A rider who suffered a spinal stroke aged 13 – whose pony additionally suffered spinal harm in a freak accident – is sharing her story to lift consciousness, and assist others.
Liane Chard instructed H&H her daughter Summer season was a cheerful, wholesome teenager, who lived for using her pony Cindy, when she woke to seek out herself paralysed final March. Medical doctors couldn’t inform her how a lot, if any, motion she would regain however due to the willpower of Summer season, and Cindy after her personal fall, the pair are again collectively and making good progress.
“A whole lot of Summer season’s story is predicated round Cindy and with out her, I don’t assume she would have gotten out of her mattress,” Liane mentioned. “I’m so happy with them each.”
Liane mentioned Summer season’s first signs have been dizziness and ache in her arms.
“She went to mattress and when she awakened, that was it; she was paralysed from the waist to the neck,” she mentioned. “We didn’t know what was occurring.”
Summer season went to hospital, the place docs identified with transverse myelitis, irritation on each side of the spinal wire. She was placed on intravenous steroids to cut back the irritation.
However after per week with no enchancment, she was despatched to the John Radcliffe Hospital, the place docs discovered she had suffered a spinal stroke.
“For no matter motive, her spinal column had been starved of oxygen, which brought on the harm,” Liane mentioned. “The docs didn’t know if she’d be capable to stroll or experience once more. All she needed to know was when she may experience however they couldn’t inform her, and he or she mentioned even when she couldn’t transfer her arms, she’d seen individuals using with their mouths and he or she mentioned that’s what she’d do too. I believed ‘oh my god’, however that’s what she mentioned day-after-day. Summer season by no means as soon as gave up hope. We plastered her ward with photos of Cindy and he or she mentioned ‘Mum, I’m going to experience her once more’.”
After 4 weeks in hospital, Summer season was allowed house, the place she and Liane determined that the group physiotherapy was not sufficient.
“I’d take her to the stables for 3 hours a day and he or she’d use the clip on a headcollar to get her thumbs shifting,” Liane mentioned. “She’d say ‘Me and Cindy can do that’, and Cindy would simply stand there together with her. The harm had been performed nevertheless it was whether or not she had the power to make new nerve pathways, quite than simply mendacity there; it was all all the way down to her and her willpower as as to if she may regain motion.”
Slowly, Summer season regained some motion, practising and repeating time and again to make progress – and managed to get again within the saddle.
“Then Cindy had a freak accident,” Liane mentioned. “We have been going for a experience and as she got here out of the trailer, she spooked and received her again caught below the bar and went down.
“She was down for 4 hours; the vet mentioned eventually that if she didn’t rise up on one final strive, we must put her down. I don’t know the way she received up however she did. They name her somewhat miracle on the vets.”
Cindy spent 13 days in hospital, the place it was discovered she had additionally suffered harm to her spinal wire, which affected her again legs.
“That was in December and he or she couldn’t be ridden until 4 weeks in the past,” Liane mentioned. “I’ve seen a large decline in Summer season’s rehab in that point; I believe she was struggling as a result of Cindy couldn’t be ridden, however then she received the all-clear and so they’re in remedy collectively.”
Liane mentioned each Summer season and Cindy each have physio and stimulation remedy, and each are making progress.
“It’s insane,” she mentioned. “Summer season mentioned her complete world had been misplaced and he or she didn’t have something to stand up for with out Cindy. She has goals the place she will transfer, then wakes up and life isn’t like that however when she goes to the stables, all of it goes away.”
Liane mentioned her daughter has been an inspiration to her from the beginning.
“Should you’ve received a ardour and that’s taken away or somebody says you’ll be able to’t do it, it’s exhibiting them you’ll be able to,” she mentioned.
“We went on vacation and her brother mentioned she couldn’t play shuffleboard and I mentioned it was okay, she’d discover a means, and he or she did. She does. Even when she was paralysed, she’d ask why I used to be crying and I’d say ‘As a result of I don’t need this for you’, and he or she’d say ‘It’s okay, I’m alive’. How does a 13-year-old have such a optimistic mindset?”
There’s nonetheless a approach to go, for each Cindy and Summer season, and nobody is aware of precisely how a lot motion Summer season will regain.
“However with Summer season’s willpower; she says ‘If that is me now, I’m completely happy’; she feels she will do every thing she used to, so what’s the distinction?” Liane mentioned. “The vet has signed Cindy off and we hope by build up the muscle, she’ll be capable to do extra and hopefully they’ll be again doing what they used to.
“I used to say if I used to be in her sneakers I’d be performed however she’s so resilient, and he or she desires to point out different kids that if issues are unhealthy, don’t surrender; simply because issues are onerous now, it doesn’t imply they all the time shall be. She desires to share her story, not cover from it.
“Issues occur for a motive and I believe regardless of the motive was for this, it should make her stronger and he or she can have an incredible life, no matter she does. These experiences make you a greater particular person when you come out the opposite facet, and I believe that’s what’s occurred to Summer season.”
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“I bear in mind asking the physician if I’d experience once more, and he mentioned that I’ll not make it out
Credit score: Robyn Turner
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