Thursday, 9 February 2012
Everyday scientists and researchers are getting closer to a cure for spinal cord injury. However, until that day comes, it is vital to keep these recovery tips in mind so you can be sure to stay as healthy (and happy!) as possible while living with SCI.
1) Stay hydrated! Not only is it important to be aware of your diet and the nutritional value of your food, but you have to be mindful of your hydration too. Drinking plenty of water everyday helps regulate urinary and bowel functions so you can avoid infections and establish good bowel habits. Also, it has been proven that cranberries help with urinary health — which is vital for quadriplegics and paraplegics.
2) Keep the mind active. Paralysis does not mean your intellect has to be paralyzed too. Make the effort to continue through life as normally as possible because you can never overestimate the power of positivity on the body!
3) Change position. Make a conscious effort to continuously change positions throughout the day to avoid sores (especially bed sores, which is common with many spinal cord injury patients) and other complications. Whether it be in a recline position or being put in a standing position – moving around in this matter helps increase blood flow throughout the entire body.
4) Have a reliable form of pain management. Many people who are paralyzed or have spinal cord injury have what is known as neurogenic pain (a result of damage to nerves in the body or the spinal cord or even the brain itself). There are multiple treatment options for chronic pain including (but not limited to): medications, local electrical stimulations surgery, psychotherapy or even acupuncture. Discuss with your treating physician about what would be the best option for you before exploring these treatments. Expert advice and guidance is ALWAYS mandatory when exploring medical treatment.
Thursday, 19 January 2012
By: Philia Pak
Experea Healthcare Blog Editor
Every story – whether it be a story of loss or gain, deserves to be shared.
This is the story of the Berry Children.
Photo via Joshua and Robin Berry Children's Trust/Facebook
I first came across the Berry Children’s story when I noticed a flood of profile picture changes take over my Facebook newsfeed. Almost instantaneously, people were sporting a graphic of four hearts as their profile picture, with the caption ‘show your hearts.’ Fueled by curiosity, I clicked around on the images and eventually I was linked to an article about the tragedy that led the Berry Children to where they are today.
The article, “Berry Children Orphaned: Justin Bieber Spurs Nationwide Movement”, left me speechless. The Berry Family, a fun-loving family of 5 from Texas were driving back from a family vacation when their minivan was struck, killing both the parents and leaving the children in critical condition.
The two boys, Peter, 9, and Aaron, 8, have been treated for multiple spinal cord injuries and have been told they may never walk again. Their younger sister, Willa, 6, broke her arm, ankle, knee and wrist in the crash.
It is hard not to have an aching heart after hearing this story, but what is truly fascinating and incredible is the reaction of the nation to their story. Celebrities like Justin Beiber, Kourtney Kardashian, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have used their public power by tweeting to their followers to donate and spread the word about the Berry Children to #showyourhearts.
Today, Peter and Aaron are still on the road to recovery as they deal with a spinal cord injury—a struggle that millions of Americans deal with, including those in the Experea Healthcare community.
“You get inspiration from them,” says Matthew Berry, the uncle of the children and now their legal guardian, “These kids smile when somebody asks to take their picture. Can you imagine being in these kids’ shoes? It’s pretty incredible how they’re dealing with it.”
Do you want to show your heart and help support the Berry children? Donate to their Trust so they can have access to all the medical supplies and equipment they will need to treat their spinal injuries.
Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Congratulations to our Director of Sales, Dean Maccabe who has just been featured in the latest issue of Sports N Spokes Magazine! We are so proud of you and excited for others to know the incredible story and life journey you have been through since your spinal cord injury.
Dean has been an integral part of our company as well as the paralysis community for many years now and his story brings a unique perspective to the struggles and triumphs of quadriplegics. We hope you will be just as inspired by his story as we are!!
To see the full article, subscribe to Sports N’ Spokes magazine and order this month’s issue.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Eddie Canales stepped up, to be there for his son when he needed him most and hasn't left his side since.
Last Sunday night, the popular news channel CNN hosted its annual “CNN Heroes” Award Show where they honor everyday people, doing extraordinary things to change the world. As I wiped away tears after hearing story after story of each of these courageous individuals, one particular winner caught my eye.
Eddie Canales was in the stands as he proudly watched his son, Chris Canales, play football at his highschool where Chris was a senior. The crowd was roaring with excitement as Chris made a touch-down saving tackle in the last quarter.. but something was wrong. Chris laid on the ground, unable to move and unable to comprehend what had just happened. Chris Canales suffered a spinal cord injury and was told he would never be able to have full function of his lower body again. Instantly Chris’ father, Eddie Canales stepped up and did what he knew he had to do for his beloved son. He quit his job, became his full-time caretaker and dedicated his life to ensuring his son can still a fulfilled life despite his paralysis. Preservering through pits of depression and medical complications, Chris agreed to go with his father to a high school football game in hopes of seeing his favorite sport will cheer him up. In a disturbing twist of fate, during the game a player got hit and laid on the ground unable to move. Eddie and Chris knew exactly what happened. They both would later go on to visit the player in the hospital who also suffered a spinal cord injury. In that moment, Eddie knew what he had to do and that was how Gridiron Heroes was born.
After seeing what his son had to suffer through, Eddie Canales created Gridiron Heroes as a non-profit that helps atheltes who’ve suffered spinal cord injuries while playing high school football. Not only do they raise money for medical research on SCI (spinal cord injury) but they also provide emotional support to the injured athletes and their families.”
“We try to provide information, inspiration and hope,” Eddie said. “We want to make sure they don’t feel alone.”
As a community of spinal cord injury patients, caretakers and medical supply providers, we know the strain of having someone with SCI in your family and community. The burden emotionally and financially is almost unbearable and seeing someone like Eddie who truly took to his fatherly instincts to help his son and others like him, is beyond inspiring.
From everyone here at Experea Healthcare we want to say,
Congratulations Eddie Canales and best wishes to the Gridiron Heroes!!
You have been a great source of inspiration to us and to our community.
Want to read more about Eddie and Chris Canales? Click here
Want to get involved with Gridiron Heroes? Click here
By: Philia Pak
Experea Healthcare Blog Editor
(photo credit CNN.com & gridironheroes.com)
Thursday, 8 December 2011
Just because the weather got a little chillier and the nights got a little longer, does not mean you have to be a little less active with your wheelchair sports. Being involved with adaptive sports can play a vital role in the recovery process for any spinal cord injury patient, and we always encourage and advertise any opportunities to be active to our Experea community.
With that in mind, check out these cool and exciting winter adaptive sports that YOU can participate in:
SLED HOCKEY
Participants sit on their skates using an adaptive device known as a sled, which is affixed with two skate blades and a runner in the front to form a tripod.Hard checking, elevated puck shooting, and 60-mile an hour slap shots are as much a part of sled hockey as they are in “stand-up” hockey.
SIT-SKIING
This is literally as how it sounds! You set on a chair attached either one or two skis underneath and slide down the snowy slopes just as any standing skiier would!
LUGE
Luge is a the ideal extreme sport for wheelchair users and paraplegic/quadriplegic athletes. You get strapped into a long sled and race down slipper slides while manuevering and controlling the direction of the luge.
So, which winter adaptive sport do you want to try this season?
By: Philia Pak
Experea Healthcare Blog Editor
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Since day one, Experea Healtchare has been inspired and driven by the stories of our patients. Each of their stories are unique and their struggles individually different, however it continues to amaze us how all of them have the same tone of hope and optimism. So today, I am honored to share the story of one of our clients: Brittany Correia and her courageous journey towards recovery and her unwaivering Will 2 Walk.
The accident:
On May 4, 2009 Brittany’s life changed in a blink of an eye. She was living in Hawaii when she was in a high-speed car accident. The car was completely destroyed and Brittany counts herself as lucky to even get out of the wreckage alive. There were two passengers in the car during the accident: the driver and Brittany. Despite Brittany’s hesitation and warnings about the hazardous road approaching, the driver continued to drive faster and lost control of the wheel, swerved off the road hitting a boulder and flipping over multiple times before hitting a tree.
At that moment — when the dust settled from the horrific accident, Brittany realized she was pinned in the car and unable to move her legs. The driver called for help and firefighters rushed to the scene. In a haze, Brittany arrived at the hospital and learned she had a fractured C7 vertebrae and dislocated C6 vertebrae and bruised C5 disc in her neck. Her family rushed to her side on the next flight from California to Hawaii, and 20 days later Brittany was taken to one of the best rehab hospitals in the U.S., Casa Colina.
The Will 2 Walk:
Beating all odds, Brittany still continues to carry the same spirit of joyfulness that she had before the accident.
“ It’s a total different life, you are put in a situation you could never be prepared for, something you’d never think would happen to you, only other people. I used to think people who were paralyzed just couldn’t walk, and wow was i wrong? That’s like the least of their problems, only the tip of the ice berg. There are so many other medical issues we deal with, it’s mind blowing and a lot of times very over whelming. Having this injury puts you to the test, not a physical test, because physically you aren’t able, so it’s more of a mind thing. Some people will give up, I don’t blame them, I’ve been close to doing so too, but I have pushed through all the challenges I had to face and will continue to in my future challenges that come along, because of the support of family and friends and people who care, all their prayers, all their get wells, all their concern helps me daily to keep pushing to overcome this hard times. Thank you all for your prayers and support. ”
Where is Brittany now?
After transferring to Casa Colina in Pomona, CA, Brittany particpated in their Transition Living program for a total of 9 months before finally moving home with her parents and brother. She does physical therapy twice a week at The Claremont Club where the Be Perfect Foundation (founded by Hal Hargrave, another Experea Healthcare patient) sponsors her. Her hard work is slowly but surely paying off, as she is getting stronger, getting increased feeling throughout her legs and getting more independence in her daily life.
“So it’s been 2 years now and my life still isn’t back on track and niether is my family’s, but we’re being strong taking it day by day. I just hope my story inspires others by showing them anything is possible if you TRY, if you BELIEVE and have the WILL. I wouldn’t be able to do it without all of you so just would like to say thank you all for everything. Thank you all for reading my story, please share it with your friends and family and I hope you can continue to help me on my journey on my WILL 2 WALK. “
Want to learn more about Brittany’s incredible story?
Visit her website: http://britswill2walk.com/ and support her WILL 2 WALK.
Also, be sure to follow her on twitter for updates on her recovery! @britz317
How amazing is Brittany?! She has been determined to take this tragedy into a blessing by being a beacon of inspiration to all those around her – through her blog, tweets and her delightful personality. Despite everything that has happened to her, she only concentrates on what she can make happen- and that is a quality very rare to find in people today. Thank you Brittany for simply being an extraordinary human being and truly proving: what does not kill you, only makes you stronger.
By: Philia Pak
Experea Healthcare Blog Editor
Friday, 18 November 2011
Disabilityland by Alan Brightman
A beautiful collection of narrative and powerful prose and vignette, author Alan Brightman defines “disability” as not merely a word, but a place; a place where lives are lived and lessons learned. The novel is divided into three parts: Common Sense, Learnings, and Leaps. Each part serves to enrich readers’ understanding, despite misconceptions, of the disabled population and their ability to persevere through anything. The book is sprinkled with impressive artwork created by students from the National Institute of Art and Disabilities (NIAD) that shows the true power of purpose. Brightman’s novel does not simply explore the implications of disability; it portrays the ordinariness of disability, complete with fervent, typical, astounding, and touching encounters.
What books have inspired you or helped you overcome obstacles?
By: Tanza Loudenback
Experea Healthcare Blog Editor
Thursday, 3 November 2011
The Boy in the Moon by Ian Brown
This novel chronicles a father’s incredible journey to understand his son’s extraordinary condition. Ian Brown writes a remarkably honest and intimate reflection of his son, Walker’s, diagnosis of CFC, a genetic mutation, and the struggles both him and his wife face to care for their disabled child. The title serves as Brown’s metaphor for his son. As Brown contemplates the mystery of his son’s condition, he discovers Walker’s similarity to the man in the moon, whose face we see even though we know it is not there. He realizes his son exists through his belief in him and as he continues to search frantically for his son’s mind, he finds his own along the way. Brown’s story is characterized by realizations, wonders, mysteries, and quests that let us peer into the world of Walker Brown, a boy whose father must be his strength and life.
Watch some of The Boy in The Moon
By: Tanza Loudenback
Experea Healthcare Blog Editor
Monday, 31 October 2011
Here is a quick update on our previous post: Experea employee will bike 100 miles in ‘MS Bay to Bay Tour’
She did it! Not only did Annika bike the expected 100 miles for the Multiple Sclerosis Society’s ‘BIKE FOR MS – BAY TO BAY TOUR 2011′, but she also biked an extra 50 miles making this bike tour a total of 150 miles in two days!
“We biked the extra 50 miles as a symbol of the eternal struggle, MS patients, family members and loved ones experience by living with this debilitating disease,” explains Annika, “We dedicated it to everyone out there fighting that up-hill battle with MS! Their determination inspires all of us to go that extra mile… literally!”
Pretty awesome, right? Not only did she show off her incredible athletic ability, but her philanthropic heart also took center stage as she and her team (Team24 Pacific) raised a whopping, $58,568 for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society!
<- Check out Annika grinning ear to ear, showing off her fancy medal in the office. She hopped right off the bike and went back into the office the very next day — talk about dedication!
We couldn’t be prouder to have Annika on our team here at Experea. “GIRRRL, YOU ROCKED IT!”
Special shoutout also to Team24′s national team captain, Roland Hoffman for leading the team and Annika on this incredible journey. It is always a celebratory-worthy moment when we see how local people making a world of difference for those who so desperately need it. Cheers to Annika, Roland and the rest of their team that conquered this amazing feat of biking 100 miles for MS!!
By: Philia Pak
Experea Healthcare Blog Editor
