SCI Survey: Results and Summary

A couple of months ago, I wrote about my interest in finding out of the situation of other people who have suffered a Spinal Cord Injury and learning about their respective challenges as compared to mine by creating the SCI Survivors Survey. Thanks to a tremendous commitment of time and dedication by two friends (Laura and David, I’m so grateful for your help!), we were able to obtain incredible results from people’s experiences.

We’ve written a summary of the results and I wanted to share it here to continue the conversation and to highlight this too often underrepresented injury to those who may not know much about SCI. Thank you to everyone who openly and honestly responded to the survey and provided such an incredible wealth of information. And many thanks to everyone who helped in the process. I hope this can lead to some significant changes in how we deal with SCI.

SCI Survey Summary 

 As her fellow athletes recover from realizing their Olympic dreams, skier Maria Komissarova has just begun the hardest challenge of her life. The 23-year-old crashed during a practice run in Sochi[1], suffering a fractured spine that has paralyzed her from the waist down.

Komissarova now faces hardships unlike any she has ever faced. When the shock subsides, she will have to learn how to live day-to-day in her new condition while navigating a complex set of medical options. Her coach will be replaced by a spine specialist, her trainer by a physical therapist, her fame by a long and painful recovery that will be every bit as grueling as her Olympic training. State sports bodies and the Russian federation paid for her initial treatment but the federation says that the skier’s recovery may take a long time and extra money will be needed.

If an Olympic athlete needs to raise extra money for her recovery, what happens to people with a lesser public profile, who suffer similar devastating and life-altering Spinal Cord Injuries (SCIs)?

While Komissarova’s story has received press attention around the world, countless other SCI survivors (500,000 global cases a year[2]) struggle in anonymity to find answers to the physical, emotional, and financial struggles that now dominate their lives. Even though 12,000 people suffer SCIs each year in the United States alone[3], all too often, little is known about their plight.

Arash Bayatmakou wants answers. In 2012, the then 30-year-old San Francisco resident endured a horrific fall from a third floor balcony that shattered two cervical vertebrae and paralyzed him from the chest down. Despite being told by medical experts that significant recovery was unlikely and that he should accept his condition and adapt to life in a wheelchair, Arash remained determined to walk again and decided to make recovery, in his words, his “full-time job.”

The results have come slowly but steadily—improved hand and arm strength and dexterity, core strength, even a wiggling toe. Recently, Arash stood on his own for the first time since the accident. After proving the “impossible” to be possible several times on his road to recovery, Arash wants good information both for him and other SCI survivors.

How similar is his predicament to that of other SCI survivors? How many SCI survivors have been given little or no hope of recovery? How many are forced to pay out of pocket for necessities as fundamental as a wheelchair due to poor insurance? What are their experiences and how do they deal with this life-altering condition?

To find out, Arash, David Nihill and Laura Bekes put together the SCI Survivors Survey and the results show that his case is by no means the exception. While the severity of each injury is unique based on the extent of damage to the spinal cord (which controls all neural communication from the brain to the rest of the body), the potential effects are devastating as paralysis of the upper and/or lower body is almost always a result of the injury. In addition, some of the lesser-known, yet hugely significant, effects of SCI include impaired circulation and blood flow, loss of bladder and bowel function, changes in blood pressure, body temperature regulation, depression and a variety of other physical and psychological challenges.

With an injury as debilitating as this, the impacts are severe and detrimental to many aspects of the survivors’ lives, and many struggle to identify and access the resources they need to give themselves a chance at recovery.

There were 61 responses to the survey nationwide, with respondents of all ages (18-69 years old) and with injuries suffered as long ago as the 1970’s to as recently as 2013. Respondents were asked questions about their injuries, interactions with doctors and medical professionals, prognoses, attitudes and approaches to their recovery, experiences in and out of the hospital and rehabilitation centers, continuing therapy, financial impacts of the injury, and their current state.

To summarize the survey findings as briefly as possible: 1) It is very difficult to predict outcomes for people who have suffered an SCI; 2) Few people with SCIs feel they are receiving sufficient coverage from their health insurance for modern day therapy that could potentially improve their condition and help realize their recovery potential and; 3) Despite facing such difficult odds, the will to recover has led many people to challenge the expectations of their doctors and prove their prognoses wrong.

To begin with, almost everyone (83%) was given a prognosis of some sort, from an inconsistent variety of people including neurosurgeons, rehab doctors, nurses and physical therapists. The prognoses were given very shortly after their injury and/or surgery and the overwhelming majority (83%) were told that the possibility of walking was unlikely or impossible. This left few people hopeful for their chances of regaining function or improving their condition.

While the challenges that come with this injury are many (physical, emotional, financial, professional, etc.), one of the clearer findings from the survey was that many people reported doing better than what the original prognosis suggested would be achievable or possible. The degree of improvement ranged dramatically from some respondents claiming smaller yet significant physical changes (i.e. better upper body function, improved circulation, more stamina) to others who had major gains in lifestyle (i.e. increased independence, driving a car, maintaining a professional career, improved family and personal lives) to even those who had regained the ability to walk.

Struggles with insurance and the ensuing financial impacts were a common finding for many respondents. Specifically, despite facing an injury that leaves people unable to walk and paralyzed from chest or waist down, 18% did not have any of the cost for their wheelchair covered by their insurance. Upon leaving the hospital, 87% needed to make costly alterations to their home, 83% did not have help from insurance to cover additional at home costs/supplies (median of $3,600/year) incurred by the injury, and 44% had to turn to fundraising to help with expenses.

“They haven’t done anything more than the BARE minimum, they didn’t even pay for the wheelchair that they wanted me to spend the rest of my life in. They’re horrible, irresponsible, inconsiderate and inefficient. They should know that caring for me now and getting me better now would save them money in the long run but their approach to SCI is so antiquated and backwards.”

“I don’t think insurance companies understand the benefits… The true benefits… Of ongoing physical therapies for spinal cord injury survivors.”

“At the end of my stay (in hospital) I began to recover function of my legs. The rehab hospital requested more time from my insurance but was denied.”

The attitudes and approaches of doctors and medical professionals were often reported to be defeating and demoralizing. In fact, 67% of respondents said that their initial interactions with doctors did not leave them feeling hopeful for their chances of any kind of recovery. 63% of respondents were told to focus more on adapting to their injury than recovering from it.

“I told them I wanted to walk again and recover and they mostly laughed at me, dodged my question, didn’t give me answers and tried to just get me to focus on adaptation.”

“My prognosis doesn’t mean anything to me now as I know how flawed it was when they told me.”

 “I have recovered more than I ever thought. I can walk independently with [braces] and a walker. I was told I did not have enough function to ever do so.”

“Not going to ever walk again was my diagnosis, I am now walking.”

Despite the overwhelming physical challenges, the often less than optimistic prognoses, and the inconsistent attitudes and approaches encountered with medical professionals, the survey found that many respondents refused to give up hope for their chances for regaining function. 80% took part in some kind of ongoing rehab or therapy beyond initial inpatient rehab even though 74% did not have this therapy paid for by their insurance. 100% found this therapy to be beneficial (in a number of ways) including 51% who said that this therapy had reduced or eliminated their need for medication and 57% who reported that ongoing rehab or therapy had helped improve secondary conditions that come with SCI (e.g. blood pressure, bowel/bladder function, and Autonomic Dysreflexia).

“I needed much more therapy for many hours at a time. It wasn’t even close to giving me what I needed. I feel like my insurance pretty much gave up on me.”

“I have gone from wheelchair with no movement against gravity to standing, to walking with a walker (5 months), to forearm crutches (8 months), to unassisted (18 months). My rehab has helped me get stronger and push my life on my feet which has lead to more improvement.”

The survey confirmed a significant finding from previous research conducted by the National Spinal Cord Injury Association[4] in which a majority of respondents were told to exercise by their physicians but did not have access to a trained therapist and did not receive specific instructions regarding the kind of exercise to engage in or how often.

Overall, the SCI Survivors Survey provides some valuable information about what people go through following this life-changing injury, but it also raises a number of questions that are especially relevant now, with so much of the national conversation centered on healthcare.

Why is treatment of SCI not utilizing newer, more progressive treatment options more often? Even though the number of people who regain the ability to walk is small yet significant, why do medical professionals consistently frame the prognosis in a negative way and choose to tell people that they won’t get back on their feet? Why don’t they admit that they simply can’t predict outcomes and encourage people to work hard to try to reach their potential? Why are insurance companies not stepping up to the plate in providing better therapy options that can minimize secondary complications and prevent future hospital visits, and the exorbitant costs associated with them? Why does insurance appear to pay for continuing medication but all too often refuses to pay for more exercise or therapy that can reduce or eliminate the need for medication? How are people meant to deal with the financial impact of the injury if something as fundamental and necessary as a wheelchair is often not paid for by insurance?

The survey results suggest that the entire system of treating SCI is insufficient for helping SCI survivors maximize their chances for recovery, and in need of significant change. Because of the many complications and health needs that arise from a Spinal Cord Injury, SCI survivors develop a number of continuing medical needs from their respective healthcare providers. In a time where healthcare is a primary issue for many people, it’s important to think about how to help people who suffer this injury to live healthy and productive lives, with access to a healthcare system that is balanced in providing necessary and effective services while maintaining an efficient and financially sound system.

Arash, like so many other SCI survivors refuses to give up hope, drawing inspiration from the many people who have recovered to levels greater than anticipated. Like a number of respondents in the survey, he has to rely on sources and support outside of what his insurance has provided him in order to maintain his aggressive therapy schedule and to achieve his ultimate goal, to get back on his feet.

On March 20^th, Comedy for a Spinal Cause will be hosting a standup comedy show in San Francisco showcasing local comedians with all proceeds benefitting Arash and his recovery. Find out more and purchase tickets here.

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