My latest article on Spinal Cord Injury Zone!

People sometimes write to me from other countries. I recently got an email out of India, and it was a plea for help. The writer has a family member that was injured in an accident, and the family member now has a spinal-cord-injury (SCI). I believe that in countries such as India, medical insurance (especially for those with spinal injuries) can be harder to afford than it is in the U.S.

He wrote: “Dear Zina, my brother in law had an accident 2 weeks back and is now a paraplegic even after 2 spinal surgeries. He has a T11-12 fracture. The Dr. says he won’t be able to walk again it’s too depressing. We live in India and we don’t have enough money for survival. My sister and brother in law are so depressed as they are having a 2 year old son. Can you guide us in what we can do to get recovery. Please guide us for recovery. Kind regards, Ruchi.”

These kinds of posts are always sad. I have already responded, but I would like to address Ruchi’s request and answer here for him as well as for the others that have written to me with similar requests on my blog. I have posted this advice several times. After a spinal-cord-injury, health insurance could very well not be affordable. However, you may be able to find a personal-trainer that is willing to help you at a reasonable cost. He or she can design a safe but challenging exercise program designed specifically for the patient’s needs.

Of course the physical therapist or trainer would determine when it would be safe to start exercise/physical therapy after spinal-cord damage. A family member also may be able to help if hiring a personal trainer or physical therapist is not an option. But safety must come first! You don’t want the person with SCI to become worse by risking further injuries.

I am not a doctor or psychologist. I don’t have a non-profit. I‘m a teacher and a writer and I started my blog in 2012. I have separated articles into categories and have given free tips, inspiration, and medical information. I also wrote a book, Not Without God: A Story of Survival and it describes how I healed from near-fatal injuries as a result of an accident that left me paralyzed at sixteen. While crossing the street to get to my friend’s bus stop, I was hit by a car. It’s a miracle from the Lord that I’m alive and able to walk.

In my book, I explain simple things I do such as getting daily exercise and taking fifteen minutes a day for prayer. It may be helpful to keep a food diary to know your body as spinal-cord-injury can also affect your digestive system. Another tip is to know how to listen carefully to your doctor without neglecting “your own doctor” within. Trust your intuitions–they can really help you! My book is more than just a personal story because it focuses on recovery.

Chapter five is called Some Quick Tips on How I Heal, and I suggest simple methods to recover such as prayer and exercise. I offer a short homework assignment at the end of the chapter where the reader is the student as well as the teacher. I encourage you to assess yourself! Please read my latest update, news, and article about my book on Spinal Cord Injury Zone:

http://www.spinalcordinjuryzone.com/info/12978/book-without-god-story-survival-published

Last but definitely not least—don’t forget to pray! Pray Always!

“Prayer will always change things! …you can’t talk to God and not have it change things!” –Bishop T.D. Jakes

Author: Zina Hermez

I'm a teacher, writer, and speaker. I got into publishing when I joined a Christian writers' group online where I met a few select authors who mentored me. My life changed. Through classes, webinars, and friendly emails, I've been encouraged to write. I started my blog to cope with my spinal injury in hopes of helping people. View all posts by Zina Hermez