I have been thinking for a while about posting about this and have finally decided to write it out.
On september 20th, I was at the barn folding laundry around 8:30 AM, when it felt like I had sand in my shoe. I sat down only to discover nothing in my shoe. Ok, my foot’s just asleep for some reason. I didn’t think anything of it, but by 9:00ish, my calf had begun to feel like it was falling asleep. Still, I ignored it and started getting a horse ready for my boss. Midway through, I developed a sharp pain in the back of my neck, and the tingling feeling had worked its way up to my hip. By this point I was starting to freak out a little bit and decided I needed to go to the doctor.
My (wonderful) boyfriend came to get me and we went to patient first, where they thought maybe a pinched nerve. They prescribed Prednisone and sent me on my way with instructions to come back in a couple days if it wasn’t better. Well once I was home I couldn’t get comfortable, but finally fell asleep around 1PM. When I woke up an hour later, the numbness had worked its way all the way up my right side, including my arm, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to walk. I decided it was time to go to the ER.
Once in the ER i was taken for an MRI, where it was discovered that I had a Cavernoma on my spinal cord that had burst. A Cavernoma is basically a collection of blood vessels that looks a little like a blackberry. In some cases, they burst and cause bleeding and swelling. This is what was causing the loss of sensation and movement. By the time I was admitted to the hospital just before midnight, I could no longer walk.
Originally, the plan was to watch the bleeding for about a week to see if it stopped before making a decision about surgery. However, another MRI showed that the bleeding had gotten worse, and the decision to do surgery was made. By the time of surgery on September 24th, I had almost no mobility on the right side and limited mobility on the left side. My surgeon scared the bejesus out of my mom by telling her my cavernoma was in the same location as Christopher Reeve’s injury, even though they were entirely different problems.
Fast forward a few days. I began to regain some movement in my left arm and leg. On October 4th, exactly two weeks almost to the hour from going to the ER, I was admitted to a rehab facility. I am getting 3 hours of therapy per day - 1 1/2 occupational therapy and 1 1/2 physical therapy.
This facility has done a wonderful job. I can see improvements almost every day. My left arm and hand are at almost normal functionality. My right arm, which I couldn’t move at all, now can be raised to about shoulder level and i can grasp somethings, although it is still difficult. My right leg has decent sensation and mobility is getting better all the time. The left leg, which has been stronger the whole time, still has basically no sensation. I am walking short distances with the help of a walker and someone helping to support me. The doctors and therapists are all very positive in their hopes of me regaining most, if not all, of my normal functions.
This has all been a pretty big blow to me. I am 23 years old, very i dependent and active. I was working at a show barn, 6 or 7 days a week, often 12 hour days. Often longer when traveling to shows. I have been confined to a bed and wheelchair for the past two months. My discharge date has been set for just before Christmas, with outpatient therapy continuing after that. My plan is to be back on a horse ASAP. my boss’ plan is for me to be able to head to Ocala with her at the end of January, even just to drive the golf cart and be the photographer! I try to stay positive and not dwell on the “what ifs”, but sometimes it’s hard.
Has anyone had any similar experiences with loss of movement and a return to riding? Even if not, it’s been mice to write out the whole story.
Basically, as long as you have friends to help spot you, don’t be afraid to think outside the box! Figure out what will work the best for you and make sure to tell the people helping you “this hurts, that’s ok, this makes me uncomfortable, I feel off balance, etc.”