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How does the image of a family member change after a spinal cord injury?

Spinal Cord Injury Basics
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Transition from Hospital to Home
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Transcript More videos by Nancy Rosenberg More videos on this topic

I think it’s very important for family members to be able to conceptualize their loved one the way they were before. And, as a person, just as a human being, so they don’t get too overwhelmed by the injury piece of it. And the injury piece, therefore, becomes the whole person. And then when that happens, family members can treat the person in different ways. Like, “Oh, you’re sick, you’re ill, you’re weak, you’re fragile.” So, I think it’s important for any family member to understand that their loved one is still the same person they were before. And, I think moms, in particular with younger injured people, have such a hard time with this because they feel like they have to fix the child and this is something that they just can’t fix. There’s no band-aid, there’s no teacher you can call, principal you can call to fix a problem. This is what moms are used to doing. So, they have to figure out a way to help their child through this, and do it in a way that they are taking the whole person into account. In other words, “this is still my child, he’s no so fragile, and he’s going to be okay. And, I’m going to interact with him similar to the way I did before all of this. I’m going to treat him like he’s a child, or I’m going to treat him like he’s 18 turning into an adult, he’s a person with an injury. He’s not an injury.”

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FacingDisability.com is an informational and support website for families facing spinal cord injuries. The website does not provide medical advice, recommend or endorse health care products or services, or control the information found on external websites. The Hill Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) private operating foundation established by Robert Hill and Thea Flaum.

737 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1560 , Chicago, IL 60611.

© 2011 – 2025 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities

Photography by Rona Talcott

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FacingDisability.com is an informational and support website for families facing spinal cord injuries. The website does not provide medical advice, recommend or endorse health care products or services, or control the information found on external websites. The Hill Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) private operating foundation established by Robert Hill and Thea Flaum.

737 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1560 , Chicago, IL 60611.

© 2011 – 2025 Hill Foundation for Families Living With Disabilities

Photography by Rona Talcott