Spinal Cord Injury and Thrill Seeking Wheelchair Adventures

Archive for the 'Personal Spinal Injury Stories' Category

Tim Ward – Light At The End Of The Tunnel

Posted on September 12 2009  by Graham

Hello, my name is Timothy Ward. On November 13th of 2008 I was in a serious motor vehicle accident which rendered me a C5 complete tetraplegic. After the accident I spent five weeks in the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia then flew home to Christchurch, New Zealand and spent seven months in the Burwood Spinal…

Quadriplegia – A View From The Chair

Posted on August 29 2009  by Graham

Caused by disruption or injury to the spinal cord between C1 and C7 quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia in Europe, is a traumatic life changing event. I’m Graham, founder of the Mad Spaz Club. At 24 I knew little about quadriplegia, that was all about to change. Lying in a hospital bed I remember thinking of all the things I’d never…

Tegan Crick – Every Mothers Day

Posted on August 22 2009  by Graham

It Was Mothers Day. I was meant to go and see Mum but we decided to go bush bashing first. My boyfriend and I were in the back of a 4 wheel drive. It was fun for a while then things got out of hand. The last thing I remember was my boyfriend yelling at the driver to slow down. I woke up in hospital a C5 paraplegic. I knew things were serious as my parents were really upset. They told me I’d never be able to walk again. I have some use of my arms and hands though need a carer to help me shower.

Gimp – A Word Not A Condition

Posted on August 8 2009  by Graham

Two Certain Things About Being a Gimp:

Each of us wonders how or why it had to happen to us.
If you haven’t experienced it, you will probably never fully understand what it’s all about.

 
For me it happened gradually and nobody connected the dots. In my 30’s I was on “the rack” to stretch my spine. The…

Janine Shepherd – Learning To Fly

Posted on July 25 2009  by Graham

Janine Shepherd was a 24 year old cross country skier in training for the winter Olympics when her life took a dramatic turn in 1986, hit by a truck while training in the Blue Mountains. Janine suffered terrible spinal cord injuries breaking her neck and back. Doctors and family feared she would not survive. Her incredible…