Brian's Story
Spinal Cord Injury
Fort Worth native Brian Weast, a 56-year-old real estate agent, was out to dinner with his friends and his wife Cyndi. While walking to his car, he tripped over a curb in the parking lot. Brian fell through a bush and struck his head on the corner of a concrete culvert, causing numbness from his shoulders down and the inability to get up or move his limbs.
His friends called 911 and Brian went to Baylor University Medical Center. There, doctors found his heart rate had decreased. Brian woke up the next day in extreme pain and was taken into surgery to relieve the pressure on his spine. A few days’ post-surgery, he was able to slightly move his left leg. He remained in the hospital for two months.
Looking to regain his independence, Brian and Cyndi researched the best rehabilitation facility for spinal cord injuries and chose Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation (BSWIR) - Dallas. “We researched rehab hospital options and found that Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation was where we wanted to be,” said Brian. “The clinical liaisons helped us figure out the insurance process to get approval for us to get here.”
Upon admission, Brian’s goal was to walk out of the hospital minus the pain and sensitivity he was enduring in his arms. Upon arrival, Brian confessed that he couldn’t even stand for four minutes. He had a long road ahead.
Brian’s physician-led care team created a personalized care plan for him. “The rehab team actually has a road map of attainable goals,” he said. “It sets you up for success by taking a proactive approach, not reactive. Even with functional goals such as eating, they were able to break it into smaller steps that help you make progress towards the bigger goal.”
Brian gradually made strides toward his goals through rigorous physical, occupational and speech therapies.
In physical therapy, Brian learned to stand up and retrain his core for balance. His therapist focused on repetitive practice to retrain his muscles how to react in different motions. For instance, Brian focused on bending over a certain amount and standing back up. From there, he progressed to taking his first steps. Gradually, he began taking longer strides walking further with each day.
Therapists helped Brian manage pain using electric stimulation and a recumbent cross trainer to help retrain muscles in his arms and legs, working on strength and endurance.
“I will always remember, walking around with a walker and I said to my PT, I want to go faster, and she said let’s get rid of the walker,” Brian said. “I tossed it aside and never needed it again.” This was a big milestone – he viewed it as progress in motion.
Brian’s recovery tested his mental and physical toughness because his injury was severe. But he persevered and three months after his accident he recalled that “going to the rest room and being able to stand and use the restroom was a big deal.”
Occupational therapy focused on strengthening his hands and arms. Therapists used washcloths to reduce sensory sensitivity in those areas. Eating was another challenge. Due to swelling, sensory sensitivities, decreased strength in his arm and a weak grasping ability, it was hard for him to feed himself. With customized utensils to meet his needs, and daily practice, he began eating independently. Brian continued to improve and eventually was able to eat on his own and brush his teeth.
Brian also worked with a rehabilitation engineer to secure a voice control program to do his job, utilizing his voice for email instead of typing — at least until he regained his typing skills.
Speech therapy helped Brian focus on finding appropriate words. “I had trouble finding my words,” he recalled. “After few sessions, my speech therapist suggested I get back into reading and interacting with reading material that was related to daily life activities and work.” This helped him to reintegrate into his normal environment so he could eventually regain his position as CEO.
BSWIR - Dallas offers aquatics therapy sessions as water’s viscosity gives a person increased time to plan their actions and the heated water reduces muscles stiffness, making it easier for patients to work on purposeful movements. Brian recalled his pool therapy sessions to be very beneficial stating, “The [water] and the heat really helped me with everything in my body, it helped reduce the stiffness where I could move better.”
Supported by his spouse, Cyndi, and the rehabilitation team, Brian found encouragement amidst the challenges. "If Cyndi wasn’t here with me through this, I wouldn’t be alive," he said. “Everybody here cares, they are not just here for a paycheck, they are truly invested in your progress.”
After he was discharged from inpatient rehabilitation, Brian continued his recovery with the SCIMax program at BSWIR - Dallas.
SCIMax is an intensive and individualized day program for patients with spinal cord injury. “It is a great program to help build your endurance and strength for daily functioning,” said Brian. “My posture is better and I have greater core strength and flexibility.”
For anyone who finds themselves facing similar challenges, Brian said, “You have to be patient with yourself.” He suggested creating daily affirmations for current activity and for long-term goals.