Living with Wholeheartedness

I recently watched a Ted talk by Terry Chase, a PE teacher and adventure enthusiast who suffered a T-12 incomplete spinal cord injury when she was hit from behind by a drunk driver while riding her bike. After her accident, they found that she had paralysis of her lower legs and Gluteus Maximus and retained some use of her legs. As she entered into the stages of rehab, she found that she needed to take the first step to get to the next step. Soon after, she found herself looking at all the things she missed about her old life, thinking about what it would be like to give into being free and letting go of what she had to deal with, but found herself driven to break through her challenges head-on. She started giving back by going to nursing school and going back to the rehab she went to and developing the patient family education program for people with spinal cord injuries. She found passion and genuine connections through her work, explaining that she learned to give wholeheartedly in every step she takes to inspire others to take their first step. 

I love Terry Chase's perspectives on her injury and how she had to reframe how she looked at it to find true meaning for the rest of her life. As a future OT practitioner, it is essential to think about how I can encourage others to find meaning within their current situation and ask them to reflect on what they want to achieve to live a fulfilled life. As students, we can learn through the hardships and triumphs that people with spinal cord injuries and other conditions work through to meet their goals. We must fuel their fire by showing support, having compassion, developing meaningful interventions, and making goals that fit the just right challenge. This Ted talk connects to our course work because it dives into the social and emotional difficulties people with spinal cord injuries may face when recovering. Although a lot of the recovery process has to do with physical ability after the injury, it is important to consider the challenges the client may be facing adjusting to the journey they have ahead of them and providing the tools, support, and encouragement to help them face what they are dealing with.

Another resource I would love to share for spinal cord injuries is an episode of Queer Eye Season 7, Speedy for Life- it shows the queer eye transformation of Ray "Speedy" Walker who lives in New Orleans. The team helps Speedy gain confidence and acceptance and learn to advocate for himself after his injury. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/who-is-speedy-on-queer-eye-meet-the-season-7-hero/ar-AA1bdjoU

References

Chase, T. (2018, October 17). Spinal cord injury & beyond. Www.ted.com. https://www.ted.com/talks/terry_chase_spinal_cord_injury_beyond

MSN. (n.d.). Www.msn.com. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/news/who-is-speedy-on-queer-eye-meet-the-season-7-hero/ar-AA1bdjoU

Watch Queer Eye | Netflix Official Site. (n.d.). Www.netflix.com. Retrieved August 8, 2023, from https://www.netflix.com/watch/81594637?trackId=255824129

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