Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries
Two of the most well-known spinal cord injury cases involved Joni Eareckson Tada and Christopher Reeves. Tada was injured in 1967 in a diving accident which rendered her a quadriplegic, with no use of her hands. To this day, Tada is making a difference in the lives of others in spite of her condition, as she has worked tirelessly as an advocate for people with disabilities.
Reeves, of course, is most well-known for his acting role as “Superman.” He became paralyzed following an equestrian accident in 1995. He died in 2004 from heart failure, but not before he had become a true ‘super man’ in the eyes of countless people for promoting medical research concerning spinal cord injuries and raising the level of awareness for people with disabilities.
Both of these courageous people suffered spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis. Their injuries were the result of trauma, but other people sustain spinal injury as the result of diseases such as spina bifida or polio.
In either case, spinal cord injury treatment may involve surgery, braces or other devices (such as breathing apparatus), or both, in order to stabilize the injury. Following this, spinal cord injury rehabilitation is vital to enhance the quality of the patient’s life.
Part of the rehabilitation process involves transitioning between what a patient used to be able to do, and what functions he or she can regain or do differently.
In Tada’s case, she learned to create beautiful paintings and prints by holding a paintbrush with her teeth. Reeve became a prolific author and advocate for people with disabilities. These examples prove that while the body may be damaged, the human spirit can soar!
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