Hello!

It has been 7.5 months since my surgery. I’m continuing intense physical therapy at Craig Hospital in Denver. My girlfriend Jamie and I have a year lease on an apartment here. And I plan on doing PT here for at least another 6 months, or until the end of our lease. The window for healing tends to be around 18 months, but it can take less or more time.

There is slight progress week over week. I continue to get more sensation below my level of surgery. The level of my injury is a T-4, or everything below the nipple. Which doesn’t affect my arms or upper body. When I started this process, I had a little sensation in my right leg, but everything else was numb to the touch. At this point, I can feel hard pressure in every part of my body! I do have very limited sensation to temperature. And I can’t feel light touch in my left leg or lower back. Every spinal cord injury is different. Sensation and movement do not necessarily correlate.

As I wrote in a previous update, all the muscle groups in my legs and abs have at least a flicker of movement. Most days are spent in simulating walking, either through electronic stimulation, robotic assistance, or in a pool. I’m also practicing things like sit to stand, ab strengthening exercises, and targeting smaller muscle groups.

As far as physical therapy goes, it can be hard to feel the progress. I did check in with my physical therapist last week, and she reaffirmed that every muscle group in my legs is at least firing. And the goal now is to make them stronger. At this point, the obsession with making my legs stronger has taken over my life. Some days I am happy with how I’m doing in PT. Other days can be tough. And it can be scary to watch the weeks pass by, and not being where I want to be – especially when nothing is guaranteed. This has been a masterclass in patience and persistence. I’m going to keep giving it 100% and manifesting a future where I am walking again.

I have been able to find joy throughout the process. My girlfriend Jamie, and my friends and family have uplifted me, and been a constant source of light in my life. I’ve also gotten really into sit- skiing. Most folks need to wait a year after their injury, but since mine was a tumor, I was able to go right away. I’ve gone 10 times now. And it’s been a blessing to get back into the mountains. I’m also enjoying many pursuits that I enjoyed previously. Jamie and I also have a puppy named Ellie that has been an absolute bundle of love in our lives!

I’ll keep doing updates on this site. As well as continuing to share more on social media. While I tend to deal with pain privately, at this point it feels good to share more. Thanks for checking in and much love!

-George