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A spinal cord injury can arrive like a single moment, or it can build slowly through missed clues and delayed care. We’re Kevin and Palmy, and we sit down with Thomas to hear a story that starts with something rare: he was born without his first cervical vertebra. From childhood falls to later disc herniations, he walks us through how multiple cervical spine injuries added up, why his neck is now fully fused, and what that has meant for his mobility and daily independence.

We get specific about real life with a cervical spinal cord injury: the loss of balance that leads to using a walker, the ongoing commitment to physical therapy and pool walking, and managing spasticity with tools like a baclofen pump. We also dig into the healthcare side, including how hard it can be to find the right neurologist or physiatrist, especially when you live rural and the closest specialist is hours away. If you’ve ever felt dismissed in an exam room, this conversation will feel familiar and validating.

One of the biggest surprises is breathing. Thomas explains central sleep apnea tied to spinal cord injury, where the brain’s breathing signals fail during sleep, and how a night ventilator improved his mental state when things were at their worst. We also talk about work accommodations, remote work long before it was common, and the mental health turning point that helped him move from a dark place into action, adaptation, and helping others.

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What Counts As Independence After SCI (part 2)