Gaining Independence

By: Christy Mercer 

Name: Brian Waldersen
Injury: injured C-7 vertebrae
Mechanism of injury: rollover car accident
Date of injury: 2/10/2007

In February 2007, Brian Waldersen was in a car accident that would change his life. He injured his vertebrae at the C-7 level and rendering him paralyzed from the chest down, including his hands.

Focused forward
Brian awoke about a week after the accident in a hospital bed, and learned what had happened. He had been put into a medically-induced coma for about a week after being admitted to the hospital due to a stomach injury that needed immediate surgery. After waking and learning about what happened, Brian remembers feeling discouraged and a bit worried about his future plans, which included going to medical school. "Initially, I definitely felt apprehensive about my situation," he says. "But actually, my injury has caused me to focus even more on my goals and strengthen my drive to achieve them. I've never felt that I have to give up on my future plans because of my injury."

Discovering resources
As soon as he found out his son was injured, Brian's father immediately went in search of resources and any information he could find about spinal cord injuries. He got in touch with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Paralysis Resource Center, where he found a wealth of information, and most importantly, a group of people who really wanted to help. "I think my Dad called or emailed the PRC around 10 pm, and got responses later that same night. The people at the PRC worked as a whole team to help us get the information we needed," Brian remembers. He says they really helped out with both information about the injury, as well as practical logistics. "We were dealing with a lot of emotional stress at that time, and they (PRC) really helped out with solid advice, where to go for medical care, and especially insurance stuff—stuff that we weren't sure how to deal with."

The long road back
Since his injury, Brian has been in and out of treatment, first at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, then at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, then at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, and finally back to Barrow. In total, he underwent three months of in-patient and eight months of out-patient care, which included one initial surgery and both physical and occupational therapy, as well as a month-long trip to Kennedy Krieger for intensive therapy. "My treatment at Kennedy Krieger was really focused on electrical stimulation and body maintenance (as far as standing and other functional movements), which was good, because I really wanted to become independent again. My independence was (and still is) really important to me."

Currently, Brian is undergoing tendon transfer surgery, in which non-paralyzed tendons from other parts of his body are grafted onto the finger flexors and thumb of his hand. This will allow him to regain much of the functionality of his hand again, particularly in the form of grasping and pinching with the thumb and index finger. The treatment will take about five months, which includes two surgeries, recovery time, and much rehabilitation and occupational therapy to teach the muscles how to work again. But, for Brian it's worth it. "Although right now I'm back to being dependent on my family and friends because of the hand surgery, it's worth it to put in that time so I can be independent again in a few months."

Accepted into med school
Brian believes that a sense of well-being and a focus on his future goals is paramount for people with injuries like his. He feels that the most important thing for him is to gain full independence again, which helps maintain a sense of control, importance, and emotional fulfillment. "When you're stuck and helpless, that's when you lose yourself. You've got to keep pushing forward toward the goals you had before the injury, because that will make sure you hold on to your sense of self -- which can be easy to lose with this  kind of injury."

He is currently in the process of applying to medical school and has already gotten accepted to Johns Hopkins. Stanford, the University of California at San Francisco, and the University of Arizona Phoenix and Tucson are also options for Brian, but he hasn't made a final decision yet; he's just happy to be back to focusing on his dream of going to medical school. 

Get more information on Rehabilitation and Recovery and Living a Healthy Life.

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