Skiing after severe accident
Donación protegida
Hi everyone! I am so glad that you could look at this. I am Miriam McMahon and my husband Bill McMahon had a severe injury in July, 2015 and did a version of "humpty dumpty" when he lost his balance on the top of the stairs, fell backwards and stopped his fall using his head on the cement garage floor (his words LOL).
He then spent the next 8 months in Portland's Marquis Centennial. They put the insides of his head back in and helped his body recover through every therapy known to man. It was a very slow and miraculous progression. In the first two months he couldn't even speak and he has no memory of those months. He also later learned that he continually fell down because he just wanted to stand up and walk, which he could not do. One of the nurses sat him down and strongly let him know that he would not be able to return home unless he started paying attention to the nurses, CNAs and therapists. That was JUST what he needed. When he was later released from that area of the facility, they had put alarms on his wheelchair and his bed to "save" him from more falls. He finally learned how to stay put and he told me it felt fantastic to have those alarms taken away.
That was also when he started physical, occupational and speech therapy to help - and help it did. Because of his brain injury, he still was having dreams (which were definitely NOT true.) They thankfully went away. Our U.S. family let me know the dreams were common for patients with brain injuries). He also fully developed MS during that time (not their fault, he did that on his own). The time with therapists helped him to be able to walk with a walker, be able to stand in front of the mirror and in the shower, helped him to be able to bring back his long-term memory, help his short-term memory (he still has some more to go - and he even remembers that - LOL) and MUCH more. This process took another 6 months. He has such a very long-term love for snow skiing and adventure (he's climbed Mt. Hood several times and even skied down a few times, gone heli-skiing, ridden his bicycle thousand of miles, ridden in the STP - Seattle to Portland 3 times and more). I have no idea how he has done all of that. But his one, true love has always been snow skiing.
Before his accident he was lucky enough to attend the University of Notre Dame (graduating in 1976), achieve a CPA license (in 1978) and work for many wonderful companies, including OCP and Evanta Ventures. The accident put a stop on his working, so he does miss that also.
Near the end of his stay at Marquis Centennial they rewarded him with a ski trip to Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon, because they knew of his long-term love of snow skiing. Mt. Hood Meadows then rewarded him with use of a sit-ski (see pictures and the video), all day lessons for the 4 Marquis employees that helped him, all lift tickets for them, for him, my daughter and for me. Marquis and Mt. Hood Meadows fulfilled his dream of returning to ski. You see, he has skied for 40 years of his 62 years alive.
Now, he has 1 more dream. He would like to purchase a sit-ski and the lessons to enable him to learn better. Whatever you can do to help him will be appreciated more than you could imagine. Thank you soooooooooo much.
This is from a March issue of the Gresham Outlook:
He then spent the next 8 months in Portland's Marquis Centennial. They put the insides of his head back in and helped his body recover through every therapy known to man. It was a very slow and miraculous progression. In the first two months he couldn't even speak and he has no memory of those months. He also later learned that he continually fell down because he just wanted to stand up and walk, which he could not do. One of the nurses sat him down and strongly let him know that he would not be able to return home unless he started paying attention to the nurses, CNAs and therapists. That was JUST what he needed. When he was later released from that area of the facility, they had put alarms on his wheelchair and his bed to "save" him from more falls. He finally learned how to stay put and he told me it felt fantastic to have those alarms taken away.
That was also when he started physical, occupational and speech therapy to help - and help it did. Because of his brain injury, he still was having dreams (which were definitely NOT true.) They thankfully went away. Our U.S. family let me know the dreams were common for patients with brain injuries). He also fully developed MS during that time (not their fault, he did that on his own). The time with therapists helped him to be able to walk with a walker, be able to stand in front of the mirror and in the shower, helped him to be able to bring back his long-term memory, help his short-term memory (he still has some more to go - and he even remembers that - LOL) and MUCH more. This process took another 6 months. He has such a very long-term love for snow skiing and adventure (he's climbed Mt. Hood several times and even skied down a few times, gone heli-skiing, ridden his bicycle thousand of miles, ridden in the STP - Seattle to Portland 3 times and more). I have no idea how he has done all of that. But his one, true love has always been snow skiing.
Before his accident he was lucky enough to attend the University of Notre Dame (graduating in 1976), achieve a CPA license (in 1978) and work for many wonderful companies, including OCP and Evanta Ventures. The accident put a stop on his working, so he does miss that also.
Near the end of his stay at Marquis Centennial they rewarded him with a ski trip to Mt. Hood Meadows, Oregon, because they knew of his long-term love of snow skiing. Mt. Hood Meadows then rewarded him with use of a sit-ski (see pictures and the video), all day lessons for the 4 Marquis employees that helped him, all lift tickets for them, for him, my daughter and for me. Marquis and Mt. Hood Meadows fulfilled his dream of returning to ski. You see, he has skied for 40 years of his 62 years alive.
Now, he has 1 more dream. He would like to purchase a sit-ski and the lessons to enable him to learn better. Whatever you can do to help him will be appreciated more than you could imagine. Thank you soooooooooo much.
This is from a March issue of the Gresham Outlook:
Organizador
Bill McMahon
Organizador
Gresham, OR