Spinal Cord Injuries

A sudden impact on the spinal column can alter the lifestyle of an individual substantially. Without even severing the spinal cord, someone could be rendered incapable of walking or breathing without aid for the rest of their life. Due to the unique nature of each spinal cord injury, each patient suffering from these injuries needs special, individualized care.

Many people in the United States suffer from long-term effects caused by a spinal cord injury. According to a recent blog entry from The Mayro Law Firm in Phoenix, Arizona:

“Over ten thousand people in the United States suffer spinal cord injuries annually, with over 200,000 people already living their lives every day suffering the consequences of a spinal cord injury. Motor vehicle accidents are a major cause of spinal cord injuries, with falls and injuries related to sports activities following close behind as factors in this catastrophic injury. Emergency medical treatment and aggressive rehabilitation has come a long way in recent years to minimize the damage and restore functional abilities in some cases.”

The famous musician, Phil Collins, recently announced that he could no longer play the drums due to a spinal cord injury. He had been battling his pain caused by his injury for years, but it wasn’t until recently that he had to quit completely. The Injury Lawyer Directory, an online resource for information on personal injury, posted a blog entry on September 15^th, 2009 which states:

“In recent years, Collins has been taping his drum sticks to his hands in order to make it through a set. However, even this solution continues to cause him pain, and after serious deliberation, he has decided to put his health first, forcing him to set down his drum sticks once and for all.”

CareMeridian Traumatic Brain Injury Specialist

In the previous story a man was able to communicate with his family after 23 years of silence resulting from a brain injury causing car accident.  While the man was deemed by doctors to be in a vegetative state, his family never gave up on him and remained hopeful that he would once again communicate with them. After 23 years, it finally happened. New technology proved that the man had normal brain activity and new medical breakthroughs allowed doctors to unlock part of his brain that would give him back the ability to reciprocate communication.

At CareMeridian Nursing Home, the medical staff specializes in the subacute and skilled nursing and rehabilitation of patients suffering from traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injury, or medical complexities such as neuromuscular or congenital anomalies.  They have medical professionals that are experts in the field and state-of-the-art equipment that provide patients with the best chance of rehabilitation.  They have a staff that develops a relationship with each patient individually and cares for them on a personal level. More than anything, the staff at CareMeridian provide patients, families and friends with hope.  After 23 years, hope is what kept the man in the previous story alive.