Howard Falkinburg

In this blog post, I want to address weight issues that people with SCI have to be mindful of. Within a couple of months of my injury in 2018, I lost significant amount of weight. I recall looking in the bathroom mirror before a shower. I barely recognized myself. My skin was pale and I… Continue reading

Have you ever seen the movie paying it forward? On Saturday, July 1, I took a step in doing that. First let’s back up. Six months post injury, I met Marcus at Mary Free Bed. He also is a quadriplegic five years post injury. He visited me a few times at MFB and introduced me… Continue reading

Have you ever had something cherishable but then it mysteriously disappears? This happened to me three years ago. Back then, I was able to walk 200 feet with the platform walker. Then I couldn’t. It mysteriously disappeared. The tone in my body increased and never relented. My body went rigid. There was no dosage change… Continue reading

I created a little controversy recently at Hope Network.  My physical therapist evaluated me a few weeks ago in doing a stand and pivot transfer from my wheelchair to the table mat. She struggled positioning my stiff legs because of the high tone and spasticity. ”For now,” she told me, ”I’m going to recommend that… Continue reading

This journey of recovery has been an extremely humbling experience. A big step for me was accepting my situation for what it was. Neither good nor bad. Trying not to place labels or judgments to it. Am I successful in doing this? Maybe 65% of the time. That’s better than where I started. The severity… Continue reading

On Wednesday, June 7, was my third trip to Chicago in the last few weeks. My cousin Terry and residential staff Pearla completed the threesome. Dr. Lubenow’s office denied our request for a telehealth appointment.  A round trip to Chicago and back tires out able-bodied people. Being in a wheelchair with high tone and spasticity… Continue reading

Having a spinal cord injury is like a gift that keeps giving unwanted gifts. Two gifts I received were my supra pubic catheter (SPC) and ileostomy site. The SPC is the device used to drain urine from my bladder since I can’t urinate on my own. This is in place of regular catheterization, which is… Continue reading

It finally happened. On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, I did a road trip to the surgical center at Rush University hospital in Chicago with my cousin Terry and residential staff Jen. This was to test whether another medication would be effective in taming my specificity and tone. Let me back up for those who may… Continue reading

Life takes an 180° turn after a spinal cord injury. Among the biggest adjustments was the loss of independence and freedom to do my own thing. One moment I’m able to feed myself and do self care. The next moment I need somebody to perform digital stimulation on my rectum to help me poop. It… Continue reading

In a previous update, the plan was to try the medication of Prialt in the intrathecal pump over the course of  four weeks to see if I had any positive response to it. Now there’s a new plan. Now the plan is to return to Chicago and do a test trial with a second catheter… Continue reading