Accessibility, Independence, and Dreams for Cory
Hi my name is Cory Nordstrand I am considered a T5 paraplegic and have been one now going on 10 years. Time sure flies. I also have a compromised immune system and very weakened and bones due to medications I was put on.
At the age of 19 I started experiencing horrible back pain and became incredibly uncoordinated. I was a skateboarder growing up so becoming as clumsy as I did was very unsettling and sure enough a MRI revealed my biggest fear, A tumor was pushing up against my spinal cord but the storywas only just beginning.
My first of four back surgeries was indeed the cause of all my medical issues and diagnosis. An Implant was used to promote bone growth. During the surgery the Duramatter layer around the spinal canal was accidentally cut which then allowed the bone growth material to leach in to the spinal canal causing cysts to form up and down my whole spine. My spinal cord eventually said it had too much and my diagnosis was essentially written in stone. I’ve sense suffered more urinary tract infections and I can count as well as two broken femurs, feet, ribs, and probably almost every toe.
No longer able to skateboard I found a new passion in life where I was able to compete with others while enjoying life, Poker. I recently had reached out to the First Lady of Poker Linda Johnson because I missed out on Mike Sexton’s MemorialAuction and was looking to get something if possible. Amazingly, she was able to send me something and we kept talking about life and my dream to get to go to the World Series of Poker. She gave me the push I need to create a Go Fund Me page and also asked if she could put me in her CardPlayer Magazine column, which absolutely blew me away.
Along with helping my WSOP dream come true my home is in need of renovations to make it more accessible and to help grant me greater independence. I would also like to make renovations to my van and get the permanent hand controls I need for driving along with the drivers training.
I also need to say that if I am fortunate enough to do really well in an event at the WSOP I would most certainly be paying it forward by helping to make the world a more accessible place and helping those in need.
I would like to thank anyone that helps make these things a reality and also all my friends family and my community that have been so supportive and helpful for the last ten years.
Here’s a link to Linda Johnson’s column about me:
https://www.cardplayer.com/poker-news/25707-cory-nordstrand-s-passion-for-poker
Here’s a link to a newspaper article from my local paper:
https://www.ifallsjournal.com/news/new-adjustments/article_7a762542-f371-11e1-916b-0019bb30f31a.html