I need to start writing more about my experiences during my long 76-day stay in the hospital and the short four-day stint I spent in that nursing home. While those times were filled with some pretty unpleasant memories, I believe I’m far enough removed now that they won’t trigger the same anxieties I developed back then. I’ll also share updates on my current condition with LiS and any new complications that might arise.
For those of you in healthcare, this might come in handy one day if you ever treat someone with LiS. It’s important to understand the three types: Classic, Total, and Incomplete. They range from complete quadriplegia to some limited voluntary movement. I’ve never been officially told which category I fall into, but based on the definitions, I believe mine is Incomplete.
I can move my head and neck — shaking “no” and nodding “yes.” I can shrug my shoulders, wiggle my toes, and move my left foot. All movement is confined to my left side, where I’m also able to rotate my leg from the hip. When my elbow is supported, I can raise my left hand vertically, and sometimes I even manage to lift the elbow itself — what started as one or two inches has grown to eight to ten. My wife arm wrestles with me sometimes, and I can put up a decent fight. Both hands have grip strength, though my fingers curl into fists that I can’t fully straighten — except for my left index finger, which is nearly straight.
Overall, I’ve made progress, though not as much as I’d like. I’m not a poster child for miraculous recovery from this hideous affliction. Still, I’ve come across stories of others who were written off and went on to recover fully, or nearly so, in less time than I’ve been at it. Thanks to my laptop — my new window to the world — I’ve only recently started discovering those stories, and they’ve lit a fire under me to write my own.
Side note: each week I include a song title and some lyrics tied to the blog’s theme. Some picks land better than others. While trying to come up with one for this post, my wife played a track that our son John-Riley had suggested she might like. As I listened, I broke down in tears. I’d never heard it before, but I knew immediately: this was the one. God-sent? Maybe. I’ll let you decide. But I know this much — I’m going to keep working ’Til I Can’t.
If you got a chance, take it
Take it while you got a chance
If you got a dream chase it
‘Cause a dream won’t chase you back
If you’re gonna love somebody
Hold ’em as long and as strong and as close as you can
‘Til you can’t – Song by Cody Johnson
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