Road to independence St. Teresa man recovering from spinal cord injury suffered in car accident JIM DAY The Guardian
Michael Curran is inching his way back to independence.
Curran, 32, of St. Teresa says his busy recovery road since enduring a spinal cord injury in a car crash in May while on his way to work is overwhelming.
So much has been done —and a great deal more lies ahead — to deal with having become a quadriplegic seven months ago.
“It blows you away,” Curran said of all that needs to be done.
Of course, first there was surgery, which unfortunately came with complications, most notably collapsed lungs.
He was heavily sedated for the first two weeks following the crash. More time passed as he tried to come to grips with his condition, which will see him using a wheelchair the rest of his life.
“It didn’t really set in,” he said. “It took awhile to accept it.”
But he has been making promising strides. The level of strength and degree of movement in his upper body is good for such a short period of time following a spinal cord injury, observed Brian Doucette, a member of
the Canadian Paraplegic Association — P.E.I. Support Team.
“He can be 100 per cent independent,” said Doucette, who has worked hard to maximize his own independence following an automobile accident more than 20 years ago that left him a quadriplegic like Curran.
Each advancement spurs Curran on, from mastering the challenges of dressing, grooming, writing and eating, to building up his strength. He does find trying the slow grind required to learn how to do what he has done for years with little thought and next to no effort.
“It’s frustrating, it’s really frustrating,” he said.
“But, as they say, there’s
a light at the end of the tunnel . . . The stronger you get, the more acceptance you get.”'
Curran receives one hour of rehab twice a day at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital from Monday to Friday.
He spends his weekends at home and hopes to be released permanently from the hospital by mid-December.
Adjustments continue to be made to his home, where he lives with his wife, Shelley, and the couple’s 18-month-old boy, Quentin.
Doorways are being widened and his home is now accessible from the garage by wheelchair.
“You’re constantly changing things,” said Curran.
“Having a disability is very expensive,” added Doucette.
Take Curran’s new wheelchair, for example. On Thursday, he received a state-of-the-art manual Kuschall wheelchair worth between $3,000 and $4,000. The chair was one of 15 donated to persons with spinal cord injury across Canada through a partnership of Invacare Canada and the Rick Hansen Wheels in Motion.
Curran is currently shopping around for a power wheelchair for outdoor travel.
He is determined to push himself as far as he can go. He is set on eventually driving again.
He knows his disability makes impossible a return to his job as an equipment operator at Atlantic Enterprises, where he buried telephone cables for Aliant before his accident. He is a red seal welder, but he doesn’t know if that occupation could become a viable option down the road.
For now, he is dealing with his daily challenges and gradual advancements.
“I don’t like looking ahead too far because you get worked up,” he said.
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Ernie Arnold from Hong Kong writes: I am so glad to hear that there is some improvement, Michael. I am sure it is very frustrating by times. Your lifetime habit of working hard and having a positive attitude will help you through this. Remember if God gives it to you, He will help you through it. Take care
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lynda brown from charlottetown, pei writes: God doesn't give you the cross to bear. Those crosses are man-made. God does, however, give you the faith to bear the cross.
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Jennifer Dunn from California writes: Great to hear that you are finally on the mend! You are so strong and you have the wonderful support of Shelley and your son.
Keep up the good fight!
Jennifer
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Lisa Rogerson from Calgary, AB writes: My thought are with you both Mike and Shelly. So happy to hear you're on the mend and will soon return home for good. Keep your spirits up and know that you've got friends everywhere rooting for you.
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barry gillis from brampton, ont writes: Good luck on your recovery my thoughts are with you both
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sonia carrillo from moreno valley,ca, usa writes: I am glad to hear you are doing better 6 months after injury, my husband broke c4,c5,c6 spinal cord injury 3 months ago and it is very frustrating to see the small progress he has made. Your story gives us hope!
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Liam B from Aberdeen, Scotland writes: good news your doing so well. keep it up. its like reading a story about myself, i'm 27 years young and badly broke my T12 March 27th this year in Dubai skiing indoors. I know a guy who broke his C2 11 months ago mountain biking in Brazil and another who broke his T4 fighting in Afghanistan. 3 guys, exceptional bad luck, all wheeling around. i cant return to work offshore so am in the office instead. hey look on the bright side! at least you wont have to breath in weld fumes no more....i know a few coded welders myself. and you will be driving again. it just takes time to figure out the controls. i've now got a car which i could never have bought prior to my injury and having one makes my life 1000% easier......on top of that all my friends buy the rounds in at the bar and i never have to wait for a seat when watching the football.......
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