spinal cord injuries, but thought I'd share a book review I wrote about a LAPD SWAT officer who was killed in the line of duty in 2008.  His wife wrote a book after his death. My connection is that his wife's sister is a friend of mine from work.

Normally, I wouldn't have picked this book up, but for my connection with my friend.  And boy am I glad I did because it was a really good read.

If you want to check out the book, here is the link to the Amazon page:  41D Man of Valor

Here is my take on the book:

Disclosure: I know the author’s sister, but have never met the author, or had I ever met Randy Simmons. Disclosures are to inform the reader of the review of any chance of bias.  And it’s a good practice because it’s hard to be unbiased when you are only two degrees of separation from the author.

That said, it doesn’t matter how many degrees of separation are between me and the author, Lisa Simmons – whether zero or a hundred, the book is a WOW! It is categorized as a biography/autobiography/memoir.  It is mostly a biography of Randy Simmons and a memoir of Lisa’s life she had with Randy.  Lisa’s autobiographical narrative blends in with her memoirs. 

Randy Simmons was a SWAT officer in the Los Angeles Police Department.  On February 8, 2008, he became the first LAPD SWAT officer killed in the line of duty.  41D Man of Valor, is his story.

The book starts off as a biography of Randy Simmons, from his childhood in New York, high school in California, college in Washington, and back to California, from his interest in football to religion, and his parents’ influence.  Once he meets Lisa, the book shifts slightly to a memoir/biography, but the focus is clearly on Randy.  But now, instead of his parents’ influence on him, it is Randy’s influence with the community he served, both on and off duty, and the family he loved. Simmons ends the book with the aftermath of Randy’s death, and her quest to live a “new normal.”  Although Lisa and the children are the clear focus on this part of the book, Randy still has a big presence in their lives, and it is obvious, always will.

No doubt, Randy Simmons was an inspirational man.  That in itself would make this book worth reading.  What makes this book special is the love that permeates from the pages of the book to your fingers to your heart. Lisa Simmons does a great job in conveying this - not in any specific sentence, or paragraph, or any one incident – but in the totality of the writing.

So, even though a biography an autobiography/memoir are mutually exclusive terms, in this case, it is an accurate categorization.  However, there is one more word that adds to the description:  Tribute.  It’s a tribute to a man dedicated to his profession; it is a tribute to a man who gave his life to the community he served; it is a tribute to a man who inspired others. Most of all, it is a tribute to a loving husband, father, son and brother. Let’s make that a heart-warming tribute.

Finding Inspiration: Gratitude and Attitude

In 2013, once I had moved back into my own home, and was somewhat mobile, I was having lunch with a friend of mine, and he said, "If you didn't keep your frustrations in check, you would have found that no one would have been visiting you by the time you left the hospital,...or even asking about you after you left."

I would be lying if I said I never experience bitterness over this ordeal I went through, but for the most part, I feel gratitude.  I am grateful that I recovered as well as I did, for the support I received, and for the opportunity to write about it.  Perhaps my experiences will help someone else who find him/herself in a similar situation.

There is a tweeter I follow on Twitter. His name is Steven Webb, and he maintains blog, and is writing a book about his experiences living with spinal cord injury, called Lots of Downs, But No Outs.  

He talks about attitude a lot. And the way I interpret many of his posts and tweets is that life hands you a certain hand, but what you do with that hand is up to you.  He has a really good saying about attitude, and now, as I write this post, I cannot find it, but I would like to share a blogpost he did about gratitude.  It is titled, Practising Gratitude, and I love this post.    

Finding Inspiration: Affirmations

I love affirmations.  Problem is, I don't do a good job of sticking to them anymore.

When I was a teen-ager and young adult, I used to recite affirmations a lot.  Not that they'd always get me what I wanted, but they were usually useful when  me achieving a certain test score.  I think that is because I worked to complement the affirmation.

One affirmation I came across, recently, was a familiar one that I used to recite a lot.  It seems to be a standard one among self help advocates: It goes like this:  "Everyday, in every way, I am better and better."  You just keep repeating it over and over, so it settles into your sub-conscious.

I think reciting affirmations is a very good way to inspire yourself.

Finding Inspiration through kaizen

This is probably my last post for the next seven days.  The topic for the day is Kaizen, and I embrace it more as each day passes.

Kaizen is a Japanese term which has no exact English translation, but loosely translated, it means continuous improvement over time.  In practical terms, small steps forward lead to noticeable improvements.

It was  the concept Toyota used to rise from being a non-threat to the U.S. auto companies to becoming the number 1 selling car company.

It is also the name of my friend's karate dojo.

So, I had been familiar with the term, but never really gave it a serious thought as to how it applied to my life.

But around a year ago, September 2013, I decided to try walking without a cane, for the most part, and to walk a long distance of around four or five miles.  I succeeded.  But from that point on, for several months, I didn't notice any improvements, until around springtime of 2014, when I seemed to have made sudden significant improvement in my abilities.  What happened was that I decided to time myself on certain tasks, such as going to the supermarket. Although I didn't feel like I was walking faster since the last time i had timed myself, I was walking considerably faster.

This did not happen by itself.  It was the result of small unnoticeable improvements I had been making the previous six months.

I tried a way to think of about this improvement, and realized is the term, "Kaizen."  To know that every little improvement does its part to manifest into a big noticeable change did a lot to motivate and inspire me to work harder at my recovery.

I thought this term was so significant, that I named a chapter in my book, "Kaizen," to describe this period of my recovery.

Finding Inspiration: Film

Movies are another source of inspiration for me, and the movie doesn't have to be an overcome all odds type to be inspirational, but it helps.

There were two that came into my mind a lot while I recovered.

Both of these movies are mentioned in my book, Toe Up to 10K

One was a little known James Cagney film titled, City For Conquest.  It is based on a novel, but the movie focuses on the character played by James Cagney.  In it, he plays a truck driver, but goes into professional boxing to "win" his girlfriend back from a career of ballroom dancing.  In the title fight, he is blinded by his opponent who uses a dirty tactic. The character does not turn bitter.  He accepts his situation for what it is,makes the best of it, and is always optimistic about his future.  Cagney is known for playing "tough guys," whether being a "gangster" or a "smart aleck," but in a way, this was probably the toughest character he played.

Another wasn't exactly  a movie, but a Japanese mini-series that lasted 12 episodes.  This series was called Rookies, and it was based on a Japanese manga by Masanori Morita, about a group of delinquent kids, who are good in the inside, but really enjoy playing baseball. Their dream is  to play in the All-Japan high school baseball championship.  And just like these kids had a dream to play in the championship, I had a dream to walk again.  Their teacher and coach, constantly encouraged them and motivated them, and I imagined that he was talking to me as well.

Although I didn't utilize the film Rudy, with Sean Astin, it is another one of my favorite inspirational films.  There are lots of movies out there that are inspirational.  Find a couple that reach you in the right spot and use that as a vehicle as part of your recovery.

Get to Know Me a Little Bit more - Author Interview

In this blog, I mainly write about things that deal with spinal cord injury, directly or indirectly, and you'd have to go over to my profile to get a summary of me.

I did an interview, on a bookblog, which was posted yesterday, about me and my book on spinal cord recovery.

I thought I'd share it on this blog. I think it's a nice combination of getting to know a little bit more about me outside of the spinal cord injury, while getting a little more insight about the book, Toe Up...

Here is the link to the interview site, called  Beth's Book Reviews.

Finding Inspiration: Music

When I transferred from the ICU to the Cardiac Care Unit, it was when I started thinking about "how am I going to walk again?"  One of the first things that popped into my mind was Josh Groban's rendition of "You Lift Me Up."  I'm not religious, but this song keep replaying in my mind, and I sort of adopted this as my anthem in the early stages of my recovery.

Later on, when I was pretty mobile, a song called "Carry On," by the band, Fun, became my anthem, mostly because of one line in the song regarding legs, which I will not repeat due to copyright laws.  Technically, the song is not about someone recovering from spinal cord injury, but I adapted it to fit my situation.

Songs are subjective and different people will get different things out of each.  The above two examples are one's I used to help me recover from my spinal cord injury.

Finding Inspiration: People on the internet

Something that inspired and motivated me was reading about other people who overcame obstacles.

The two main sources for me are the news stories and uploaded video sites, such as Youtube.

Offhand, I remember watching a clip from a Korean talent show about a young man (who I believe is now an opera singer) who was homeless from age 5 - 15.  I remember a Mongolian boy who lost his mother when he was 8, and then his father a couple of years later.  Then there was Susan Boyle. Nobody expected her to sing the way she did when she first appeared in front of Simon Cowell and the other judges.

And then there the stories that make the news media: like the college student who got a cut on a zipline and a flesh eating bacteria entered her body, and local news stories from around the country about people who were paralyzed as a result of West Nile, or a rare neurological condition and walked again, or damaged spinal cord due to an accident , was told they would not walk again, and walked again.  Some of these stories are similar to mine, and I get inspired and motivated by reading about others who overcame obstacles similar to mine.

Then there are social media sites.  When a tragedy occurs, people will start creating pages or blogs to keep people informed of progress.  This blog is one.  I wish I started this while in the early stages of recovery.  When reading about other people working hard to overcome their obstacles, it inspires me to work hard with them to overcome mine, even if they are strangers, and even if I will never meet them in person during my lifetime.

I think one of the greatest uses of the internet and social media is for people who don't know each other personally, to create a virtual community, and support each other.

I think surfing the internet has helped my recovery for it put me in contact with stories of other people who overcame or are overcoming obstacles of their own, whether it is similar to mine or not.

Who I want to target with my Message of Hard Work and Deterrmination

I read another account, actually it was a comment made in another "Doctors said she wouldn't walk again, but did" story. The commentator commented that the story implied that that those who did not regain the ability to walk were lazy.

And that's not true.  Sometimes I am conflicted about sharing my story because I know it is not possible for some people to regain their ability to walk no matter how much they try. On the other hand, I want to reach out to those who have been diagnosed with Spinal Cord Injury and encourage them to work hard to try and walk again because many times, doctors cannot with absolute certainty, predict who will walk again and who will not walk again.

The following are my comments I made to this story:

When I was first told I had an incomplete injury, I thought that automatically meant I would walk again.  Ignorance was bliss in my case because at 7 weeks, I still couldn't wiggle my toes, and I also learned just because the injury is incomplete doesn't mean the person will walk again.  Fast forward and I can now walk again.  But it took a lot of hard work and determination, and I emphasize those points.  I know, sometimes, the wrong message is received by those who have not personally dealt with SCI  - that with enough hard work and determination, anybody with SCI can recover.  And that's not true. Some people will not regain the ability to walk no matter how much they exercise. Who I want to target with my message are those who have recently been diagnosed with SCI and perhaps have been told they might not, or will not walk again.  It is this group I want to encourage to try and be determined, and not give up because they might have an injury that might enable them to walk again - and exercise and determination may be the deciding factors on whether they will walk again or not.

The Benefit of Exercise

When I was in a wheelchair, I exercised multiple times a day.  For me, I am convinced it enabled me to walk again sooner, but there were other benefits as well.

1. Arm strength.  Many people don't realize just how much strength it takes to wheel your wheelchair. As long as you don't have an injury that require you to use a motorized wheelchair, you will probably be using a manual wheelchair, and when you build up that arm strength, you will be able to tell the difference.

2.  Exercise still burns calories.  Because I was in a wheelchair and wasn't mobile, I think my exercises kept me from gaining any of my weight back.

3.  Exercise helps internal body functions.  Although no longer confined to a wheelchair, I think my daily exercise continue to help my bowel movements.  Although it took five months for me to regain some voluntary control over my bowel movements, once I started getting this function back, exercise, along with a change in diet to include more fiber, has helped me keep regular.

4. Exercise is just good for you. Period.

Recovering From Spinal Cord Injury - Rubbing it in?

I spend a lot of time publicizing that I recovered from a spinal cord injury that left my legs paralyzed for seven weeks, and was told it would be about a year before I could stop using a wheelchair, if ever.

When I have the time to explain more thoroughly, I include the fact that I did have a remarkable recovery, and I am extremely grateful for the amount that I was able to recover - and I feel I am still recovering after two years.

Most of the times, however, I focus on the fact that I regained the ability to walk within six months, and how hard I worked at it. Additionally, I wrote a book about my recovery, Toe Up to 10K, and when I publicize that, and obviously, I focus on the recovery.

The following story got my attention:

A god or a quad: time to tell the whole truth about spinal cord injuries

  The thesis of the story is that many times, the news media make it that those who recover from spinal cord injury did so with a lot of effort, but the implication is that those who did not recover was due to a lack of effort.

This perspective crosses my mind a lot when I talk about myself.  I talk of how hard I worked to regain my ability to walk.  And I think sometimes it comes across as "If you work as hard as I did, then you will be able to walk again."

But I know that some injuries, even if incomplete, are not prone to recovery, and no matter how hard one tries, he/she may not ever be able to regain the ability to walk again.

By the same token, there are some people who will recover without a great deal of exercise.

But for most people, it takes a great deal of effort and hard work to be able to walk again.

Like most things, I tend to think about the prospect of spinal cord injury as a bell curve.

1. At the far left end, there are those who have injuries that will not recover no matter what. Go a little bit to the right, and you have people who might recover, but the technology to help hasn't been discovered, yet.   Go little to the right more, and you have people who might recover with existing technology, but knowledge of that technology is not wide-spread.  As the left side of the bell starts to form, it's the people who will walk again with exercise and physical therapy.

2. At the far right, there are those who have injuries, no matter how bad it seems, will recover with no effort of their own.  The body just seems to heal itself.  But as you go a little to the left, then some exercise is needed, and more and more exercise is needed the more to the left you go.

3. But most people fall within the bell: Exercise and technology (e.g., electrical stimulation, specialized exercise equipment, etc), might make the difference between being able to walk again, or not.

The message I try to convey with my own recovery is targeted to those who fall into the third category.

Finding Inspiration: Social Media

I guess my subconscious already knew this, but Social Media is a fantastic source of pulling inspiration.

Social media is not only a place to post updates on yourself, but it is a place where strangers connect to support and inspire each other.

There are three recent items that come to mind.  All of which I have blogged about.

The first two are combined and deals with a tweet I read a couple of weeks ago. A tweeter I follow, @BruceVH, tweeted about a man in the UK, Steven Webb, @themovingroad.  This triggered a series of events on my part, and made me come to the forefront, the realization that social media sites are not only for update posts on onself, but can be used to send messages of support, inspiration and motivation to strangers.

Here is the original post

More recently, due to a Facebook post by an organization I follow, @LifeAfterSCI, I found a FB page about a young man in the UK who just recently, in July 2014, had suffered spinal cord injury.  His family set up a Facebook page, Tristan's Road to Recovery, which I also blogged about. Here is that post.  And what happens with these types of pages is you get people from all over the world sending support and positive vibes to you.  I wish I had done this while I was in the early stages of recovery, for if it reaches people who find themselves in a similar situation after you do, you can inspire them by showing that obstacles can be overcome.

So, if you need to be inspired, social media is full of inspirational users.

Finding Inspiration: Family and people around you

Family, friends, and people around you physically are a great source of inspiration.  They are your support, and I found that when people are supporting you, you don't want to let them down.  They are your fans.

As I wrote the last sentence, I realize we see a lot of that in sports.  I 'll use baseball as an example.  If the home team is down in the 9th inning, and the first batter gets on base, and the crowd starts making noise, the batter does not want to let the fans down, and also gets a base hit.  And the momentum continues.

When I was in the hospital, my parents came to visit every day; and at least one friend or co-worker would visit me everyday.  Seeing them everyday really helped cheer me up.  You kind of feel bad that they have to come and visit you - but they would feel bad if they couldn't visit you.  So, you want to try hard for them.

The hospital workers, especially if, like me, you were in the hospital an extended period of time, you get to know, and they will cheer you on, encourage you and support you.  This  is inspiring because, although ultimately you are trying to get better for yourself, you also don't want to let other people down.

Finding Inspiration

Recovering from a spinal cord injury is not a cakewalk, especially if you are not 100% sure you will be able to walk again.  Not to mention all the other adjustments you have to make to all the other body functions that have been affected by the damage.

There are many days when frustration set in.  The key, I believe, is to not let these frustrations get in your way.

  I pulled inspiration from many different sources: family and friends, hospital staff, entertainment, in the form of songs, movies, books, and stories of strangers who have overcome obstacles.

Over the next several days or weeks, maybe, the bulk of my posts for the rest of this month and into the next, I plan to write posts of how I used some of these sources to inspire me.  One thing to consider is that some of the examples of inspiration fall into multiple categories of sources. For instance, I will write about Social Media, and about finding inspirational stories on the internet, but some examples can fit into both categories.

On of the greatest benefit of being inspired is motivation.  It spurs you into action to better yourself



  

Does Suffering a Spinal Cord Injury Automatically make You Brave?

"Spinal Cord Injury" can be replaced with any sort of traumatic event or obstacle, but since this is a blog about spinal cord recovery....

When we hear about people who have suffered an injury to the spinal cord and have either recovered well, or adapted well to their situation, many times, we refer to them as inspirational or brave.

Recently, there was one TEDTalk, which argued that it was wrong to automatically classify people who live with disabilities as inspirational - because we are just living our own lives as anyone else would given the same circumstances.  There is really nothing extraordinary in that.

I see the point, but I disagree.  When people come up to me and tell me I am inspirational for going through what I went through (and still deal with some of the things I deal with), I am happy.  Although I am not inspirational for the sake of others - I am only trying to live my life as easy as I can live it - if it benefits someone else, so be it, who am I to complain.  During my own recovery, I took how other people tackled their obstacles,  regardless of origin, and used them as inspiration.  For instance, I saw a video clip of a young man who was abandoned and homeless in South Korea from age 5 - 15.  Was he being homeless on purpose so he could be inspirational to others?  I think not.  But when he became a contestant on some national talent show, he was able to share his story, and really, by default, inspired people, including me.

I believe its both the same and not the same with bravery.  Sometimes people say I am brave for going through what I went through.

In the sense that I dealt with the hand dealt to me without giving up, some could define that I was brave. And if others want to see me as brave, that's fine with me - especially if they can find inspiration and motivation from that.  Just like I am not being inspirational for the sake of others, I am not being brave for the sake of others.  I am just trying to make life easier on myself. Although I think determined is a better word than brave for not giving up.

But then again, when you are in the ICU, and mentally, you are determined to get better again, I think it is brave to face what is ahead of you instead of giving up.

But being brave is also different from being inspirational because to me, inspiration doesn't have to involve risk.  I think being brave often does.  I didn't risk anything by dealing with the spinal cord injury. I fought it the best I could, but I had to - I really didn't see a choice.  I believe, many times, bravery is risking something you don't have to give up.  It is a fireman saving someone from a burning fire.  It is a lifeguard saving a swimmer in distress.  It doesn't have to a professional - it could be a regular Joe saving someone, but they are risking their lives voluntarily to save someone else.

There is a Winnie the Pooh - Christopher Robbins cartoon which I posted earlier that implies we are stronger and braver than we think we are.  I think that's true.

So, bottom line - I think those of us who have experienced spinal cord injury and have recovered or adapted are inspirational.  It does take a lot of hard work to do both.  While we do it for the sake of ourselves, and not for others, there is a residual effect it has on others, and that is inspiration.

Are we brave just because we suffered spinal cord damage and live with it?  Yes and no.  I think in the beginning we are brave.  We can just give up, but we don't, and there is an element of braveness in that.  However, once we adapt and live our "new normal" lives, while we can still be inspirational, I don't think we are brave anymore.



 

Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh

More doc appts this week, so I might not have time to post until Monday, but in the meanntime, I wanted to share the cartoon below.

Got this image from a Facebook post by Life After Spinal Cord Injury - They have a fantastic facebook page with lots of great info and inspiration for people with SCI.

I tried to provide a link to this particular posting, but he link went to the entire photo album, and then I couldn't find the post on their timeline.  So, that said, here is the link to their FB page.

 Life After Spinal Cord Injury

Video from Children's Hospital Colorado - Parody Music Video

A friend of mine from college posted this video from Youtube.  It is the staff and patients at Children's Hospital Colorado singing, "Let it Go," from the movie, Frozen.

I tried sharing this on Facebook, but for some reason, the "share" would not go through, but since I export most of my blogposts to Twitter and Facebook, I thought it would be appropriate to share the video here, especially since it deals with recovery.

You don't have to be a Broncos fan to be touched by this video.  I found it very very heartwarming.

Children's Hospital Colorado Music Video - Parody of "Let it Go" 

Toe Up to 10K: A Journey of Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury - eBook on Sale Now

My book chronicling my recovery from spinal cord injury is available on Amazon, now. And gradually will be available to more and more ebook retailers in the coming weeks.

Here is the trailer for the book. I used the online software at Stupeflix.com.  A big Thank You to @Ellisshuman for introducing me to this site.

Toe Up to 10K


eBook available now on Amazon, and will make it into other eBook retailers one by one in the coming weeks.

Here is the link to the book's page on Amazon:  Toe Up to 10K at Amazon

Working on Endurance

About six weeks ago, I was able to jog about 2 miles - of course, I probably could have walked it faster, but at least I maintained form.

Late last week, I tried again, but this time, at a faster pace.  A more normal pace, which I did achieve because I was able to pass up some people who were walking along the path.  I was able to keep my balance better; there was only a couple of times when I felt awkward and readied myself for a potential fall (I didn't). However, I could only jog about 14 blocks, and I had to stop.  

But, I feel happy because it wasn't lack of strength that stopped me, nor lack of jogging speed.  It is endurance, and that is something I need to build up.  Being able to sprint is another issue, but I feel that will one day be resolved as well. 

Health Seen As a Bell Curve

A lot of times, I try and define my recovery.  Sometimes I say I am 90% recovered,  sometimes I say I have replaced my old body with a different model.

Here's another way I think about all this.

If people's health is looked at as a bell curve, with those on the left being severely unhealthy or disabled, and those on the right being extremely healthy or able-bodied, most of us fall inside the bell portion of the bell curve.

In this respect, my current physical wellness would put me well inside the bell portion.  It's just that before I injured my spinal cord, I would have been on the right side of the bell, and now I am on the left, but I continue to recover, and move towards the right.

So, I can say I have recovered to a level of normality - but it is on the side of the bell curve which most of the occupants need to make some adjustments to deal with some of the issues we experience.

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day.  Wishing everybody in the States a wonderful "end of summer" weekend while celebrating America's workforce.

Reminder that the eBook version of Toe Up to 10K is scheduled to be released on September 5, 2014.

What will happen is, on Tuesday, I will authorize the distributor to release the ebook to eretailers, and it will take approximately 2 - 4 days to appear on Amazon, and then 1 - 4 weeks on other eBookstore sites. So, technically, the book can go on sale as early as September 4, or it might take up to September 8 for it to first appear.

To the best of my ability, I will try and set it up so that you can order a copy from the distributor through my website.

As Monday is a holiday, the next post will probably not be until September 2 or 3.

  

Tristan's Road to Recovery

 A few days ago, I came across, via a Facebook posting from Life After Spinal Cord Injury a FB page about a young man who had a diving accident and broke his neck in late July, 2014.

I do believe one of the greatest benefit of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter is to allow strangers to interact with each other in a positive way.  By creating the page, the family has let us strangers into their lives so we can provide support.

I want to do my part in passing along the page.  Please visit the page, and I encourage you to send your support and encouragement to this brave young man and his family and friends.

Tristan's Road to Recovery

Toe Up to 10K sale date 9 Days Away

The ebook version of Toe Up to 10K is ready to be released, but I am waiting until after Labor day to release it.  So, the date for release is September 5, maybe it will be out on some ebook retailers on September 4.  Once the distributor releases it to the e-retailers, it is up to the e-retailers to post the book to their sites, and that can take 48-72 hours or more.

The physical version of the book, the proof is ready. There is an issue I need to get an answer to, and depending on the answer, it might also be out on September 5, or perhaps a couple of weeks later.

However, the good news is the production of the books is progressing and it looks like it will be on sale very soon.

Great Resource website: Spinalpedia

Spinalpedia is a great resource website.  I wish I had found it before I completed my book, Toe Up to 10K.

I couldn't find any better way of describing the site, so below, i copied and pasted their blurb about what they are:

SPINALpedia is a social mentoring network and video archive that allows the spinal cord injury community to motivate each other with the knowledge and triumphs gained from our individual experiences.


Here is the link:
Spinalpedia

Evolution of Reasoning Behind Toe Up to 10K

When I was in the hospital, I wanted to have a baseline to compare my recovery.  I wanted to know wanted to know when my legs would start to move, when my bladder and bowels would recover, when I would be strong enough to stand, etc.

Except for that I would probably spend a year in a wheelchair and that I would be walking "well enough: in two years (and this was stated when it was thought I had Guillain-Barre syndrome).  And no answer to when and how the bladder/bowel would recover.

Finding info on regaining the ability to walk wasn't so bad.  There were some stories of people were able to walk again, but there were other stories of people who were still not able to so after some years, and some who took several years to regain enough strength to stand.  However, just finding stories of walking recovery were difficult to find.

As far as bowel and bladder recovery, I found even less info.

So, initially, I wanted to share my chronology.  I know everybody recovers at a different pace, and the amount of recovery differs among individuals, and the issues differ depending on where the injury(ies) took place, but if I contributed my story, there would be at least a record of how, how long, and how much I recovered from my issues. 

But as I wrote the book, and as I experienced a rather rapid pace towards "normal enough," my theme seemed to change from providing my story to which others can compare to, to providing an inspirational and motivational piece for someone who finds him/herself in a similar situation - and reach out to those who have issues other than physical, and perhaps use the same strategies I did (finding inspiration, movitation and working towards goals) to overcome his/her obstacles - with the one advantage I did not have, which is the trial and error I went through to find the right mind-set and action-set.

So, what I think I ended up, with Toe Up to 10K, is a book, superficially chronicles the timeline and progress I made during my recovery, but is really about how I drew inspiration and motivated myself to recover as best as I could.  I realize that I've had a remarkable recovery, and I know not all of it is due to own hard work - that my body responded to some intangibles, but I don't think I would have recovered as well as I have without the work I put into recovery - and ultimately, I just wanted to share my story, for I believe each story of a successful builds upon other people's stories and provides inspiration for those who found themselves in the same situation I found myself in two years ago.       

Affirmations

When I was in high school and college, and even into my thirties, I had periods which I recited affirmations on a daily basis.  They wouldn't always be the same, but one I became reacquainted with recently is an old stand-by.  I remember first coming across it in a self-hypnosis tape I listened to so much that the ribbon finally broke years ago.  But this particular affirmation, whom I don't know is the original author, I've come across this same affirmation from different sources on the internet recently.

It goes like this:  "Everyday in every way, I am better and better."  

Recently, I have started repeated this affirmation several times upon I waking up and before I go to sleep.  Of course, sometimes I forget, but I try to remember each day.

I don't know how how long this will last, but for now, it makes me feel good, and motivates me.  

Inspiration from helpful strangers - Twitter

Twitter is a strange place.  About 99% of the people I follow or who follow me, I don't know personally,  yet I read their tweets, RT, favorite, and sometimes reply to the tweets.  Sometimes this is where I get breaking news, as someone will tweet about it before I hear about it on the news. But its main use for me is to find books to read, and to read interesting quotes (tweets), mainly the inspirational, motivational, and sometimes whimsical ones.

This blogpost is about one particular tweet that was relevant to me on several levels.  So, here it goes as best as I can explain it.  @BruceVH  @themovingroad

 I follow life coach and runner Bruce Van Horn on Twitter.  I follow him because his tweets have an inspirational and motivational quality to them.

So, earlier this week, he tweeted about a paralyzed man in the UK who blogged about Van Horn's book on training for a marathon, and how the book inspired him, and how he applied the tips to his own situation.

I opened up the tweet and read the blog post.  This man, Steven Webb, was a runner until he broke his neck.  Through Twitter, he "found" Van Horn, and eventually read his book on marathon training, and though the book itself is on marathon training, it can be applied to one's own situation.

After exploring his blog, I found out that Webb is writing about his experiences with paralysis, one project seems to be a book in progress titled, The Moving Road.  He has other writings available, including a blog he maintains.

Now how did this apply to me?

1. In 2012, directly or indirectly from meningitis, my spinal cord was damaged.  Fortunately, my time in a wheelchair was limited to four months. So, here was an instant connection to Webb.

2.  During my recovery process, a goal I have set for myself is to someday be well enough to run a 10K race.  I'm at the point where I can walk as fast as I can before I got sick, can actually jog, but I really can't sprint. I can, but I can't - it's hard to explain.  So, although I was already a Van Horn follower, the book Webb reviews, You Can Go the Distance, connects to me.

3. Webb writes that he applied some of the techniques to his own life, though the book is targeted at marathon training. One of the strategies I've used throughout my recovery has been to find inspiration from all sources, songs, movies, stories about others who have overcome obstacles, etc. It didn't matter whether the subject dealt with spinal cord injury or trying to reach the championship game in a high school baseball tournament - I've tried to apply these "lessons" to my own situation.

4.  Webb shares his experience through a blog, as do I, and also is writing a book.  Van Horn also shares his knowledge and experience through writing.  Before I got sick, I had two books out, and a third one, Toe Up to 10K, which will be out around September 5, is my book journaling my recovery process from spinal cord injury.   So, there is a fellowship of authors here, but more important is the sharing of our experiences.  When one finds him/herself in a situation, we want to learn what's next.  Everybody is different, and by reading about a variety of experiences, one can find commonality with others even though the exact circumstances may not be the same.  Writing about our own experiences may help others dealing with theirs.

So, one little tweet I read from a man I follow on Twitter, but never met on Wednesday morning affected me on several levels in a positive way.

Here is the book Webb blogged about, written by Van Horn
Click here












And here is the link to Steven Webb's blog
Steven Webb's blog


Finally, some shameless self promotion.  My book, Toe Up to 10K will be out around September 5.  Certainly in eBook format, and most likely, also available in physical format from some eBook retailers.

Brain Tumor Association

One of my best friends and college roommate lost his wife to a brain tumor, and a friend at work lost his brother to the same.

The national Brain Tumor Association sponsors a lot of events throughout the year to raise money.  Here is a link to the events this weekend, August 23 and 24, 2014.

August 23 -24 Events

Action Comics #1 up for auction on eBay

Wow!

A 9.0 graded Action Comics #1 is up for auction on eBay.  It is the first appearance of Superman.

If I could afford to make a purchase like this...

Bidding is up to almost $2 million, now.

To bid, you have to be pre-approved.

The auction benefits the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which focuses on spinal cord injuries.  When I was hospitalized, the social worker gave me a reference book published by this organization, which I still use.  

The auction ends on August 24, 2014.  If you want to see a photo of a mint condition copy of Action Comics #1, view the eBay page for the auction:  Action Comics #1 Auction on eBay 

Project Walk - Seems Like A Fantastic Rehab Gym

I just found out about a chain of rehab gyms called Project Walk.

As grateful as I am for the therapy I received - and all of my therapy was done at the hospital, even as an outpatient - when I browse their website and read about their philosophy, I get really excited that there is a place like this for #SCI recoverers to go.

Because of finances and insurance considerations, I probably would not have been able to go here, not to mention that they are not in my area.  But it just seems like a wonderful option.

Not that coming here would be required.  I think I had some of the best and efficient therapists one can ever hope for, and there are lots all around.  If you are not happy with yours, look around.

I came across this place, started following them on twitter, and it seems like a really really good place.

Check out their website:  Project Walk

Backyard Parkour

Relearning balance has been the most difficult task of learning how to walk again.  But I've worked on it and worked on it, but I've gotten to the point where I can walk on top of a narrow brick planter.

What's next for me? Maybe American Ninja Warrior?

A Different Body

People will come up and ask me if I'm back to normal and I don't think I'll ever be back to normal.  Normal, Yes. But not Back To Normal.

What I mean is that although my body has recovered significantly, and I can walk just as fast as I did before (I still can't run satisfactorily), it's not the same as before I suffered the damage to the spinal cord.

It's sort of like, let's say I had a 1999 Camaro for a body.  As I recovered, the new body wasn't a 2014 Camaro, not a 1999 Camaro, not even a Camaro.  It's like I traded my body in for a used car of a different model than the one I had before.

I don't have the same body as before the injury, and I've had to get to know and read my body again.

What I would have done differently during my recovery process

Although most people would say that I recovered very well, and I would agree also that i have been fortunate to have recovered so well, I would still do stuff differently, looking back.

1. I would have done a better job of journaling my situation.  It would have helped me write my book because memories would have been jarred easier.  And although maybe at the time, I didn't want to remember the shape I was in, now I do wish I completely remember the state I was in.

2. I would have used the wheelchair more at night while at the hospital. I was exhausted at the end of each day while I was in the Rehab Unit, but in hindsight,I should have asked the nurse or nurses' assistants to take me out of the bed and into the wheelchair for maybe a half hour or more each night, just to be a bit more mobile. Fortunately, when I was discharged from the hospital, and recovering at my parents' house, I was continuously in and out of the wheelchair.

3. I adjusted my diet to adjust with my bowel issues. I have done well enough, but instead of all the expirementation I did, I should have just hired a nutritionist or dietition and worked out a customized diet for me.  Not that I would have stuck with it 100% of the time, but I think I would at least 80% of the time.  Maybe I will still do this, if I can afford it.

4. As much as I exercised before I started walking with a cane, and continue to exercise regularly, sometimes I become complacent in the type of exercise.  As you get better, the exercises should get tougher, and sometimes, now that I am pretty much recovered, I wait too long before trying tougher things. I would have kept myself on a more stringent exercise schedule after I had recovered "well enough."

Journaling your Recovery, Pt 4

I'm republishing this because I accidentally posted this early and when I re-posted, blogger seemed to place it at the original posting location.


I wish I had journaled my recovery from the time I was transferred to the Cardio Care Unit.

Even though my hands were shaky and weak, I could have written down a couple of sentences at a time throughout the day to record my thoughts.

I think journaling benefits us in several ways:

1. It records what actually happened at the time it happened (albeit through our own perceptions),

2. It helps us remember what happed.  At times when i was giving myself excuses for not writing/recording.  I remember thinking, "I don't want to rememebr what I am going through, now."  But now that time has elapsed, I wish I did record the stuff and help me remember.  I mean, I will always remember this ordeal, but truthfully, I won't remember all of it, or all the details, the bad and the good.

3. I think it is therapeutic.  To write these things down, especially of how you are feeling at these moments is helpful to your mental health.  It lets you get things off your chest on things you don't want to share with other people - or lay it on other people as much, such as frustration.

4. It really helps when you decide to write a book.  You have stuff that reminds you of things, and also brings back details.  And if you have photos, you can use those in your book.

Next:  Your Experience Helps Others

Why Writing About Your Experience Helps Others

When I first got sick and found out that my spinal cord was damaged, I was told I would walk again in about two years - not nornally, but well enough.  Of course, that was during the assumption that I had Guiallen-Barre syndrome - which movement comes back within 6 weeks.

When I was transferred to the Rehabilitation Unit, another diagnosis was presented to me: that of Transverse myelitis.  Initial movement in this afflicition takes place within 2 - 12 weeks.  When I reached the tail end of week 7, I really started to worry whetehr I would walk again - especially after one doctor said it wasn't looking too good because I hadn't regained any movement inmy legs, yet.

Even though everybody recovers at a different rate, and the amount of recovery is different for everybody, I really wanted a basebile or a timetable, and no one would give me one, excpet that they though I would be walking "well enough" in a couple of years.

So, I used the computer room, and went on the internet to try and find some answers. Not only with the walking, but, when, if ever, would I regain control over my bladder and bowels.

Still, it was difficult to find any answers.

So, that's when I decided to write a book, so people who experience a similar situation to me would have some sort of reference point, even though their recovery might take on a completly different track.

But my book took on a different track.  My editor, who is also my friend, has been involved even before this project started as he visited me at the hospital regularly.  When I finished my book, he said, "When you started this book, you wanted to provide a reference point for others, but since you had a remarkable recovery, it has turned into more of an inspirational story than informational."

And as I read other people who have experienced not only spinal cord injury, but strokes, and other ailments that require adjustments, and stories of recovery, it's apparent that sharing our stories,whether it is overcoming physical obstacles, emotional obstacles, or financial obstacles, or any type of obstacle, is helpful to people who are experiencing a similar situation - I think it lets people know that they are not alone, that other people have experienced similar, maybe worse, and have overcome their obstacle.

I think anybody who faced an obstacle, and in my case, spinal cord injury, and recovered or adjusted, should share their story.

Recording Your Recovery Pt 3

A third way to journal your recovery, video taping, is another vehicle I did not utilize.  I did take a video with my cellphone when my legs first started to move, but I couldn't send it to my email address, and then when the phone broke, the cellphone store clerk couldn't transfer any of the data held within the phone - so whatever video I took with the cellphone is lost.

A own a flipcam, but never thought about asking my parents to bring it to the hospital.  I did take a couple of videos when I first was able to lift my legs from a lying position, but it is not as impressive as live.  I might post these on Youtube someday.  I also took a video of a muscle spasm, but the video didn't accurately reflect the intesity and I enede up deleted all the attempts I made to capture this.

So, except for the video of me lifting my legs from a lying position, there are no videos of me until I reach "well-enough" recovery.

In hindsight, I wish someone had videotaped me when I was learning how to transfer to a wheelchair, trasferring from a wheelchair to a mat, trying to roll over, trasferring from wheelchair to carseat,  trying to walk with a walker, learning how to navigate a wheelchair, taking my first baby steps without support, standing up for the first time and walking (inside a pool), me eating dinner while in a wheelchair, etc.

As far as the actual taping, I should have had the same action I wanted to record several different times from several different angles.

Of course, this would have helped with my recall and also remind me of what I went through at what stage, but also, I think I could have posted these onto Youtube as a chronology to provide at least one baseline for anybody who is going through what I went through.

Pt 4: Summary of why I think journaling is important.