Kaley Y

Kaley and her very supportive family came to Project Walk a year and a half after suffering a C5 spinal cord injury in a car accident. Not really sure what to expect, her parents put their daughters recovery in the hands of our specialists.

Kaley started her first day with an abdominal binder, wrist braces, and a trach still inserted. She could not lift her head and had a very dramatic lordodic curve and c-shaped curve to the left at her torso which was worsened by intense spasms she could not control. A little timid and very fragile, we could all see the determination and hope in her eyes.

In the past year Kaley has made impressive improvements. Not only has she been able to learn to control the spasms in her body but we no longer have to fight the intense curves that once controlled her trunk. She is able to lift her head on her own and maintain a level of balance wile sitting up off the edge of a table. Many exercises like crunches, elbows and knees, kneeling, standing, and simple table work were inhibited by the intense spasms that tweaked her body but those are no longer a problem. Her core has become much stronger due to the ability to crunch into the abdominal muscles without her back fighting the movement. Of all her improvements I’d have to say regaining controlled movement in her legs has been the biggest and most exciting. Kaley can initiate hip flexion and knee extension in both legs and maintain a “locked out” knee position while standing.

With this injury it’s not always just about recognizing someone who gets up and walks again but marking the stepping stones that get them there. Kaley’s quality of life and ability to perform every day tasks has improved over the past year with us. She is able to sit in a regular car and go on outings with her family which was not possible a year ago. She has the ability to be more independent and not have to rely on someone else as much as she used to. I’m so proud of how far she’s come and it is very exciting to think of just how far she will be next year. It has been and continues to be a pleasure working with Kaley and I cannot thank her family enough for all their help and support in the past year. Kaley truly is an inspiration to us all.

Keep up the awesome work!