Jalessa
“The advice I would like to give a new spinal cord injury patient is that things get better! Your life doesn’t stop! You can do anything you want to!”
When my accident first happened, I felt so alone. Although there are a lot of spinal cord patients, people stared and distanced themselves as if I had a contagious disease. These experiences set me back and made me stay home. I wanted to just live in my little bubble. NO, THAT IS NOT OK!”
“The advice I would like to give a new spinal cord injury patient is that things get better! Your life doesn’t stop! You can do anything you want to! You can be productive. This new way of life may be challenging, but you are built for it! You are a wheelchair user, and this big world will challenge you, so kick its butt! Do not limit yourself because people are going to stare. They fear the unknown and are curious about your new way of life. When you get comfortable, explaining what happened can prove to be therapeutic. Show them that Superman isn’t the only superhero! Never feel alone because we all went through it in our own way. Connect with your fellow wheelchair users and be a sponge. You can learn so much and figure out things that can better your life! Lastly, when someone says no or slams the door in your face, don’t stop!!! No means a new opportunity! Slamming the door means going full speed in your wheelchair and knocking that door off the hinge (not literally). If at first, you don’t succeed, try again because failure is not an option! You are one of the bravest people in the universe!