Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsCrestwood man recovers from spinal cord injury

Crestwood man recovers from spinal cord injury

| Source: whas11.com

It is Larry Biven’s first trip away from home since December 10. Eight months ago to the day an accident on I-71 changed his life: Larry survived, his spinal cord did not.

Now with wife Mindy, his primary caregiver, even a visit to the doctor is a daylong project. Larry is paralyzed from the neck down, but after therapy in Colorado, he is breathing on his own, operating his own wheelchair.

Every movement of his chair is still difficult, but Larry is learning to navigate, learning to live with limitations.

Larry and Mindy are visiting UofL spinal cord researcher Dr. Chris Shields, and even revisiting the accident.

“I wedged up underneath the truck. I came to a crashing stop quickly, thinking I probably whiplashed myself,” says Larry.

It was the worst possible outcome — a full spinal cord injury. There have been small improvements but Larry is still paralyzed. There is new research; there is hope, but also a sobering truth.

“If one is going to improve and get better, they usually do so in the first two or three months after the injury. And from that point on, we really assume it’s a complete injury, even though there may be minor improvement for 12 to 18 months, after the injury, for the most part there’s little improvement after that time,” Dr. Shields says.

So Larry Biven has become one of those waiting for a miracle breakthrough. The first goal: to preserve his body.

“We’ve got a good rehab center here, and I think we need to get you over here and get you started there. That’s where I want to go.”

It is the immediate destination for a family struck by yesterday’s tragedy, hoping for tomorrow’s miracle.

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