Metuchen Man Takes More Steps Each Day After Spinal Cord Injury
August 01, 2024
For David Suh, of Metuchen, New Jersey, each day brings both challenges and accomplishments on his journey toward recovery. His life changed one December morning in 2022 when the 32-year-old woke up in extraordinary pain. He was diagnosed with a spontaneous subdural hematoma, or a collection of blood that exerted pressure on his spinal cord, a rare and dangerous occurrence. After surgery to remove the collection of blood and relieve pressure on the spinal cord, David began his rehabilitation at JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute’s inpatient Spinal Cord Injury Program, then continued in the outpatient program after returning home with his family.
Transitioning to Home After Spinal Cord Injury
At the beginning of his rehabilitation, David could move just one toe.
“I was dead weight that just slipped off the bed,” he recalls. “I couldn’t get to the bathroom or even change the channel because I couldn’t reach the remote sometimes. Pretty much everything was a struggle in terms of mobility.”
Today, after months of specialized spinal cord rehabilitation, David can walk unaided for about 20 minutes before experiencing fatigue. David, a graduate of Rutgers University who worked in human resources, says his goal is to continue with rehabilitation and to keep improving.
The Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Program is led by Jennifer Chui, M.D., a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and includes specialized physical, speech and occupational therapists, specialized nurses and a neuropsychologist.
“Some patients who initially had no movement can regain function. We don’t know which ones will, depending on the patient’s injury. It can be a long process of therapy and rehabilitation,” Dr. Chui says. “We’re here to help our patients transition to home. We work together as a team so our patients can gain their highest level of function both physically, emotionally and functionally.”
Rehabilitation medicine is beneficial to patients with both incomplete and complete spinal cord injuries. It can enable patients to maintain their health and strength, reduce their pain, and improve their quality of life. Dr. Chui said patients whose spinal injuries occurred years ago can still benefit from rehabilitation, which includes helping patients find proper wheelchairs and other technology.
Sara Cuccurullo, M.D., medical director of JFK Johnson, says the rehabilitation specialists are skilled in treating all aspects of spinal cord injury, such as skin integrity, spasticity and neuropathic pain issues—and can assist patients with maintaining and strengthening muscle function.
“We work together with our patients to help them meet their individual goals. It might be returning to a favorite activity, or going back to school or work,” Dr. Cuccurullo said.
Support Every Step of the Journey
David’s physical therapist, Jeevanjyot Nagpal, who is experienced with patients with neurologic injuries and is certified in Brain Injury, LSVT BIG! And PWR! Moves for Parkinson's Disease, says her work is rewarding, especially when she sees patients like David improve significantly.
“When we started, David could stand maybe 30 seconds without support. We started with parallel bars and then a walker,” she says. “Now we have him using the Zero-G gait and body weight support system consistently and working on balance activities.”
For David, the team has been supportive of his emotional as well as physical health. He says the team recognized the psychological and emotional struggles he faced and did not wait for him to ask for help. “I can really say I didn't have to reach out to get help,” he says. “Everyone here offered their help at every step because they could tell I was suffering. I so appreciate that.”
Next Steps & Resources
- Meet our sources: Jennifer Chui, M.D., and Sara Cuccurullo, M.D.
- To make an appointment with a rehabilitative specialist near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.
- Learn more about our Spinal Cord Injury Program
The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.
