Paralyzed Stingley remembered for grace

Darryl Stingley, paralyzed by one of the most infamous hits in the history of professional football, was remembered Tuesday for the grace with which he accepted his life-altering injury.

“For almost 30 years, people wanted to hear Darryl curse God or at least curse the man who took his dreams away,” said the Rev. Edward C. Brown, Stingley’s cousin.

“Darryl was a good man. He didn’t stop serving God just because he had a life of suffering and pain. … He lived a life focused on the future and not on the past.” Continue Reading »

Stingley inspired with way he lived after injury Stingley, who died at age 55, was a symbol of hope

The former New England receiver, who died Thursday at age 55, lived life as fully as he could while restricted to his wheelchair after being paralyzed by a hit in a preseason game in 1978.

CHICAGO – For years, Darryl Stingley was football’s most visible reminder of the danger inherent in a most violent sport.

Stingley was a 26-year-old New England Patriots receiver when a tackle by Oakland safety Jack Tatum paralyzed him in an exhibition game against the Raiders on Aug. 12, 1978. Stingley spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair and died Thursday morning at age 55 after he was found unconscious by his wife, Martine, in his Chicago condominium. Continue Reading »

Los Angeles Man Working to Beat Comeback Odds After Spinal Cord Injury Leads to Paralysis

Newswise — According to the diagnostic scans, Leon Smith would never be able to reach out with his arms, grasp with his hands or take another step.

But the X-rays and MRIs were completed last August after Smith suffered a devastating injury to his spinal cord. Today, the Los Angeles resident is working toward resuming a normal life after two operations at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center gave him a chance to beat overwhelming odds.

“This is a one-in-a-million case,” said Justin D. Paquette, M.D., neurosurgeon at the Cedars-Sinai Institute for Spinal Disorders. Continue Reading »

An Oregon Tale

RECENTLY MY OLDEST son, Noah, graduated from the University of Oregon. He wore the traditional cap with tassel as a concession to his mother’s prodding. The gown, however, bothered him. Where the hell did the long flowing folds belong? He opted to go without, etiquette be damned. In its place he put on a bright pink shirt with striped tie. If you are going to draw attention, you may as well shine. As he proceeded forward amidst the other students draped in black, he glowed like an orchid in a bed of coal.

When the Provost announced Noah’s name, a loud cheer interrupted the decorum. The ovation celebrated an effort occurring parallel to the academics. These were his fans. They rightfully claimed a moment of brazen discourteousness. My resistance to the incessant urge for a feel good moment, about a story that has never felt very good, wavered. I allowed myself a smile. Continue Reading »

Andara OFS Therapy for Acute Spinal Cord Injury repair

We’ve written before about Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems’ BrainGate, a brain-implant device designed to control a computer, assistive devices and eventually, limb movement. The company’s focus is neural stimulation, sensing and processing technology to improve the lives of those with severe paralysis resulting from spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders and other conditions of the nervous system. Cyberkinetics’ product development pipeline includes:

Andara OFS (Oscillating Field Stimulator) Therapy for acute spinal cord injury, an investigative device designed to stimulate nerve repair and restore sensation and Motor function; the; and a pilot program in the detection and prediction of seizures due to Epilepsy. Continue Reading »

Beware the chair

Travis Oldhouser proves Quad rugby isn’t for the scared, soft or squeamish

PHILADELPHIA – Metal slammed into metal in the middle of the gym.

Bodies jolted.

Spectators winced.

And players smiled devilish, satisfied smiles.

This was practice for the guys with broken necks and cracked spines.

It was a strange scene, wheelchairs racing across the floor, bumper car-style crashes every few minutes. Continue Reading »

Zablocki Medical Center to get federal funds for spinal unit

Milwaukee’s Zablocki VA Medical Center will receive $32.5 million for a new Spinal Cord Injury Unit (SCI) under the federal Continuing Appropriations Resolution for fiscal 2007.

Zablocki Medical Center is the only U.S. Veterans Affairs unit that treats spinal cord injuries in Wisconsin and only one of 23 in the United States. Continue Reading »

What’s the difference between a paraplegic and a quadriplegic?

What’s the difference between a Paraplegic and a quadriplegic?

Spinal cord injuries occur when there’s damage to the spinal cord. The result is loss of function, usually in mobility or feeling. Severe injuries that occur in the neck usually result in Quadriplegia, which is paralysis from about the shoulders down. Typically, the higher the neck injury, the more Disability there is. Continue Reading »

Drew’s Life After paralysis

The Donnellans had their annual Christmas party one week ago.

They served the same jerk chicken with rice and peas, made by a friend of Fran’s from Jamaica. Friends surged through the doors starting at 2 p.m.

Parents chatted and kids played in the backyard of their Midtown home. Drew sat in his wheelchair in the middle of the room, talking more than ever. Wickett, his dog, sat on his lap. Continue Reading »

A ‘Miracle’ In Tennessee

A ‘Miracle’ In Tennessee: Charlene Caswell Transforms Herself From Quadriplegic to Hiker, With Help from The Hartford

Walking away from a seemingly permanent Disability requires tenacity, excellent care and a talented, committed insurance team

HARTFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Charlene Caswell’s life changed abruptly on a snowy day last February after the truck in which she was riding flipped over, fracturing her Cervical spine and injuring her spinal cord. Continue Reading »