Get the Job Done - Mary Miller’s Story
Today we are privileged to hear from one of our spinal clients at the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust - Mary Miller. For the past ten years, Mary has lived independently in a lifestyle village on the edge of Christchurch. Her journey began as a child, as she grew up with a bone condition called rickets.
Due to Mary’s condition, she had many surgeries including hips, knee replacements and rods placed into her femurs. The calcification around her spinal cord led to her starting to notice a significant change of sensation in her legs.
After being referred to a neurosurgeon, Mary learned that her spinal cord had almost totally closed at four points, and she required a large surgery. However, by the time the surgery was set to take place, it was 2011, the year of the Christchurch earthquakes. Her surgery was delayed.
“The plan was I would go into St George's, have the surgery, and drive myself home a week later,” says Mary. “That was the plan, but my spinal cord was damaged, and I came out of the surgeries a tetraplegic in 2011.”
After this surgery, Mary was transferred to the spinal unit of Burwood hospital, where she stayed for eight months of rehabilitation. During this time, Mary worked to get the use of her arms back, but her legs did not recover enough to walk. Mary received ACC coverage after the surgery; a case manager was appointed who helped her set up goals. One of these goals was to drive again, which she accomplished in 2014 through the provision of a vehicle where she could move her power wheelchair into the driver's seat and drive using hand controls.
Mary lived well and with independence, until the past two years, when she began to become paralyzed in her upper body. After another referral to a new neurosurgeon, it was found that her spinal cord was once again being ‘squeezed’.
After a successful surgery, Mary spent six weeks in the spinal unit of Burwood Hospital and then was able to come home with help from the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust.
“I was able to come home with help from physiotherapists, and occupational therapists, wheelchair experts, and housing people from the Laura Ferguson Brain Injury Trust - They've all helped to assess how much I could achieve with certain help, and they've helped me to get that help. So, I have got back some of what I lost.”
Mary has received help from a range of services at LFBIT, including training for independence, wheelchair and seating, housing services, equipment, and respiratory services. Work across this range includes things such as finding extra support workers to aid Mary in activities such as driving, identifying equipment to help her achieve things individually, and having a hoist installed in her home.
"Lizzie McKay came in training under Mark as a physiotherapist, I was very blessed to have both of them. Lizzie is one in a million. She's the best physiotherapist I've ever had. As well as Lizzie there has been massive, wonderful input from Lesley Bensley, Angela Nicholls and Deanna Davies – all amazing people!”
LFBIT team members also helped Mary in the little ways that make all the difference. From finding cutlery that she could hold with her limited movement in her hands, to installing Alexa in her home to turn on lights, and open, close, and locks doors, all through voice control.
“That has all been with the sort of vision of the team, the occupational therapy team and the physiotherapy team. I've been overwhelmed with the help that I got, I’ve just been very fortunate in the people that have been rostered with me, they've been a great help.”
“It makes such a difference when you get people who are good at what they do. Because I've had occupational therapists and physiotherapists in the past, and I knew more about my situation than they did - I was able to help myself better than they could. I've found LFBIT staff really empathetic, knowledgeable about their craft, and go the extra mile in looking for alternatives. I've been very blessed to have them.”
One thing that Mary has found key in her rehabilitation is that the more open and motivated she was to do the work, the easier it was not just for her, but for the team she worked with.
“With the right kind of help, you can put yourself out there. There's no point in whinging and moaning about it. There's always something else you can do. I've learned that before, but it gets renewed in my head every time I reach a stumbling block.”
In being open comes the importance of having fun with your rehab, which is something Mary knows well!
“I like to have a bit of a laugh at the people that I work with, and we have. We get the job done, and always have fun as well.”
Looking to the future, Mary looks to get more involved in learning some new instruments. Mary, unfortunately, had to retire from her position in both the ukulele group and choir, as holding a ukulele and turning page music became too much of a challenge, as well as finding singing difficult from seated in a wheelchair. However, LFBIT staff have found a spot in music therapy sessions where Mary can try a range of new musical instruments. Mary is excited to get started and stuck in on the keyboard!
A special thanks to Mary for sharing your story with us! It is an absolute pleasure to talk and work with you, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings!