As I unwillingly welcomed my new dependence, I said goodbye, for now, to my independence. MOTIVATION, MOVEMENT, and MOMENTUM were now my singular vision and my full-time job to recover from paralysis. My very survival depended on conquering those three goals. It didn’t matter how I got there, and nothing, or nobody would stand in my way.
7 Travel Tips for Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Doing my due diligence means lots of pre-planning to avoid unnecessary surprises. Ultimately, you want to spend your entire time away smiling, happy, and stress-free. However, all the preparation in the world isn’t going to catch everything — when surprises pop up, try not to freeze. Just approach the problem with an open mind and find another path. In other words, handrails may not always be on the side you need them on so adapt, turn around, and put them where you need them.
Here are 7 travel tips to consider for your next trip:
Parallels Between Paralysis and a Post-Pandemic World
During the initial days of my paralysis back in 2012, my confidence as well as my independence were shattered and constantly in question along with my survivability. Disbelief set in regarding what happened while wondering if I would ever walk again. I was concerned about what other people thought seeing me in that condition. Friends that I had for many years during that time suddenly had different values that I could no longer keep up with and as a result moved on. As time went on, I realized I needed to find my way back to a place where I could feel socially inclusive again.
Inspiration During Recovery and Now
However, as time goes on it’s easy to start feeling withdrawn, as though you no longer feel a connection with those who are trying to help you. It’s by no means the people: sometimes it’s the devastation and type of trauma experienced which causes a conflict and the inability to hear and accept the words of peace being bestowed while you’re trying heal. Their words and actions are forthright, but unknown to those helping is what they intend is better suited for people like themselves instead of what you face and fight for each day from the time you wake up until the end of your day. The more these polite and caring actions occur, the more it’s easy to feel withdrawn and not accepted. For instance, how does one explain what life is like in a wheelchair if those receiving the message have never spent time in one? How does one tell someone with PTSD everything will be ok if they’ve never experienced what caused the PTSD? The message by those people intending to help may only come across as noise, or notes on a sheet of music and void of lyrics. In other words, the people offering help and the person who needs it are more than likely speaking two different languages and neither understand the other.
There are a few things to consider here from both parties. For the person who is injured consider the following:
5 Tips For Recharging Vacations With a Disability
Everybody at some point needs an escape for mental refreshment or healing. Because each of us are at different ability levels, advice on traveling for mental healing will be capably acceptable for some and not the best fit for others. With this in mind, here are 5 tips for traveling to encourage reflection and mental healing:
Preparing to Transition From Hospital to Home Post-Injury
Are you ready to go home?
For those of us who finally get to return home from the hospital after a traumatic event has altered our lives, a new chapter in our journey awaits that has the potential of causing nonstop challenge and change. Our ability to face these adjustments needs to be met with patience and an evolving open mind as we rewire our brains into accepting our home environment while moving forward.
5 Key Things to Know About a Disabled Loved One, From a Disabled Individual
I would like to say to all the family members, friends, and caregivers who are currently helping someone who is disabled in any way that your patience and efforts never go unnoticed and are always the kindest of gifts and the best of blessings. You are heroes to all of us who struggle and combat our daily bonds in one way or another. Whether or not we realize it, you make each day worth fighting for, and what afflicts us goes away even if only for a few short moments. You have the ability to help us heal through happiness by pulling our thoughts toward something or someplace much better.
It’s never easy to do what you do for us. You may beat yourself up wondering, Was what I did today enough? Did I say or do the right thing? Did I spend enough time? Am I actually helping?
How to Set Goals to Move Forward Post-Injury
Setting goals is actually quite easy and fun if you allow it. However, to do so, the first step is a leap of faith to acknowledge and allow yourself to let go of what is burdening you so you can let your mind calm down and find some much needed peace. What I’m saying here is that you have to let a little self-confidence seep in so you can let “I can’t” seep out. If your mind is full of today’s list of aches and pains or doubts, then tell your brain the complaint department is closed. With those concessions you can now get down to business and move on to setting a few goals and achieving them.
Choose to Keep Living
Why should you choose to keep living? There are so many ways for me to discuss the answer to this question. The first and easiest response is yes, absolutely, without any doubt, you should keep living and fight for your life every single second of every day. In the beginning you may be consumed by the shock and devastation of your trauma. Your brain is grappling with who you were before the event and will you be that person again after you heal. Each person’s circumstances are different and our ways forward may not be the same, but they are pointed in the same direction: ahead of us. There are many things to think about as you contemplate your initial steps and believe me, each step is worth your time.
Progress Isn't a Straight Line: What to Do When Rehabilitation Setbacks Happen
Healing isn’t a linear equation. Progress sets its own direction and pace.
Since I know each day will bring its own set of challenges, I know that if I go into that day with a positive attitude and possibly something funny on my mind then I’ll meet those challenges with a smile on my face. A good old friend of mine Tom Keck used to tell me, “Some days it’s chicken, and some days it’s feathers.” and other than always finding that statement hilariously funny, I found this was a good way for me to approach two steps forward and one step back in my recovery.
Finding Forward
Words like paralysis, stroke, or trauma (of any sort) are just words, and they by no means define who we are as human beings. If you’re finding that fate has chosen a new path along your journey of life, and you’re wondering why, look upon those new paths as a fresh start or a new beginning and set the word “why” off to the side for a while. These were my initial thoughts as I lay on a gurney, shut off from my entire body. Yes, I could have chosen to lie in panic, and my initial reaction was indeed that, but I chose a different path. My mind still worked; I could breathe, speak, see, and hear. Now all I needed was to create that first step in my mind and achieve it.