Rachael Needs Your Help

April 25, 2023

13th annual Relay for Rachael at the Big Sur marathon on Sunday, April 30! Join us at our annual dinner with the runners on Friday, April 28! Thank you for being my light!!

November 24, 2022

This Giving Tuesday, on November 29th, I am once again asking for your donation to help me pay for the care I need to stay healthy and strong, both mentally and physically. I am so grateful for your help and my community who continue to support me year after year. Thank you for your continued support and for BEing the LIGHT.

November 29, 2021

Rehab update!

I look back to where I was last year and i’m happy to say, I am doing much better. Last October started five months of pain in my body and I’m still not exactly sure the cause. With spinal cord injuries we experience something called autonomic dysreflexia, it’s the way our body feels pain. For me this is profuse sweating where I have full sensation, from the chest up. Every night I usually experience AD for an hour or two but for those four-five months it was happening the entire night when I was sleeping on my side (left and right side!). I have to sleep on my side. I am on my back and butt all day long and can’t be on them at night due to the risk of pressure sores. I haven’t slept through the night in 11 years, I have to wake up at three in the morning to turn from my left to right side. This process takes about 30 minutes with the help from a caregiver.

The one big change that occurred before these intense months of pain was lack of physical therapy and exercise due to the pandemic. I was out of the pool for a year (I returned in February 2021). The bodywork and therapies I needed to stay healthy and pain-free weren’t available. It was a huge reminder of why I am doing what I am doing every day and why it is so important. As soon as I started getting more exercise and back in the pool the intense sweating stopped. I am so, so thankful every day for the movement I am able to get. This is only possible because I have the financial support and encouragement from my community and friends. It truly does take a village, and because of you, the journey continues…

‘‘We need to be angels for each other, to give each other strength and consolation. Because only when we fully realize that the cup of life is not only a cup of sorrow but also a cup of joy will we be able to drink it.’’

-HENRI NOUWEN

November 8, 2020

And just like that a decade has gone by. If they keep speeding by like this I will be 80 in no time! Half my adult life I have been paralyzed and still every day when I wake up it seems surreal. Is this my life?

This year has been nuts for everyone. For me it started out with a pressure sore on my tailbone in January forcing me to stay home and off my backside. I was able to start venturing out again right when the pandemic hit in March. Damn. More than anything I miss being able to go to pool, 92 degrees of wonderfulness. I had no idea how much going to the pool twice a week kept my pain level down and my spirits up. Just like everyone I am riding the “corona wave” and I look forward to some normalcy again.

My 2021 calendars are at the printers right now and I have updated my “window display” at Gallery Exposed with my photography. Currently i’m only in the gallery by appointment but thanks to my $100 print sale I have been able to continue paying rent. Check out the shop on my website www.rachaelshort.com/shop or my Instagram www.instagram.com/rachshort for updates on the sales.

Every year on my crashiversary I remember my last day of independence. The simplicity of that day and the fun that I had. In honor of the 10 year crashiversary I wore my purple boots again, the same pair I wore on the red deck of Nepenthe that night. Ironically my clothes were cut off either in the helicopter or at the hospital but they saved the boots, because these boots were made for walking...they are just on a break right now.

August 26, 2020

Dear Friends,

Join the fun! Relay for Rachael Virtual Run! Sunday, September 20th, 2020 at 10am!

In honor of the 10th year we are doing a 10 mile run, walk, hike, skip. You can do the 10 miles yourself or break it up as a relay with friends/family (we are making up the “rules” as we go). Everyone will start around 10 AM from a location of their choice and we are hoping people will share photos and videos of their run (or walk, hike, skip) on social media and more importantly, have fun!

Thank you for your generous donation and for BEing my light. I hope you and yours are staying healthy during these difficult times.

Much love to you all, Rachael

November 22, 2019

Well it has been 9 years since my injury and i’m not sure how I feel about that, it seems fast but also seems like a lifetime ago. I have finally moved after what feels like forever of wondering where I would go. This has forced me to go through boxes that were packed at the time of my accident, boxes I put away and never wanted to go through. Any note I hand wrote I want to keep, remembering how simple and easy it once was to write a letter. Time to say goodbye to the camera gear, the surfboards, the snowboard, the camping gear… memories from a different life, and now it is time to “Marie Kondo” this stuff, thank these items for the joy they brought me and let them go. Saying goodbye to my truck was especially hard, and it’s so silly to be attached to a truck but it represented so much more, it’s time to let that go too. Letting these things go and moving on does make me feel better, it’s ok, everything will be fine, just different. It has been 9 years! It’s time...

With all the distractions from the move it has been hard to focus on my body but everyday I make sure I get standing, stretch it out and try to breathe. It has almost been 6 months since the move, I still don’t have a bathroom sink (and had 2 months with no indoor shower!) but I nearly have my greenhouse turned gym put back together and my dream cottage is finally feeling like home.

This was a long process and took the help of many to make my new place accessible. I couldn’t have done it without the people who donated to my fundraiser last fall and the many people who put in days and hours of hard work. Thank you!

March 26, 2019

Dear Friends,

This year I have 5 full marathon runners (my most ever) and 20 relay runners hitting Highway 1 on Sunday, April 28th in part of the Big Sur Marathon. My runners have been training hard and raising funds for my ongoing care and rehab. I don’t know where I would be without this annual fundraiser and the continued support from such an amazing community. I can’t say thank you enough! So I will say thank you again for your support over the years and your continued support.

Thank you for BEing the light, Rachael

November 27, 2018

I once again am asking for your help (ugg I hate this). I am having to move... but fortunately I have a place to go and it will be a permanent place! I am looking for help to pay for modifications in the bathroom, adding ramps, moving my greenhouse/gym etc. to make this new place accessible. I have a roof over my head and food on the table, I have more than so many which makes it hard for me to ask for help but I greatly appreciate any support that you can give to make my new home accessible. Thank you for for being the light. -Rachael

February 28, 2018

Most of Rachael’s days are spent exercising and moving as she tries to gain back as much strength as possible. She is able to continue on her journey from paralysis because of people like you who donate to her recovery. Progress is slow but continues to move forward, not only does your donation give her hope but allows her to gain back strength and independence along with helping her stay in good health mentally and physically.

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Confucius

Her runners are training hard and hit highway 1 in part of the Big Sur Marathon on Sunday, April 29th, 2018 to run their hardest for her recovery and she is forever grateful for their amazing support and yours! This will be the 8th annual Relay for Rachael and we are more ready than ever!

January 21, 2017

The time has come to get reliable transportation. Last year my van broke down four times which made it difficult to get to therapy appointments. With your help I am hoping to purchase a new, reliable vehicle this year. Thank you so much for your support!

January 20, 2016

www.rachaelsrecovery.com

February 28, 2015

"This year I have 20 runners, 5 relay teams running in the Big Sur Marathon, along with a good friend who is running the full marathon! This is the 5th annual Relay for Rachael and we are stronger than ever with the most runners yet. The goal is to be the fastest team and raise the most money to help with my physical therapy costs. 6 days a week, 4 hours a day I work out with my trainer and this is possible because of people like you who donate to my recovery. Over the past year I feel the strength all over my body returning, my arms and hands are becoming more useful, my rehab is working! The runners are training hard and hit highway 1 on Sunday, April 26th to run their hardest for my recovery and I am forever grateful for their amazing support and yours!". -Rachael

Over four years into this journey, Rachael has made huge strides towards recovery. Constant rehabilitation consumes the majority of her days, with her free time spent focusing on resuming her photography career. Rehab is the most important to Rachael, which requires an immense amount of resources. Supporting her in this endeavor is our goal and is what motivates us to put one foot in front of the other. Thank you for your support. www.relayforrachael.com