Off The Beaten Path

And like that the summer of 2014 was over… there is always some smart-ass who will come along and say “Well, technically September twenty-whatever is the last day of summer.” Shut up. I’m sitting here in a hoodie and sweats, I have been sleeping under a blanket, the windows are closed and it’s 55 at night. Summer is OVER, suck it up. I don’t mean to be a downer though, actually life is good! Settle in and enjoy the update read about our newly-formed design service called L’Homme Vert….

Electrical Stimulation Bicycle

As I mentioned in my last posting I have approved for an Electrical Stimulation Bicycle. Which I will take shipment of in the next 3-4 weeks. This is a big step and a huge leap forward in the physical therapy process. The way the bike works is fairly simple. A series of sticky pads with electrodes in them are placed on my quads, hamstrings and gluts. These electrodes are wired up to the bike itself which houses a sophisticated computer system.

That system sends measured electronic impulses that cause the muscles in my legs to contract and “push” the pedals of the bike. The pedals resist like a normal bicycle. The benefits of this daily exercise are muscle growth, reduced bone loss, prevention of arthritis, improved circulation and more. I was driving all the way to New Jersey to do this once a week. Now I will be able to do this every day in my own home.

The Importance Of Being Active

My gym regimen is still every other day. I must say I’m pretty impressed with my increased strength and muscle growth. If you are reading this and you have a spinal cord injury I can’t stress enough how important it is for you to get out there and do something, anything. There are breakthroughs coming in science and we must keep the faith and be ready. Besides, even if we don’t feel like it, it’s doing good things and can prolong life. And prevent complications later in life. So get some grip gloves, some free weights, join a gym, push yourself to new level and get yourself out of that defeatist mentality.

Many of you have asked if I will be receiving a second stem cell treatment… The answer is as of yet unclear. There is a great deal happening in stem cell research, but also the field of bio-tech is opening some very exciting possibilities. The truth is that because the fundraising process is so intensive we want to be very strategic with the next type of treatment I receive so we are researching where the next most effective move will be. Stay tuned for more on that soon!

So what have I been doing with all this new-found strength and freedom?

As many of you know me know, my journey to health and personal growth has brought me to a place where I am extremely passionate about our current global attitude towards the food that we eat and how it is produced. So much so, that I have gradually been transitioning my career into that world. This summer I was blessed to complete my Permaculture Design Certification with renowned instructor Geoff Lawton of The Permaculture Research Institute in New South Wales, Australia. For those of you who don’t know about Permaculture I highly recommend this brief article- What is Permaculture?

With this certification I can now assist farmers, ranchers, vintners, landscapers, home owners, horse properties, schools and municipalities implement ecologically sound systems. They regenerate the landscape, clean up the groundwater, produce nutrient-dense food, conserve energy and heal the planet. I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting movement that stem cells, my therapy process and the support of so many loving people has made possible.

L’Homme Vert

Together with my brother Ethan we have a newly-formed design service called L’Homme Vert Regenerative Agricultural Design. If you want to know what “L’Homme Vert” means and why we chose the name click on the link. And read all about it! Feel free to spread the word and watch for our launch of our Facebook and Twitter pages.

One of the reasons I have chosen this as this month’s topic is because there are many people with spinal cord injury who can work or are being discriminated against by employers. A cure for spinal cord injury can mean financial stability for many families. Thank you to so many of you who have helped me move forward!

I realize there are many readers with questions about living with a Spinal Cord Injury and my experiences that I may not have addressed on the blog. I am wanting to take on some new topics. So if you have questions, suggestions or subjects you’d like my opinion on just write me here on the blog. And we’ll get the ball rolling! Till next time…

Thanks for reading.

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