Max
12-23-2002, 09:22 AM
Smith conquering paralyzing injury
Special to the Banner
Published Sunday, December 22, 2002 6:00 AM EDT
ATLANTA -- As an avid cycler and athlete, Carl Smith is use to pushing himself to the limits. What he didn't foresee, however, is that his determination and strength would be tested on a life-altering injury.
In September, 60-year-old Smith crashed his bicycle as he rode down a steep hill near his home in Cleveland.
Traveling nearly 30-miles per hour, he lost traction on a wet road and then lost control of his bike. Within seconds, he was tossed into a ditch, landing on his shoulder.
"The last thing I remember is going over the handlebars," said Smith, who recalled the emotional experience, where he went in and out of consciousness. "My son Andy was with me and was trying to find help to get me out of the ditch."
Smith's wife Carolyn learned of the news from Andy's phone call.
"He just told me that Carl might have a broken arm and to meet them at Bradley Memorial Hospital," she said.
Yet, Smith's injuries were much worse than expected. Doctor's determined that he had broken his neck at the fifth cervical vertebra. He was transferred to Erlanger Medical Center because they suspected a spinal cord injury and paralysis.
For the next two weeks, while in a hospital bed, he imagined what life would be like if he could not walk again and grew increasingly depressed.
"I was in the best shape of my life before this accident," said Smith, who had ridden more than 150 miles in the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, just two weeks before the injury.
A self-described perfectionist, Smith was determined not to wallow in depression. After going to Atlanta's Emory University Hospital for surgery on his neck, he transferred to Atlanta's Shepherd Center, known as the country's largest hospital for brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
Paralysis, caused by the spinal cord injury, and weakened muscles left him extremely weak. Although he could move his legs, he could not walk. He didn't have enough strength to balance himself standing or sitting upright in a chair. He needed help to comb his hair and brush his teeth because his hands and fingers were partially paralyzed.
"I was kind of messed up," laughed Smith.
At Shepherd, he quickly began a daily regimen of physical, occupational and recreational therapies designed to help him recover as much as strength and movement as possible. Physical therapy focused on rebuilding strength and flexibility in his legs. Occupational therapists helped him stretch his upper body muscles and regain as much use of his hands as he could. In keeping with his personality, Smith pushed himself to the point of exhaustion.
"He is very self-motivated," said Robin Moss, a Shepherd Center physical therapist, as she directed Smith to perform lunges in the rehab gym. "We work well together because I feed off of patients who put everything they have into therapy."
Smith admits he sought out this type of rehab to match his personality.
"I requested to work with Robin because I heard she was 'the drill sergeant,'" he said.
Gradually, Smith progressed from a wheelchair, to a walker and today walks completely unassisted. Most recently, Moss even spotted him as he jogged a few laps in Shepherd's gymnasium.
Today as he and Carolyn leave Shepherd Center, Smith is a changed man who appreciates life more and feels his faith is deeper than ever before.
He says he will miss the intensity of the work at Shepherd and the opportunity to encourage other patients who are dealing with greater challenges than he.
Although Smith retired from Arch Chemicals Inc., in Rochester, NY, and is a chemical engineer, he is considering getting certified to teach high school math or chemistry.
In the meantime, he will continue outpatient therapy several times a week at Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation.
Carolyn will simply be glad to have him home and return their everyday life.
"This has been very hard on him because he's not used to having other people wait on him," she said. "But I guess in the back of my mind I always felt that if anyone could come out of this OK, he'd be the one."
Nationwide, there are approximately 10,000 new spinal cord injuries each year. Auto accidents account for 36 percent of such injuries followed by violence and falls.
COPYRIGHT ® 2002 Cleveland Daily Banner, a
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/NF/omf/daily_banner/news_story.html?[rkey=0035071+[cr=gdn
Special to the Banner
Published Sunday, December 22, 2002 6:00 AM EDT
ATLANTA -- As an avid cycler and athlete, Carl Smith is use to pushing himself to the limits. What he didn't foresee, however, is that his determination and strength would be tested on a life-altering injury.
In September, 60-year-old Smith crashed his bicycle as he rode down a steep hill near his home in Cleveland.
Traveling nearly 30-miles per hour, he lost traction on a wet road and then lost control of his bike. Within seconds, he was tossed into a ditch, landing on his shoulder.
"The last thing I remember is going over the handlebars," said Smith, who recalled the emotional experience, where he went in and out of consciousness. "My son Andy was with me and was trying to find help to get me out of the ditch."
Smith's wife Carolyn learned of the news from Andy's phone call.
"He just told me that Carl might have a broken arm and to meet them at Bradley Memorial Hospital," she said.
Yet, Smith's injuries were much worse than expected. Doctor's determined that he had broken his neck at the fifth cervical vertebra. He was transferred to Erlanger Medical Center because they suspected a spinal cord injury and paralysis.
For the next two weeks, while in a hospital bed, he imagined what life would be like if he could not walk again and grew increasingly depressed.
"I was in the best shape of my life before this accident," said Smith, who had ridden more than 150 miles in the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, just two weeks before the injury.
A self-described perfectionist, Smith was determined not to wallow in depression. After going to Atlanta's Emory University Hospital for surgery on his neck, he transferred to Atlanta's Shepherd Center, known as the country's largest hospital for brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
Paralysis, caused by the spinal cord injury, and weakened muscles left him extremely weak. Although he could move his legs, he could not walk. He didn't have enough strength to balance himself standing or sitting upright in a chair. He needed help to comb his hair and brush his teeth because his hands and fingers were partially paralyzed.
"I was kind of messed up," laughed Smith.
At Shepherd, he quickly began a daily regimen of physical, occupational and recreational therapies designed to help him recover as much as strength and movement as possible. Physical therapy focused on rebuilding strength and flexibility in his legs. Occupational therapists helped him stretch his upper body muscles and regain as much use of his hands as he could. In keeping with his personality, Smith pushed himself to the point of exhaustion.
"He is very self-motivated," said Robin Moss, a Shepherd Center physical therapist, as she directed Smith to perform lunges in the rehab gym. "We work well together because I feed off of patients who put everything they have into therapy."
Smith admits he sought out this type of rehab to match his personality.
"I requested to work with Robin because I heard she was 'the drill sergeant,'" he said.
Gradually, Smith progressed from a wheelchair, to a walker and today walks completely unassisted. Most recently, Moss even spotted him as he jogged a few laps in Shepherd's gymnasium.
Today as he and Carolyn leave Shepherd Center, Smith is a changed man who appreciates life more and feels his faith is deeper than ever before.
He says he will miss the intensity of the work at Shepherd and the opportunity to encourage other patients who are dealing with greater challenges than he.
Although Smith retired from Arch Chemicals Inc., in Rochester, NY, and is a chemical engineer, he is considering getting certified to teach high school math or chemistry.
In the meantime, he will continue outpatient therapy several times a week at Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation.
Carolyn will simply be glad to have him home and return their everyday life.
"This has been very hard on him because he's not used to having other people wait on him," she said. "But I guess in the back of my mind I always felt that if anyone could come out of this OK, he'd be the one."
Nationwide, there are approximately 10,000 new spinal cord injuries each year. Auto accidents account for 36 percent of such injuries followed by violence and falls.
COPYRIGHT ® 2002 Cleveland Daily Banner, a
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/NF/omf/daily_banner/news_story.html?[rkey=0035071+[cr=gdn