Christopher Block – Searching for Freedom… Underwater
“The best two things I’ve found, since being injured, to stay in shape is a rowing program out of Spaulding Rehab (https://spauldingrehab.org) and my standing wheelchair,” Chris states. “The rowing machine I have is for quads and paras and uses E-stim for your legs while you row with your arms. You can really get a good workout with it and get your heart rate up. That’s not easy for quads to do. When I can I try to use it every other day, and I use those Active Hands gloves to keep my hands on the handles.”
“Rowing has been the best thing for getting my core muscles stronger, and the E-stim keeps my legs in good shape.”
“The other thing I use a lot is my stand-up wheelchair,” Chris continues. “I have a Permobil F5 and I try to get up for at least 45 minutes every day. The doctors told me that’s ideal for my bones. I know it helps my digestion too.”
Christopher Block is 33 years old and lives in a suburb of Chicago called Highland Park. He was injured three years ago attempting a bicycle stunt in a friend’s backyard, breaking his neck at C-5. “They didn’t tell me the brakes were disabled,” he tells. “I had a helmet on but that didn’t help. I went over the ramp and head-first into the muddy bottom of the pond below. I’ve been doing everything I can to get my independence back ever since.”
Chris was sent to Shirley Ryan Ability Center for rehab where he’s been working hard to get his life back. Transfers have been one of the most difficult obstacles for Chris, just as it is for most quads. He’s had four bicep-to-tricep and forearm-to-thumb tendon transfer surgeries to try to gain more strength in his arms and function in his hands. “It’s the bed transfer that I’ve been working on the most,” he says. “I can get in it but getting out is almost impossible. It is impossible with a soft mattress.”
He also gets on the back of a horse once a week. There’s a program called Equestrian Connection (https://equestrianconnection.org) only twenty minutes away from his house. “I basically hold on for dear life,” Chris says laughing. “One of the therapists there just picks me up and puts me in the saddle. They walk beside me the whole time though so it’s safe. It’s supposed to give your body that walking motion it’s missing, and it only costs $25/week for a half hour of riding, and they do a great job for people with all kinds of disabilities.”
“When I was inpatient at Shirley Ryan, I picked up a flyer one day about this scuba organization called Diveheart,” Chris recounts. “There was a cute girl on the cover which caught my attention. I actually got to know her later. Anyway, they were having an event where anyone could come try it out so I went… and I loved it! It was in a swimming pool but being in the water I felt so comfortable and the weightlessness was amazing! I could move around with so little effort.”
“I got the note from my doctor that’s required and completed an hour and a half of online training as well as two pool dives in February when the Diveheart guys said ‘Hey do you want to go on a dive trip with us to Cozumel in April?’ I was like ‘Whaaaat?’ I had no idea they even did that. So I raised the $1600 as fast as I could. That’s what it costs for the week long trip, plus about $400 for airfare, and made plans to go. Diveheart took care of everything else.”
“I thought the pool was great, but when I dove in the ocean my first time it was like ‘Oh My God!’ It was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen,” Chris spouts. “The freedom I found doing an open-water dive was amazing, and the Diveheart guys were with me every step of the way. They helped me transfer and put on my wetsuit and gear. It’s not easy to get a quad in a wetsuit you know. They taught me how to scuba dive. I couldn’t believe how all of these strangers were there for me every time I needed something. They’re a great group of people.”
Chris does his best to go on at least one dive trip every year. “I went last year and I’m going this year in August,” he says. “It’s the vacation of my life. And I go to the training events when I can. I just went to one to support a friend of mine (a higher quad) to see him get in the pool for the first time. The smile on his face was priceless.”
“Diveheart (http://www.diveheart.org) wants you to be as independent as you can be in the water. Jim Elliott, the founder, is a great guy and they really go above and beyond to make sure they’re prepared for all situations.”
What’s next on Chris’ to-do list? “Well getting a job is number one,” he says. “I’m coming to the end of my focus on rehab. As soon as I get my transfers down, I’m going to start looking for something in the engineering or rehab world, maybe both. I’d like to get into the designing of equipment to help differently-abled people be more independent. I’d love to make some things to make diving possible for higher quads. Maybe even get a job with Diveheart someday.”
Regarding Cure – “I really appreciate the Cure works to create opportunities for higher quads to be able to cath. Just being able to do that on your own can mean the world. The ability to cath on your own is freedom! The fact that Cure encourages that independence is amazing.”
