I can still sing but the amount of air I can hold, or how long I can hold out a note, has been compromised. I just cannot get a deep enough breath to hold out long notes.
I do not notice a difference when I am just breathing regularly, but if I try to take in a deep breathe, it takes a lot of work.
I can cough but I cannot get a hard cough out. Every level is different. I have upper muscles but they are weak. Once again, when I am sick or tired, everything gets weaker. Like anything weak, exercise is the best thing. Getting activity where I have to breath harder, and singing are great exercises for my weak respiratory muscles. Many of us are on disability obviously because we are paralyzed, but there is more to it than that. Anytime the central nervous system has been compromised, you tire out very quickly.
That is why when you suffer from a concussion, you want to sleep. A stroke, a brain injury, a severe concussion, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord damage…these are all things that affect the central nervous system. If you were to hike uphill all day long, you would reach the top exhausted. The time it takes you to reach a level of exhaustion happens very quickly for us. A day out for me, which is so wonderful, would be equivalent to you taking 3 days in a row of non-stop activity.
To me, this is one of the most frustrating parts of paralysis. I love to be busy and active and my body just will not let me. I try so hard and it wins. Learning to budget my energy has been the thing that I cannot seem to figure out.
I am doing better, but I always think I am the Energizer bunny or something. In reality, I am a cheap brand. Because of the energy levels, and many of the other hidden issues, it is very hard to work a full-time job. It is hard to predict what our day will look like. When will we have an accident and need to go home and shower? Are there colds going around that could land us in the hospital because we struggle with a common cold?
Will I wake up with another UTI? Do I have the energy to work that many days in a row? These are very real questions for us. There are those out there that feel that drawing a disability check is the greatest thing in the world. It is a blessing, but we would love to have the health to work like we once did. I am just happy to be a mom and be alive for my children. My kids are pretty glad about that too. It can be as devastating as the physical side. I will write about this separately.
They are not bitter cripples. Aside from fatigue and stamina issues, which i agree are very real when you have a spinal cord injury, what almost nobody understands for me is the timing of everything. I have to plan my life around my disabilities. Thank you for your blog. My husband has been in a wheelchair now for 10 years and I am learning things from what you wrote that I never knew before.
Of course vomiting is difficult and causes a great deal of back pain, but its a natural reaction to intense pain. Thank you so much for sharing your honest thoughts. My mom is recently paralyzed to what seems like the same degree as you; thanks for giving me some perspective on her feelings. Wishing you best. Bowel and bladder control was No. Regaining the ability to walk was No.
Anderson-Erisman, the director of education at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, has used a wheelchair since she was in a car accident at age Slowly, the research is changing. Stephenson agrees, and feels lucky that the stimulator changed his life. First, of course, is his "zero to hero" sex life. The stimulator also gave him greater bladder and bowel control. Before the surgery, Stephenson and the other men said they would sometimes urinate or defecate without warning.
But now Stephenson's bowel and bladder control are nearly where they were before his accident. That's not just important for his quality of life, but also for the length of his life; a too-full bladder can lead to fatal blood infections or kidney damage. This device can be used as a form of physiotherapy for the penis.
Say what? It can be used on its own or in combination with other therapies. This device can enhance the effectiveness of medications. It works through vacuum suction to pull blood into the vessels of your your penis creating an erection. If you regularly stretch the vessels, they become more flexible over time just like a balloon, you need to stretch it a few times and then it is easier to blow up.
You must be careful and take this slow. Bruising can occur if you pump too much too fast. If you have sensation, there will be an aching feeling as a warning.
Slow and steady wins the race here. Some men report penile shrinkage after SCI. This can be due to the loosening of abdominal muscles creating a bigger belly, weight gain and not having regular erections. The VED can be helpful for this. Otherwise known as tension bands or cock rings. These bands hold blood in the penis using tension or pressure once you have an erection. These bands can safely be left in place for a maximum of 30 minutes.
There are different sizes, types and materials. Consulting a professional to make the right choice is strongly recommended. Most men freak out when they learn about this option.
You want me to put a needle where?? This reaction is valid but that being said, this method has been used for decades and is effective and more affordable then some of the other options.
It works by injecting a medication directly into the tubes of the penis that typically fill with blood during an erection. Some men find this a weird option. But most men get over their initial reactions when they see it working. Consulting a medical professional is strongly advised for this. The use of lubricants is very individual. For some people lubrications can increase sensation but for others it can decrease it. They can be beneficial to protect the sensitive skin of the genitals during friction.
There are lots of different options of lubrication depending on the activity. Water-soluble and fragrance free is preferred because it is less likely to cause irritation or infection and they are condom-friendly.
Mindfulness can be used a way to increase your awareness of your body, limiting your judgments about your body and staying present in the moment. All of these are all helpful for sexual activity. Visit the Sensory page to learn more about how to be mindful. Can be used to crank up the volume of stimulus on the genitals when sensation is limited.
These devices can be used to achieve ejaculation depending on the level of your injury and to increase pleasure with sexual play. That being said, caution needs to be taken when experimenting with these devices because they can cause AD, skin breakdown, or other injuries. There are lots of devices on the market and it can be confusing to decide which device would work best for you. Consultation with a medical provider initially is recommended. Use this helpful handbook to switch things up in the bedroom and find out what works best for you!
Orgasms can happen with or without a partner! Exploring by yourself is half the fun. Priapism: A medical emergency! It is defined as an erection that lasts longer than 3 hours. Even though it might sound awesome to have an erection for 3 hours, it is actually dangerous and can permanently damage the blood vessels in your penis.
If this happens to you, you need to go to the emergency room. This can occur if you are using any of the erection enhancement options. Autonomic Dysreflexia AD : A medical emergency!
If your level of injury is above T6, you are probably quite familiar with AD. AD is defined as a sudden increase in blood pressure above mmHg systolic the top number of your blood pressure. Typical symptoms of AD are: severe headache, feelings of anxiety, sweating above level of injury, flushed face, goose bumps, blotching of the skin, blurred vision, nasal congestion, feeling generally unwell.
If AD is experienced during sex, stop activity immediately and sit yourself up. If your blood pressure remains elevated for longer than 5 minutes, medical intervention is necessary.
Medication Side Effects and Contraindications : Just like with any medications there are things that need to be reviewed with you before taking them.
These include potential side effects and how other medications you take interact with the new medication. Specific side effects should be reviewed with you by your prescribing doctor, family doctor, or physiatrist.
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