Okay, my 21 year old recently paralyzed son says there are no quads out there that can transfer themselves.
I think at the very least there are ones that can at least assist in the transfer.
Help us out here!
Okay, my 21 year old recently paralyzed son says there are no quads out there that can transfer themselves.
I think at the very least there are ones that can at least assist in the transfer.
Help us out here!
You can not make a general statement. It is all
determined by how much function he has in
his arms and legs. In your son's case only he can
determine whether or not he can do it.
I'm not saying in a general way that Troy has to learn to move himself.
What I'm saying is that there are quads that can help transfer themselves. He says it's not possible.
So, I'm asking quads that can transfer themselves to let us know or if there aren't any let us know that too.
It's really not a matter of right or wrong--just is it possible?
hi ladybyrd,
how recent was his injury? understand that studies say he wont reach his full ability till 18-24 months after the injury.(so they say). i myself am quad and have quite the story.
i was paralized in a halo for nearly 1 1/2 months. i first turned my right wrist slightly,then thrust my hips ever so little and moved my feet if you watched closely. that was it. around 2 months they were sitting me up to work on abdominal balance. that took 2 weeks before they could let go. therapy was pushed on me for 4 months before my discharge. my hands were very week with little movement but i left with a walker and a wheelchair.at 6 months we put the chair aside and i only used the walker and if i went out...a cane. therapy gave me pretty good balance. i was driving a car and starting to feel i was getting my life back.
now for the (so they say) part. i will be 4yrs out dec 4th. nerve growth is a very slow process. i think i was told 1" every 4 months. correct me if im wrong. i am still experiencing new places on my body getting a little feeling back and warm/cold sensation. around 2 1/2 yrs i could finally get up off the floor myself to a standing position using my walker or couch side. i've only fell 1 time since my injury and it was a slow controlled fall. around 3 1/2 yrs i did a full squat. i knew from that day my recovery was not over :)
i still have to be very careful walking using my cane for extra balance,concentrating on each step. my arms dont go straight up over my head and my hands are not normal. my hands,lower legs and feet have been tingling like they're waking up for 3 1/2 yrs now.
with all this said,tell your son hi from a quad that went beyond the transfer and never gives up :)
remember no 2 injuries are alike. goodluck to your son and i'de like to hear how far out he is and what he can do right now. how he's doing.
marty
Troy is 17 months post injury and he can move his arms to about a 90-degree angle. When he is determined enough he can "move" his upper body across the bed. He feels nothing below his nipples.
I was just telling him that working on his upper body strength and his arms might allow him to someday be able to help more with his transfers.
He doesn't think it's possible for ANY quad to do that...so therefore not him, but I'm determined not to let him give up and to help him see that he can do more than he thinks is possible.
I believe with more, more will come.
Hi! I'm a C5-6 quad. I'm a 45 yr. old woman injured 3 1/2 yrs. ago. I started out with nothing , and I, too, can now walk with a walker though I mostly use a wheelchair. I also can go stairs with minimal assistance. Marty is right; no 2 injuries are the same. Your son should continue to try new things. Sometimes it just takes someone else showing you how they learned to do a new skill...problem solving is a big part of regaining your independence after a spinal cord injury. If Troy can lock his elbows, that would be his best start to transferring (use a board to start). He should places his hands on the edge of the surface he is sitting on and lock out his elbows. Someone should crouch in front of him to be sure he doesn't fall. With lots of practice, he can learn to lean forward on his arms and balance the weight of his head and his butt with his arms as the pivoting point like a see-saw. This is how they began teaching me to transfer in rehab. It is scary at first and feels like you are going to fall. Once he can balance with his butt off the mat/feet on the floor, he can begins to shift his butt over before sitting back down. Everything is baby steps, but you have to look at the future and also look back and see how far you've come.
I would recommend that he speak with his PT about his desire to become more independent.
I agree with the team that with the right support and effort it may be possible to attain skills previously thought impossible. The gains may be small but added together over time it will be great to have.
Take care, Patricia
From one mom to another. My son is now 19, is C6-7 incomplete quad, and was injured 3/4/07 in an auto accident. I just wanted to chime in and encourage your son (and you) to continue working toward his own goals and never give up. The recovery is very slow. My son was in rehab at Children's in Seattle for almost 2 months post accident and then several months locally. Yes - strengthening the arms is crucial to transfers. Is he currently attending PT / OT? Is he lifting weights? Doing E-Stim? Getting on an e-stim bike? Standing frame? All of these things are helpful. There are many adaptive devices that can help your son continue to improve. My son transfers himself everywhere ... including his vehicle. Your son will continue to improve... patience! We were told that my son would never have any hand function - he now has about 60-70%. So, also, don't believe anyone that tries to put limitations on your son. As was state in other postings, every injury is different (unfortunately), so it is hard to say how far your son will go. But with a little encouragement and a bit of hard work, he will continue to get stronger and a little more independent. Take care!
To answer your question, yes some quads can transfer. I am a C5/6 quad, now 30 years post injury and I do my own transfers, get dressed etc. I used to live alone but got married 14 years ago so now I am a bit lazier. Everyone is different but it is do-able if you are persistant and lucky. Lucky in regards to body type. When I was hurt I was in rehab for 14 months so I had more training than the new quad who get 4-6 months. Good luck Bruce
New quads w/o insurance only get 1 month. So, you're very lucky.
Hello, my name is Brent. I am 26 years old and have been paralyzed for 2 1/2 years. I am C5-C6 and can transfer myself on the couch, on the bed, and in and out of a car. I do have my tricep on my left arm which is very weak but do not have my tricep on my right arm. Your tricep helps you out tremendously! I have been through about 6-8 months of PT and OT which your son at least needs. Also, PT will introduce you to a sliding board which is exactly what it sounds like, "a board which allows you to slide and transfer." I use mine every day! Def. tell your son he needs to go to rehab and to be patient. Its going to take some time but stuff will come with time.
C 5-6 no triceps, no wrist flexors. I push a manual chair, do all my own transfers with a slide board. It takes time to get the strength back, but I've been hurt 23 yrs now - got hurt when I was 19. I graduated college at 23, work in NYC, travel, scuba dive, own my own place etc. etc. It's not easy being a quad, but sitting at home doing nothing is harder.
LadyByrd, we have at least one slider board I would be more than happy to send to you if you don't have one. We ended up with a couple and my son doesn't use them anymore. Please let me know and we can converse via regular email.
We do have a slide board, thank you. Due to his current situation tho he can't use it, YET. We're working on getting him to that point. He just doesn't think it's possible.
But thank you very much for the offer.
HI,
Short answer is yes there ARE quads that can transfer themselves.
But that statement must always be qualified with, "it is all determined by how much function he has in
his arms and legs."
I am C4-5 incomplete. I have biceps, zero tricep, wrist flexors in both hands and have a little bit of thigh muscle activity. I use all the above and my spasms to transfer, dress, etc.
My suggestion is at the moment you should keep on encouraging him with the PT. What he will or will not be able to do in the near and distant future depends on PT and how much function, strength and spasticity he has.
Regards.
T.
It is most definitely possible for a quad to transfer. I used to work as a CNA & I worked for a quad that did a slide board transfer. It probably does depend where the injury is, my husband could not use a slide board. I agree that keeping up the PT is probably your son's best bet at living a more independent life. Good luck & keep up the good work Mom!!!
LadyByrd,
I have too put my 2 cents in. Every body can tranfer just how much and how safe is one the person not the injury. Don't be a momma boy.
I like many other, I am a c6-c7. 2yr4mnth. 1st year need help with everything, then things got sour. I had little or no support. I had to fight to stay a live. Which mean I had to find my own way of moveng with just 1 hand with little grip strengh then I had too force my other hand(w/o any grip) to move, then my upper body and then transfer because if I can't get to my electric wheel chair then I would go the entire day without food or water just sleeping on my bed waiting to die. If you can eat and move you neck then you can open package with you mouth without and hand.
Hungry and angry people will can/will do a lot to live to a point. You are babying him too much. I had to or I would not e able to write this.
my 26year injury daughter can transfer herself from the chair to the bed,to the car-where she drives with hand controls. She is a C-5-6 but had hand surgery
for improved hand use. The transfers are not with a board, she just made up a flop that works and are easy for her. All things require lots of practice and when one thing has to be replaced a whole new set of problems occur. She does fall sometimes--not very often,but the rewards are worth it to her for independance.
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