Tag: spinal cord and nerves
-
“One Construction Zone At a Time” // Who Knows What’s Next? for SCI Recovery | Nov 16 – 22 2025
Working On Left Hip – One Construction Zone At a Time
-
“Don’t Die Today” – Ocean & Desert Exploration for SCI Recovery | Nov 2 – 8 2025
“Don’t Die Today” – getting back in the groove of daily work/ life routine after SCI and vacation
-
Black Hooded Figure //Learning From Others, Social Engagement for SCI Rehab | Oct 19 – 25 2025
Externalization of our minds. Working through the black hooded figures inside ourselves. Learning about the natural frequencies in our bodies. Always something new to be learning.
-
New Meaning of The Word ‘Understanding’ – We Only Have What We Remember / Pairing Excitation With Inhibition for SCI Recovery | Oct 12 – 18 2025
And fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach. Come on and see us together, we’re just some tattered rags stained forever, we only have what we remember. – Listener
-
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, Stabilizer Cascade Theory, & ‘Keeping Perspective’ for SCI Recovery | Oct 5 – 11 2025
What do the Uncertainty Principle & The Stabilizer Cascade Theory have in common? Let’s explore these thoughts in this week’s entry!
-
Neural Rewiring and GI Triggers for SCI Recovery | Sep 28 – Oct 4 2025
All the work being put in, day in and day out. Feeling some new “rumblings”..
-
“Re-Entry Week” // Another Step in the Right Direction for SCI Rehab | Aug 31 – Sept 6 2025
8/31 This is another morning of some really full sensations in my lower extremities and joints!! Honestly my ankles have never felt so full! My left leg was even trying to help pull himself up and around onto the footplate too, this morning! Sometimes, I feel like my mind is still here, but my body…
-
The Astronaut On Earth
The reasons why I call myself an Astronaut On Earth, it turns out, have been growing as I have been learning more about astronauts, space, neuroscience, kinesiology, and continuing my rehabilitation from my Spinal Cord Injury. I want to take some time to help others understand why I’ve called myself this, and hopefully this will…
-
“Can You Kick It?” // Making Connections for SCI Recovery | July 20 – 26 2025
Making new connections while healing from the spinal cord injury makes for a rather interesting experience!
-
Lake Michigan // Party Time and Up For 23hrs – SCI Rehab Marathon | July 13 – 19 2025
7/13 My legs are really extending out while I’m laying in supine more and more while I’m waking up in bed! So much to think about when I get down on the floor. Which exercises to do, what to try, what did the PTs tell me to try? What did Therese tell me to try?…
-
T-Shirts, Fundraising, and Reciprocal Motion for SCI Rehab | July 6 – 12 2025
7/6 So I always liked mornings, but these days they’re really hard because I gotta wake up and I have such a giant urge to use the restroom. But I did something different this morning, and that was to grab the IdealKnee and start doing my 100’s! What’s interesting is how the sensation has all…
-
Legs in Extension & Family Visits for SCI Recovery | June 15 – 21 2025
6/15 I guess, days like this are bittersweet and very hard. There is so much my body needs, and it’s so hard. It’s so hard, mentally and physically. And I really need to keep moving. Today was a slower day for movement. I really don’t know what to say about that, except I know my…
-
Lake Michigan Lighthouse Project – Take 1 | May 11 – 17 2025
5/11 Wow, another day and another increase in sensation! My legs really needed yesterday! That was a great day of rest! I still incorporated activation into the day, but I really got caught up on some rest!! I realized too, how my hopefulness waxes and wanes as the day moves on. It’s a hard reality,…
-
Neurological Thresholds & Brother’s Birthday Party for SCI Rehab & Recovery | Mar 30 – Apr 5 2025
3/30 You know, I’m thinking about dancing and how your entire body moves during it? To me, this was something I was feeling very different with last night?! I feel like there’s something there, I just don’t know what yet. Like holy crap, I wore the compression top yesterday, after being completely exhausted, and today,…
-
Sit-To-Stands On The Go! Perception From Action to help SCI Recovery | Mar 23 – 29 2025
3/23 Wow! My legs are so engaged today!!! Callie and I were able to have a great start to the morning! I’m pretty glad to have her to work through all the things I have to improve in my body. It’s been a lot to try to tackle on my own, so I’m glad I…
-
Active Motor Learning and The Observer Effect for SCI Rehab – “Murder in the City”| Feb 16 – 22 2025
2/16 My legs have filled out so much in the past 24hrs, I say my legs, but that leaves out my abs, low back, and pelvic region as well! It’s truly remarkable what constantly putting new stimulus on your body does. Whether it be new textures and materials, new exercises, or even just new mental…
-
Enhancing Spinal Cord Injury Rehab with Low Backrest & Pilates | Jan 12 – 18 2025
1/12 Had an accident last night. This is probably why I shouldn’t have any alcohol. It’s just an opportunity for a let down. I guess it’s nice to “fit in” but that ships already sailed. Plus, you’ve managed just fine without it so far. I think it’s probably only right to hold off on it…
-
Exploring STS-90 Neurolab Insights During an Alberta Clipper | Dec 1 – Dec 7 2024
12/1 Holy crap! MY RIGHT FOOT JUST STOMPED ON THE FLOOR! that was crazy! He is really trying to go! I just want to get up and stand up and move! Wow I really felt that and the shockwave through my body, that was intense! You know it really does feel like I’m kickstarting old…
-
Are My Feet Cold?! – Addressing Temp Sensitivity in SCI Recovery Nov 3- Nov 9 2024
11/3 So I am feeling a significant change happening in my legs, it’s wild. I think this past week was a great chance to try to give my body a bit of a break? But also, it wasn’t because I was so dang busy in it…. Oof. My legs right now are sensating so much.…
-
Drink Your Electrolytes & Family Visits – Supporting SCI Recovery | Sept 29 – Oct 5 2024
9/29 Okay. This has been an interesting and wonderful week! My body is experiencing some drastic changes, and I’m feeling it. My low back right now is working through some extreme amounts of tightness, and it’s been amazing being able to actually feel that! My hips are unlocking, and my legs are really activating! My…
-
Aug 18th – Aug 24th 2024: “Backwards Crawl”
8/18 Okay, so I’m waking up, and feeling my left shoulder doesn’t quite like being laid on so much. I think it’s partially because I haven’t been to the gym very much last week! Need to step it back up! My left leg is making some rather huge movements these days, while I’m laying on…
-
Aug 11th – Aug 17th 2024: “Quantity Over Quality, Practice Makes Perfect”
8/11 Okay, so I’m not really sure why I was so tired today, but boy was I. Goodness I’m glad to have a nice recovery day!! I’m brushing my teeth standing up in the standing frame, and it’s interesting because I haven’t brushed my teeth and spit in a cup in what feels like forever.…
-
June 16th – June 22nd 2024: “Linus The Lump is Gone!”
6/16 Okay so my legs are ready. They are ready to do some things today! I need to get moving so they don’t feel so restless today! It’s interesting how I can take a second and reflect and see all the changes happening in my body. See and feel the changes. It’s really been a…
-
June 9th – June 15th 2024: “KNOULDERING!”
6/9 Wow, what a great day! Got to see my little pupper, that big ole floof! Did some crawling and laying in the sun! It was a really well spent day with the family, and just relaxing and enjoying everyone’s company. 6/10 Alright, so this morning I had one of the toughest goes I have…
-
June 2nd – June 8th 2024: “Kneel Bouldering = Knouldering?”
6/2 Alright, so it happened!!! I made it over to Jake and Carley’s! It was so cool, I did so many firsts! It was also really emotional, driving over there from the freeway. I actually teared up on the way over there. While I got off the freeway, I noticed how much had changed off…
-
May 12th – May 18th 2024: “Try and Fail, but Always Try!”
5/13 So, everytime I go to the gym after a longer break, I start to feel such different feelings from day to day. My lower back lately has been feeling so much! I can really feel him contracting! 5/14 It’s hard. Having to get up and try to do something, and then go at it…
-
May 5th – May 11th 2024: “First Crawl at The Park!”
5/5 I woke up today feeling rather under the weather! I may have been a bit over served last night at the bar, and might potentially had a case of the brown bottle flu. I’m glad this is a very rare occurrence! 5/6 So I woke up with a lot of ideas throughout the night!…
-
April 28th – May 4th 2024: Appointments on Appointments!
4/28 Welp, got therapy today! Need to work on getting these legs out of bed so I can get up! I know that I got therapy in a bit and need to get moving! It was a crazy last night!! My body sometimes is really awful to me, and doesn’t let me get much sleep.…
-
April 7th – April 13th 2024: Look Ma, No Hands!
4/7 Welp, that was a morning for the books! I really haven’t felt that good in a very long time. I’m really fortunate. Also, the feeling of having to go to the bathroom is getting to be just the feeling of the movement, and isn’t a bunch of pain! We made it to Culver’s and…
-
February 25th – March 2nd 2024: Just an Astronaut on Earth
Feb 25 Well, I had a really good start to the day! IM ACTUALLY WEARING REAL PANTS!!!! This is kinda wild, because I haven’t worn blue jeans this entire time since the accident! I used to wear these things all the time, or something similar, that kinda helped define me! I had these silly pairs…
-
February 18th – 24th 2024: Trust Your Legs
Feb 18th So this morning was interesting. I had quite a few thoughts on what all happened this past week, and what’s to come. I had a great session at the gym yesterday, and was very pleased to have gotten up yesterday when my motivation was pretty low, and I knew I needed to get…
-
Dec 24th – Dec 30th 2023: Another Christmas, Another UTI…
Dec 24th What’s crazy is going to church and seeing my mother. Seeing her hands, and thinking about what they signify. Like, I teared up just now just thinking about them. People go on a huge rant about god and what that means to them, but don’t see the amazing things that the ones around…
-
Dec 10th – Dec 16th: Asking For Help
Dec 11th What’s interesting, is the ability to ask for, and receive, help. This experience and this injury has given me the opportunity to truly understand what asking for help is like. By having to make yourself this vulnerable, it really forces us to acknowledge the fact that there are many things we can’t sometimes…
-
Nov 12th – Nov 18th: Spicy Sensations
Nov 12th Well I woke up feeling really good this morning! Not a bunch of nonsense in my tum, so I need to make sure I get up at a reasonable time. I need to order my backpack and those handrails… Okay so those are ordered, I’ll look at backpacks later! No worries there. I’m…
-
Getting Weight Bearing for SCI Rehabilitation | Aug 27 – Sep 2 2023
Tall kneeling – new books – new ideas – my pup I miss so much. Simple joys in life help make it all worth living.
-
Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Therapy for SCI Rehab | Aug 20 – 26 2023
BFR & Back To School!
-
Standing Frame Tolerance for SCI Health & Wellness | Aug 13 – 19 2023
Getting up in the standing frame, trying my hand at the guitar with bruised ribs. Trying to actually sleep again.
-
More Tossing & Turning – Therapy for SCI Recovery | Aug 6 – 12 2023
Getting in the swing of PT & trying to figure it all out
-
“We did it” Moving Forward from SCI Injury for Recovery | July 30 – Aug 5 2023
Better connections for Stim Pads? Getting outside? Try to do that more!
-
Back In Therapy for Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation | July 23 – 29 2023
First week back in Michigan and started at The Recovery Project! What a great name for what I’m working on!
-
Back In The Hospital | July 16 – 22 2023
Back in the hospital after only being home for 5 days.
-
First Week Home | July 9 – 15 2023
Back in town, reunited with Max. Trying to figure it all out.
-
-
Accident + ICU: Jessie’s Perspective
So I wanted to ask my siblings their perspective from this whole ordeal and accident. It’s been a lot to take in by myself, and what Jess has told me was definitely something to stir up quite the emotions. I love my family so much! I am glad to have gotten their accounts thru this…
The Astronaut on Earth 