and how to avoid the hospital. Finding products that works best for me was a hit or miss proposition but I had to try them all until I found what worked for me.
When you start to move forward and are lucky enough to see a path forward, you can work to achieve that goal. Everything takes longer to do. You do many of the things you did prior to injury but you learn to understand how to adapt to the skills you are taught in rehab. The greatest gift I had was an incredibly supportive family and friends. They helped keep me up and motivated and was always there to help in any way possible. I could not have done it without their support, both financially and emotionally. My sister, Annette, was already working in the disability community when I was injured and knew how to navigate the medical system for a newly injured individual. A blessing many people don't have at their disposal. I also found a few great "mentors" along the way. I was blessed to work with Bill Scott and his company Abilities Unlimited, Inc. He taught me about being a functional member of society after injury. He always encouraged me to get involved with the SCI Association and to give back to newly injured SCI community members. He encouraged me to speak about life as a disabled individual from school kids to businesses. He would tell me, "Be a good example of the disability community. Don't be afraid to talk about disabilities. Every encounter you have can be an educational moment for the able bodied world. Let them see we are just like them but we travel differently."
WHEEL WORLD NEWS
June 2018
10
That is the advice I would give newly injured members. Just as Corbin Beu mentioned in last month's newsletter, get involved with the disability community. You can learn from your long term SCI brothers and sisters about how to adapt and what things you should avoid. Ability 360 is an incredible resource we have in the Valley. Go to the support groups and conferences and keep learning all you can about your injury. You can learn a lot from individuals who have lived 20-30 years with a disability. Find a doctor you trust, who will listen to you, and explore alternative medicine options when traditional medicine is not working.