Finding Strength After a Spinal Injury
2023
JIMI BRENNER: This is my family's farm
here in Newcastle, California, where I was born and raised.
When I was 29, I was in a car accident.
I remember coming to in the morning at the hospital
and finding out that I was paralyzed.
It was just hard to take in.
The doctors told me I would never walk again.
And it was scary.
You think about what things that you won't be able to do again.
I was in ICU for about 10 days, and then they
sent me to Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.
And I spent about 40 days or so there.
PAT BLAIR: The Sutter Rehabilitation Institute
is a CARF accredited inpatient rehab
facility that's part of Sutter Roseville Medical Center.
The environment is unique because it was specifically
designed for inpatient rehabilitation.
JIMI BRENNER: There was not much I could do.
I had everybody assisting me.
They had to teach me to transfer from seat
to bed or from my wheelchair into the bed, also
to get around opening doors and up and down curbs.
They were very, very caring and treated me
like somebody that was part of their family.
PAT BLAIR: The advanced technologies
that we have really fit nicely with our spinal cord injury
patients.
The functional electrical stimulation bike-
we put electrodes on people's muscles- and then it helps them
move as we work on their recovery.
One of the unique things that we do here with our rec therapy
is we do community outings.
So the recreational therapists go out
with patients in the community.
And it's really to get them reintegrated back
into community life, and it really
helps with their emotional and psychological adjustment.
JIMI BRENNER: Yeah not only did they help me for the 40 days
while I was in there.
They helped me adapt my house with the wheelchair
ramps and the transfer benches for my shower chair.
I quickly adapted once I got home
and what they had all taught me quickly fell into place.
Mobility now involves a lot of different objects or tools,
you have to be creative and adapt.
What I did different in here is I added this extra bend here
to where it sits flat.
And then it kicks you up and then that helps with my hips,
getting upright and helping with my posture and everything.
I'm proud of myself for the things that I accomplished
and how far I've come.
I learned how resilient I could be and how strong I can be.
Sutter Rehabilitation Institute is a great place
to help you adapt to a spinal cord injury.
here in Newcastle, California, where I was born and raised.
When I was 29, I was in a car accident.
I remember coming to in the morning at the hospital
and finding out that I was paralyzed.
It was just hard to take in.
The doctors told me I would never walk again.
And it was scary.
You think about what things that you won't be able to do again.
I was in ICU for about 10 days, and then they
sent me to Sutter Rehabilitation Institute.
And I spent about 40 days or so there.
PAT BLAIR: The Sutter Rehabilitation Institute
is a CARF accredited inpatient rehab
facility that's part of Sutter Roseville Medical Center.
The environment is unique because it was specifically
designed for inpatient rehabilitation.
JIMI BRENNER: There was not much I could do.
I had everybody assisting me.
They had to teach me to transfer from seat
to bed or from my wheelchair into the bed, also
to get around opening doors and up and down curbs.
They were very, very caring and treated me
like somebody that was part of their family.
PAT BLAIR: The advanced technologies
that we have really fit nicely with our spinal cord injury
patients.
The functional electrical stimulation bike-
we put electrodes on people's muscles- and then it helps them
move as we work on their recovery.
One of the unique things that we do here with our rec therapy
is we do community outings.
So the recreational therapists go out
with patients in the community.
And it's really to get them reintegrated back
into community life, and it really
helps with their emotional and psychological adjustment.
JIMI BRENNER: Yeah not only did they help me for the 40 days
while I was in there.
They helped me adapt my house with the wheelchair
ramps and the transfer benches for my shower chair.
I quickly adapted once I got home
and what they had all taught me quickly fell into place.
Mobility now involves a lot of different objects or tools,
you have to be creative and adapt.
What I did different in here is I added this extra bend here
to where it sits flat.
And then it kicks you up and then that helps with my hips,
getting upright and helping with my posture and everything.
I'm proud of myself for the things that I accomplished
and how far I've come.
I learned how resilient I could be and how strong I can be.
Sutter Rehabilitation Institute is a great place
to help you adapt to a spinal cord injury.
Jimi Brenner regained mobility and independence after a spinal cord injury with help from Sutter Rehabilitation Institute
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