Colin has discovered that he is somewhat like a cold-blooded lizard now, not being able to regulate his body temperature since the spinal cord injury (a common thing for quads), and finds that warming himself up in the lovely sun does the trick for him. He even had a little nap in the sun, and seems to be happy with the new ramp and independence it brings.
Spinal cord injuries have so many hidden things, and the body is suddenly not able to do a variety of things that are not immediately obvious. Apart from not being able to walk, use hands and wrists, loss of bladder and bowel control, bodies with SCIs (spinal cord injuries) battle to maintain their body temperature, and it is a constant battle of heat and cold. A small draft can cause discomfort, and major changes in temperature can lead to AD which is to be avoided at all costs.
I will write an article on AD later, but here is a link to info on body temp regulation from the Reeve Foudnation website:
Body Temperature Regulation – Reeve Foundation Community Article
Spring is around the corner, and although it is still cold over night, it is a lovely time when all the flowers are starting to wake up.
In this picture, you can see Michelle behind Colin. I am sure she is plotting…
Article on AD from the Reeve Foudnation:
Autonomic Dysreflexia article