Determined2Heal Tips:

As a person living with a spinal cord injury, the best words of advice I can give is to be strong. Never, never, never quit. Attitude is everything. It is also important to remember and understand that life might be different but it is definitely not ruined.

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The first week I got home from the hospital, I wrote a poem entitled:

Different, But not Ruined

Life must go on

A bleak remembrance of what’s gone

Yet the future still holds promise

The mind is strong

The body is weak

I don’t know

I’m just at the doorstep

Waiting for the door to open

I’m in this early stage of a new life

Just learning how to move on my own

As the pages turn, experience gained

Will map out my new road

Paving the way to the next chapter

My new Holy Trinity is keeping me whole

My teacher feeds my mind

My mother feeds my body

My friends feed my inner child

As long as I’m positive

Energy will flow

My body will regain its inner glow

Opportunity expands as technology evolves

Hope is the drug that keeps me steady

If I wasn’t here

If that single wave took me out to sea

I would be a memory

Instead, I can be an inspiration

The unfolding of a great 21st century novel

With ending no one will forget

My story can illustrate another side of life

No, not ruined at all

With a full dose of hope

I will go on

Focus on the philosophy that the body does not control the mind but that the mind controls the body. Focus on all the things that you can do rather than dwell on all the things you can’t do.

When dealing with your friends, remember they are going through a transition too. They may not know how to respond to you and your injury. It is hard for them to see you in a weakened state. There are friends that will disappear because they can’t deal with your injury. Your true friends will be there for you and encourage you to get better. So be honest with them and let them know how you’re feeling. Remember, you are still the same person you were before your accident, just with a new body. Don’t be scared to go out and have fun like old times.

I consider the first few months of my injury to be the toughest months. Being able to overcome this first obstacle is difficult but keeping a strong attitude will get you through the tough times.