Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - North Mississippi - (Page 49)
Physical therapist Lee
Ann Holt (left) and
occupational therapist
Amy Moody (right)
are helping Pam Petty
(center) regain her
independence after
an incomplete
spinal injury.
One Day at a Time
Recovering from a car accident is
no easy feat, but one local woman is
determined to overcome her injury
P
am Petty of Bruce is learning to be thankful for the
little imperfections in life.
"It may not be as perfect as I used to do it," she
says, "but I still do it." Leaning on her family and
friends comes hard to someone like Petty who is used to doing
everything for herself. She knows that she will eventually get
there again, but in the meantime, she does her best and asks
for help when she needs it.
That she can do so much for herself already is nothing
short of miraculous. Petty, a registered nurse, was headed
to work in Oxford in August 2013 when she lost control of
her vehicle. "I was less than a mile from my house when it
happened," she says of the accident that caused an incomplete
spinal cord injury.
"At first, I couldn't move my legs
or arms," she says. An ambulance
transported her to North Mississippi
Medical Center in Tupelo, where she underwent neck surgery.
Therapists began working with her in the Critical Care Unit.
"By then I could move both arms and my left leg some, but not
my right," she says. "I couldn't do anything with my hands.
They worked with me to be able to sit up on the side of the bed."
After a week in CCU, Petty transferred to NMMC's
Rehabilitation Institute, where she had intensive therapy for
several hours every day. "The spinal cord connects our brain
to our body," explains Brian Condit, MD, a physical medicine
and rehabilitation physician who serves as medical director
of the Rehabilitation Institute. "After a spinal cord injury, the
patient has to learn certain skills that previously the body has
done automatically. I tell patients, 'Never give up hope and be
cautiously optimistic. Focus on learning the skills we teach
you as they will serve you well in the future.' "
When Petty arrived at the Rehabilitation Institute, she was
in a wheelchair and couldn't feed herself. She strengthened
SPRI NG 2014
49
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - North Mississippi
Vim & Vigor - Spring 2014 - North Mississippi
Contents
Opening Thoughts
Cardiac Caretakers
Mending Hearts
Occupational Hazards
The New Rules of Play
Shopping for Two
Back to Basics
Burn, Baby, Burn
Angelina Jolie
Rock Your Health
Breaking Up with Salt
Disgusting! (or Not?)
Virtual Health
One Day at a Time
The Doctor Will See You Now
Catch the Spirit
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