constantly repeating movement patterns and focusing on
trajectories - over the space of thirty years - Waterman
created a new way of controlling his body
At Oddstock Hospital
the long road to recovery started. Upon being
admitted
Waterman
was full of anger at his
situation. But from this
anger sprang his great
determination.
Although he could
hardly stand up and
walk he was dogged
in his desire to not be
confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his
life. With his nerves
so badly damaged the
doctors had no real
way of helping him,
and if he wanted to
move again he would
have to bypass these
nerves and create a
new link between his
mind and his muscles.
Sitting up was the first
major problem, and he
likened it to falling over
as a child as he constantly practiced how
to keep himself upright.
After these difficulties
he turned to a different
method.
Waterman began to
think that if he could
visualize moving his
muscles in his mind this
might have some affect
on his body. He tried
sitting up by controlling
and tensing his stomach muscles, which
after much practice he
finally tasted success
and raised himself up
22
in bed. By investigating what muscles controlled which specific
movement he set himself a punishing practice regime.
Without proprioception his movements
would never be automatic again, but if he
could start building
connections between
mind and muscle it
started to look like
he may regain some
semblance of a normal life. Every action
would have to be plotted. Every movement
would have to a carefully thought out and
executed. Waterman’s
tenacious attitude was
rewarded when after
one year he was able
to stand up for the first
time.