Mark cannot control his body temp, which is normal with spinal cord injuries. He has a separate heater, additional blankets, etc. to avoid shivers and/or overheating.
He cannot access food or the refrigerator so all meals and snacks must be provided to him.
Personal needs such as showering, shaving, dressing, etc. are done for him on a daily basis, (This is very demoralizing and embarrassing to him).
He frequently gets urinary tract infections, pressure ulcers, etc. and at times, has breathing issues. He has made many trips to the ER and has spent countless months in the hospital. He takes a LOT of different meds, which come with a host of undesirable side effects.
His life mainly consists of having to watch TV…. something he never much liked before. Prior to the accident, Mark owned his own landscaping company and liked working with his hands. He used to enjoy fishing, camping, hunting, going to the gym, running and being with his kids, and spent much of his spare time doing those things.
Mark enjoys going out in the sun, but isn’t able to do that on his own because of maneuvering the front porch steps. He loves to go in the van to the store or out for a bite to eat. This treat is limited though because often times, he cannot physically sit in his chair that long without passing out, due to not being able to maintain proper blood pressure. (He needs to be monitored closely).
Mark has voice control on his phone but he gets frustrated because it doesn’t always work that well for him. Most days consist of giving him his medications, changing wound dressings (for bed sores) and trying to make him as comfortable as possible.
Mark has torn rotator cuffs on both shoulders from lifting him into and out of his bed (and his chair), so he is basically uncomfortable or in pain much of the time.
Mark and I have always been close, in fact I was with Mark the day of his accident. He was helping me fix a few things around the house, pruning some trees, etc. It truly breaks my heart to see him in the condition he’s in now. He was a big, strong guy who worked out at the gym 5-6 days a week, now, well I just can’t even imagine how sad he is inside, which makes me very sad for him. He has said his injury is like being in prison, both emotionally and physically. He has zero feeling below his chest, limited use of his arms and no use of his hands.
He understands that it takes an enormous effort to take care of his many needs, and regrets that he is a burden to anyone. I know he tries to keep his chin up but that’s hard to do sometimes.
This fundraiser is to help with Mark’s daily needs. Plus, we are hoping to raise enough to buy Mark a new wheelchair, one that works better on uneven surfaces which will allow him to do some of the things he misses.
Thanks for your support!
