A Reflection on "Spinal Cord & Beyond" from Terry Chase's TedTalk

 

Retrieved from: UT Southwestern researchers’ experiment brings hope for spinal cord injury patients – The Daily Texan

To further my learning on spinal cord injuries, I watched the TedTalk on "Spinal Cord & Beyond" by Terry Chase. She started off by talking about her experience with spinal cord injuries. Terry was on a 10-mile bike ride along the Colorado Bridge. While she was riding her bike, all of a sudden someone hit her from behind in a car. She remembers when the car hit her. She fell off her bike and remembers the sound of her bike crunching underneath the car. Terry sustained a T12 spinal cord injury (SCI) incomplete. So, what does that mean? In my Neuro Aspects class, we learned what a SCI is and the different types of them. A spinal cord injury is a neurological deficit that is caused by a disruption of the motor and sensory pathways of the spinal cord. The two categories are traumatic and nontraumatic and can also be classified as complete or incomplete. A complete is where the spinal cord has been completely cut through/in half. An incomplete is where the spinal cord has been smushed, bruised, or just nipped. As I mentioned, Terry had an incomplete SCI. 

In rehab, she talks about what she worked on. This included wheelchair use, transfers, and toileting. Although this is all-important, as a future OT practitioner, you would want to include activities/interventions that are meaningful to her. She mentioned she enjoyed being a PE coach and loved to bike. If she receives OT services, interventions should be based on some of the things that she wants to get back to doing and love. One day someone asked did Terry want to go water skiing. She didn't think this was possible and asked the doctor. The doctor said her back is firm enough and the go-ahead. This coming up year will be the 30th year that she water skied after her injury. SCI can affect a person mentally and physically. Terry proceeds to mention that there were two lessons to be learned. Number one: What is your first step, and taking it, and then number two: to listen deeply. There were times that Terry wanted to "go to the edge and be free" however, she realized that's not truly what she wanted. Terry continued her journey and went to nursing school. She later ended up back where she had rehab after her injury, to talk to and educate families that have experienced SCI.

I recommend this video to others to further their learning of spinal cord injuries. I chose this TedTalk video just to learn more about the injuries and their impact. Terry's personal experience was a great way to show how a SCI can impact someone mentally and physically. To further someone learning about these injuries, they can visit the Mayo Clinic website I listed below to explain more about what an SCI is, its symptoms, and its causes. 

References

Lancaster, S. (2023, August). Session 18: Spinal Cord Injury. OT 537 Neuro Aspects, University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021b, October 2). Spinal Cord Injury. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-cord-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20377890

Terry Chase. Spinal Cord Injury & Beyond [Video].                  

         TedTalk. https://www.ted.com/talks/terry_chase_spinal_cord_injury_beyond

Video link: Terry Chase: Spinal Cord Injury & Beyond | TED Talk

Website link: Spinal cord injury - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic