Posts
2869
Joined
8/16/2006
Location
Ormond Beach, FL, USA
Edited Date/Time
11/20/2020 5:25pm
Something that others see as motivational and inspiring really pisses me off.
I'm talking about how every so often I stumble across an article about someone who had a critical spine injury and "due to the fact that they refused to give up" they can now walk and carry on like they "beat" the injury through perseverance.
Don't misunderstand me. The fact that ANYONE can make it through that dark tunnel and be able to function with any semblance of normalcy is absolutely "inspiring" and "motivational". I truly feel for those that have gone through this.
But let's leave the bullshit out, shall we? Nobody uses willpower and determination to walk again after a SCI. Some recover more than others because they work harder, and they put out so much effort that they regain some mobility that others simply didn't work hard enough to achieve. Most importantly, their body allows them to recover.
As far as the idea that someone can simply say "I knew I could beat it and I did", well, fuck you. Your injury allowed you to recover. You weren't injured enough to be permanently in a chair. Period.
Do you think Magoo wouldn't have worked hard enough to recover? How about Ernie? David? Pit? Tony D? how about the many other lesser known victims of a SCI. Did they not want to work?
Every time I read an article about someone "not allowing themselves to be permanently in a chair" or some version of this, I'm really happy for that person, and at the same time, fuck off.
OK, rant over. This has bothered me for a long long time. I'm overjoyed for anyone that has been able to recover, but making claims about working through it is demeaning to those who live in a chair.
I'm talking about how every so often I stumble across an article about someone who had a critical spine injury and "due to the fact that they refused to give up" they can now walk and carry on like they "beat" the injury through perseverance.
Don't misunderstand me. The fact that ANYONE can make it through that dark tunnel and be able to function with any semblance of normalcy is absolutely "inspiring" and "motivational". I truly feel for those that have gone through this.
But let's leave the bullshit out, shall we? Nobody uses willpower and determination to walk again after a SCI. Some recover more than others because they work harder, and they put out so much effort that they regain some mobility that others simply didn't work hard enough to achieve. Most importantly, their body allows them to recover.
As far as the idea that someone can simply say "I knew I could beat it and I did", well, fuck you. Your injury allowed you to recover. You weren't injured enough to be permanently in a chair. Period.
Do you think Magoo wouldn't have worked hard enough to recover? How about Ernie? David? Pit? Tony D? how about the many other lesser known victims of a SCI. Did they not want to work?
Every time I read an article about someone "not allowing themselves to be permanently in a chair" or some version of this, I'm really happy for that person, and at the same time, fuck off.
OK, rant over. This has bothered me for a long long time. I'm overjoyed for anyone that has been able to recover, but making claims about working through it is demeaning to those who live in a chair.
I mean. They literally could have given up and not gone through blood sweat and tears of rehab. Who are you to say it wasn’t the most difficult thing they’ve ever had to do? Sorry to say but some people do give up.
Do you want them to have a disclosure at the bottom of the article
*not directed at those who faced irrepairable injuries, only directed at those who experienced an injury where they could not walk again UNLESS they went through copious amounts of rehab.
Hope the thread made you feel better anyway.
It’s a complete lack of respect for those with a SCI that had no chance to recover. “I just wanted it more.” “I knew that I could beat the injury.”
As I clearly stated, and you must have glossed over, I would never discount the effort that it takes to get back on your feet after something like this. But don’t create fantasy. You didn’t cure paralysis... the level of your injury left the door open to do so.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
We had a guy that would come into the hospital to visit, who thought he was Mr Inspiring cause he was walking again, but he did the tiniest amount of 'damage' to his cord when he fell over drunk, and his recovery was assured.. He would always imply that it was his work that lead him to his rehab but one of the physio fucked him off and told us he was only in the hospital for a couple months haha (I was in for 8 months)
I thought this was gonna be about when people see us doing everyday things and they say ''oh you're so inspiring'' haha I'm like, I just left the fucken house! It's obviously coming from a good place but it kinda says 'your life is so terrible, you just continuing to live is amazing to me' haha
The best one ever was after winning a moto racing my Pilot, a lady came up to me and said, "can I ask a personal question...how does your wheelchair fit in the car?" LOL!!! I about fell out of my chair. Sometimes we get some comedy relief in the naivety of common folk.
For about 4 years after my accident it was nothing but
- physical therapy several hours every day
- experimental surgeries (including having scar tissue cut away from my spinal cord)
- experimental treatments (including having Blue Shark stem cells injected straight into my spinal cord)
- using leg braces and a walker as a way to maybe get my brain to fire signals to my legs to walk.
- electronic stimulation machines
- several other random things I can't even remember
Nothing worked. I finally got burnt out and wanted to move on with life. 20 years later I'm still in the chair. Broke T4,5,6,7,8,9 and had rods installed from T3-T10. Had all that removed a few years after the accident. Seeing/hearing stuff like that doesn't bother me so much anymore, maybe after 20 years I've just become numb to it. Anyone not in a chair or close to someone who is just doesn't seem to understand how incredibly sensitive the SC is and how different every injury can be.
I still go through random periods where I feel really irritable and my injury gets to me a bit (especially when the random bowel/bladder incident occurs). If you ever need to vent or someone to talk with who knows what you're going through feel free to contact me anytime. My email is carl24lindsey3@gmail.com I don't mind giving you my cell too. That goes for anyone else here in a chair.
My responses always depend on their tone.. 99.9% of the time its just someone being genuinely nice and not realising how it could be taken, shit I know I'd be guilty of it talking to someone dealing with something I had no experience with
And the .1 just get a smile and a nod... Unless they push it, then they get the worlds frustrations vented at them haha
I understand that there are some SCI's that can NOT be helped with willpower and determination. I also know that there are many SCI's that CAN be helped with these attributes. Just because a SCI "allows then to recover"...that does NOT necessarily mean that they will spontaneously recover without serious hard work and a positive attitude.
Obviously I'm in the minority here but....It seems ironic to me that you wrote these two sentences back to back.
"Nobody uses willpower and determination to walk again after a SCI. Some recover more than others because they work harder, and they put out so much effort that they regain some mobility that others simply didn't work hard enough to achieve."
Also, the following sentence is another contradiction at best...on the other hand, some might call slightly cruel.
"Every time I read an article about someone "not allowing themselves to be permanently in a chair" or some version of this, I'm really happy for that person, and at the same time, fuck off.".
I wish I could say I'm shocked that you actually wrote this sentence out and clicked "submit", but this is vital so I'm not. Heck, at this point 32 other members read your rant and thought, yup, I can get on board with this guy, fuck people who share their stories about overcoming a SCI through hard work.
My cousin is in a chair. She has been since 81. It’s hurtful hearing people say, “You just gotta work harder and want it more”. Like she doesn’t want out of her chair or isn’t doing or had done everything possible.
And yeah, I was the second person to post a thumbs up. Not because I wanna jump on board but, because I get it.
To the OP, and the 39 other circle jerking gentlemen’s club members. by definition you couldn’t offer praise to anyone about achieving anything, given the chance that there’s another person in the world who failed at the same objective.
Pit Row
Things are by no means normal or like it was prior to my SCI accident but I certainly take every ability I’ve been fortunate to regain never for granted , I don’t look at that as anyone on outside to feel motivated by my recovery more so I feel I’m letting someone down who also had a SCI injury that’s not been able to regain what I have if I don’t keep pushing myself
I would 100% agree with original post as paralyzed person who has seen significant recovery
Typically the classic "We know you're strong and you're gonna beat this!"
I understand this is all very well-intentioned and supposed to motivate...
But I don't think it does.
To this day, if your spinal cord is cut, it'll stay this way.
Will power won't fix it...
And if it happens to you, I guess you know it very well and fairy tales don't help.
If you have 40 stitches in your neck and survive is that the equivalent to having your head cut off? That's the point. These don't equate, and professing your strength and fortitude in a situation is pissing on everyone else that doesn't have an equal chance.
I was often told have brave inwas going through treatment. I really struggled with it..... its not bravery, you either don't take the treatment and get worse or you do take it and hope you improve.
What really rattles me now is people surviving through God's good grace yet those that didn't survive have crap doctors.
Best wishes and love to everyone in this thread, no matter your journey.
I believe English is not your first language so I will give you a bit of a pass. Man that was hard to read from you, I hope this isn't you on a 'good' day.
I get that you might not like the delivery here, but to discount everything said because you don't like some stuff said? You missed the point. He's not saying he doesn't want to hear from people overcoming SCIs, he says he doesn't like the notion that some people make it look like anyone can, when that's not true.
Sounds like you are wanting to play monkey in the middle and do a little downhill skiing but, showed up to the wrong party.
Praising someone for accomplishments and hard work is in my nature. Your negating the entire point of the thread making blanket statements and assumptions.
Rationally we know that pretty much everyone who has any recovery from an SCI had to put in a lot of work to do it. Emotionally it's a different story sometimes, especially when we see good friends or loved ones putting out effort that we don't know if we could do ourselves and not making that same sort of progress. It's hard sometimes not to take the accompanying praise of one person's efforts as an insult to someone else who hasn't had the same results because the injury is just too different. And less than 1mm of difference can make the injuries completely different in the potential for recovery, so there really aren't too many that are "exactly the same".
As much, it bothers me is that often the sport discards guys who undergo this, who often already are without a lot of resources financially, mentally, spiritually, whatever to deal with rehab. Just finding quality people. Or even thick friends. But too often that can be thin.
Post a reply to: A very "real" thread.