Articles Tagged: Quadriplegia
Most authors who publish research articles use statistics to make their conclusions. Hold on to your seats! Statistics have a way of losing even the best of readers. What we’ll try to do here is give you a very simple, streamlined understanding of statistics.
In general, statistics are used to describe something or to examine differences among groups or relationships among characteristics. Statisticians will use terms like mean, median, and standard deviation. Continue Reading »
The world we live in – and we ourselves – place a very high value on physical independence. We’re raised on the expectation that we will ultimately take care of ourselves. As toddlers, we learn to dress and feed ourselves, as teens we learn to drive and to think for ourselves and finally, as adults, we assume responsibility for our lives. Hallelujah, we’ve finally grown up. Continue Reading »
For Better and For Worse
No one plans on spinal cord injury. “No one” includes you–the spouse, the family, the person who provides care–as well as the survivor. Yet you’ve been there, all this time. And by now you know that there’s not much out there in the way of support for spouses, friends and family. You say you feel neglected? Continue Reading »
There are lots of reasons why people with disabilities decide to get more help. Some don’t have a choice – because of the extent of their disabilities, because of their family situations, or because of other health issues. Some don’t have time to do all of their personal care, homemaking, and other tasks themselves. And some just plain don’t want to do these things themselves! However, regardless of the reason for getting help, most people prefer to have the entire caregiving and care receiving process be as short and un-disruptive as possible.
One good way to minimize disruption and to keep caregivers from becoming the focus of your life is to get organized. Continue Reading »
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, accounting for more than 30% of all of their cancers. While spinal cord injury itself does not place women at higher risk of breast cancer, some of the results of SCIreduced sensation, less likelihood of bearing childrencan place SCI women in higher risk categories.
What Is Breast Cancer? Continue Reading »
It freaks many people out, but to some spinal cord injury survivors, a colostomy is a perfectly reasonable way to manage those cranky bowels. In fact, in one study, nearly three-quarters of the spinal cord injury survivors with colostomies reported an improved quality of life.
Just What is a Colostomy? Continue Reading »
Eating is one of the more enjoyable things life has to offer. That’s why what to eat and what not to eat – especially as it relates to our heart’s health – can be frustrating, complicated, and confusing. However, from your heart’s and circulatory system’s point of view, there seem to be two main things to worry about: fat, and fat!
The First “Fat” to Deal With Continue Reading »
You’ve probably heard those narrators on the National Geographic specials say things like “Water gives life” or “Without water there could be no life.” They’re overly dramatic, but they’re right.
It’s easier than you think to get dehydrated
We humans are more than 70% water. We begin to get dehydrated and our performance drops off with just so much as a 2% water loss. What can cause a 2% water loss? It doesn’t take much. It can happen to an athlete who’s competing, to someone who’s in bed with the flu or diarrhea, in the very hot weather, or even to someone who just doesn’t drink enough. Continue Reading »
What’s all the confusion about “complete” and “incomplete?” Complete usually means “total” or “whole,” while incomplete usually means “unfinished,” or “not yet perfect.” Although there aren’t many situations where we would like to hear ourselves described as “incomplete,” spinal cord injury may be one of them. Indeed, when it comes to nerve injuries and muscle paralysis, most everyone thinks that a partial paralysis or an Incomplete Injury is better than a complete injury or total paralysis. Does this mean that an incomplete injury is a good injury? It depends on how you look at it. Continue Reading »
What’s all the confusion about “complete” and “incomplete?” Complete usually means “total” or “whole,” while incomplete usually means “unfinished,” or “not yet perfect.” Although there aren’t many situations where we would like to hear ourselves described as “incomplete,” spinal cord injury may be one of them. Indeed, when it comes to nerve injuries and muscle paralysis, most everyone thinks that a partial paralysis or an Incomplete Injury is better than a complete injury or total paralysis. Does this mean that an incomplete injury is a good injury? It depends on how you look at it.
In the world of spinal cord injury, incomplete tells us a lot and very little at the same time. Continue Reading »
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