Neuro Note 4

I watched a movie on Netflix called Walk, Ride, Rodeo. It was about a 19 year old girl who loved riding horses and competitions. Her identify was in her occupation of professional riding. She had a bright future ahead of her in college and as a rider. One day, she was driving and she ran off the road and flipped her truck. She was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown out of the car. She hit a fence post with her back very hard. The doctor in the movie says Amberley's T12 vertebrae was crushed and she was paralyzed from the waist down. The spinal cord was not completely severed, but the doctor stated she would need a wheelchair for the rest of her life.  Amberley stated she wanted to accomplish three things after her time in rehab: walking, riding and participating in the rodeo. This is what we discussed in class as how sometimes clients ask us "Will I ever _____ again?". For Amberley, her blank was riding her beloved horse, Power. She struggled with herself and the new life she had to live. She had moments where she wanted to give up, but she did not. She worked hard in rehab.

Although the movie featured her journey in PT and not OT, I saw many places where occupational therapy could shine.

Amberley took it upon herself to have a seat belt installed to her horse saddle so she could maintain balance on her horse without the use of her legs. She made adaptations to the saddle to accommodate her after the injury. She had strong family support and support from people world wide. She shocked people with her attitude and mindset of "I can do this". She went on to compete in her dream completion, the American in Texas. I chose this because the movie does a good job at showing that a devastating injury does not have to mean losing the ability to participate in meaningful occupations. Things might have to be adjusted but Amberley could still ride her horse. I learned a lot about how determined a client can be in their own healing process. There are many factors like family and social support and client motivation that contribute to the intervention outcome. I recommend this movie as one that was not only entertaining (based on a true story) and educational to OT students.

To watch Walk, Ride, Rodeo follow the link:
https://www.netflix.com/title/80995799

This picture is Amberley and Power. Retrieved from: http://ihearthorses.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/power-976x1024.jpg