Knowing (who you are) is half the battle
We are all fighting battles. Some fight on a battlefield. Others fight within themselves. But we are all searching for victories in our own wars.
But no matter where or what you’re fighting for, it’s important to remember just how strong we can be.
More than 20 years ago, most of my physical strength left me. My arms and legs weakened by an illness I couldn’t see and condition that seemed insurmountable. As I laid motionless in that hospital bed, surrounded by tubes and cables, I learned the true meaning of "strong."
We are all fighting battles. Some fight on a battlefield. Others fight within themselves. But we are all searching for victories in our own wars.
But no matter where or what you’re fighting for, it’s important to remember just how strong we can be.
More than 20 years ago, most of my physical strength left me. My arms and legs weakened by an illness I couldn’t see and condition that seemed insurmountable. As I laid motionless in that hospital bed, surrounded by tubes and cables, I learned the true meaning of "strong."
From that moment on, the definition of strength was no longer limited to the size of your muscles. Instead, I realized true strength is measured by will and courage. Even though my body was more frail than before, my will to fight never wavered and only grew stronger.
So every day that I’m able to greet the sun and take a breath, I fight to live life to the fullest and remember to enjoy everything it has to offer. Sadness and despair will always be present in today’s society, but if we choose to focus on good and the power of the human spirit, our lives will be better for it.
“Strength doesn’t come from physical capacity, it comes from an indomitable will.”
This quote from Ghandi has become my favorite since I became a person with a disability. It embodies my personal philosophy on life and provides validity to my belief on the importance of courage and perseverance.
Now those who read this my not have intimate knowledge about the struggles of living life with a disability, but we all can relate to struggle and hardships, no matter what they may be.
As we all continue to fight our own wars, we look for hope of winning our own personal battles. If my experiences have taught me anything, it is that we all have the power to overcome whatever we encounter.
Whether it’s enemies on the field of battle or the inner-demons of our own devices, we must never forget the strength we have within ourselves. Knowing that you have what it takes to succeed and persevere is a victory in and of itself.
And knowing is half the battle.
Robotic Exoskeleton Helps Paraplegics Walk
Exoskeleton are full of science-fiction coolness. But an exoskeleton that enables paraplegics to walk? That is a whole lot of double rainbow epicness! The Rex Robotic Exoskeleton is designed to give paraplegics the ability to perform daily tasks while standing. Pros: Gives you the chance to walk again, you look like a you're Ripley driving a loader. Cons: Costs $150,000, you look like a you're Ripley driving a loader.
Note to self: If you become paralyzed, make sure you have Bruce Wayne money.
Check out the video below to see the suit in action.
Scientists make paralyzed rats walk again after spinal-cord injury
Some pretty compelling stuff. Maybe there is still hope for me yet.
Published Nov. 20 in the online edition of Nature Neuroscience, the findings suggest that the regeneration of severed nerve fibers is not required for paraplegic rats to learn to walk again. The finding may hold implications for human rehabilitation after spinal cord injuries.
"The spinal cord contains nerve circuits that can generate rhythmic activity without input from the brain to drive the hind leg muscles in a way that resembles walking called 'stepping,'" explained principal investigator Reggie Edgerton, a professor of neurobiology and physiological sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
"Previous studies have tried to tap into this circuitry to help victims of spinal cord injury," he added. "While other researchers have elicited similar leg movements in people with complete spinal injuries, they have not achieved full weight-bearing and sustained stepping as we have in our study."
Click here to read more.