For those of you interested in the medical management of chronic quadriplegia and its concurrent medical complications, there is an in depth article on the treatment protocol I have been undergoing the past several years in the August '09 issue of the Journal of Prolotherapy. (see "Remarkable Recoveries")

One common misperception many have about spinal cord injury is that the affected individual has no sensation and thus, no pain. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many spinal cord injured individuals, including myself, live with high levels of chronic pain. Prolotherapy is one of the tools in my arsenal to combat mine. The article can also be read in its entirety at prolotherapy.org. Here is the abstract:

Chronic pain, osteoporosis, and joint degeneration are common problems facing a spinal cord injury (SCI) patient. To date, there are no published case studies documenting the effectiveness of Prolotherapy in reducing pain and improving joint function in SCI patients. The following is a case study of the use of Prolotherapy to decrease neuropathic, overuse, and pain from joint degeneration as well as improve function in an incomplete C4-C5 quadriplegic.
 

“In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices they face if they follow their conscience – the loss of their friends, their fortune, their contentment, even the esteem of their fellow people – everyone must decide for themselves the course they will follow. The stories of past courage can define that ingredient – they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this everyone must look into their own soul.”

                                                                    – John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Place your burden

At the feet of the Lord of the Universe

Who accomplishes everything.

Remain all the time steadfast in the Heart,

In the Transcendental Absolute.

God knows the past, present, and future.

He will determine the future for you,

And accomplish the work.

What is to be done will be done

At the proper time.  Don’t worry.

Abide in the Heart, and surrender your acts

To the divine.

 Ramana Maharshi

  "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation
                            determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."
                                       Lou Holtz: Former football coach, author, motivational speaker

"Mental preparation never ends."

What, you were hoping I would tell you when you could stop?!

"See, My children, that even in distress, the first step is Praise. Before you cry in your distress, bless the Lord; even then troubles may seem to overwhelm you. That is my Divine order of approach. Observe this always. In the greatest distress, search until you find cause for thankfulness. Then bless and thank."

---"GOD CALLING", EDITED BY A.J. RUSSELL