Fifty one year-old Jason was injured while working on the docks in Sunderland, a large pallet fell on him and he broke his back, something Jason can’t really remember “I don’t know what happened, my mind is blank and the next thing I can remember after that is the paramedics being there.” Said Jason.
Jason is a father of five and a grandfather of six and would love nothing more than to be home with his family, he said: “I’m too independent to rely on anybody, I wish I could get a taxi or a bus home and cuddle all my family and say I’m better.”
The injury to Jason’s spine caused compression on his spinal cord which resulted in an inability for him to be able to move his legs at all.
In the episode Jason has been in hospital for 10 days after emergency surgery on his spine but hasn’t been able to walk since his accident.
Jason is working with advanced physiotherapist Rachel Stout who – along with her colleagues – is hoping to help Jason take his first steps and this is one of the most rewarding parts of Rachel’s job she said: “The reason I personally get out of bed every day is because if I can help someone who is in the worst time of their life there’s nothing that can be better than that”
Although life changing – Jason is determined not to let his accident stop him and has already made progress by being off the ward and in his wheelchair.
As Jason is supported to move off the bed and stand upright Rachel explains why even one step would be a hugs achievement for Jason “He feels like he’s just stuck in a hospital bed at the moment and the challenge for us is that because he can’t fully feel his legs, when we get him upright on to them he doesn’t really know where they are. The big challenge is trying to rebuild that connection”
As Rachel and her colleagues encourage Jason to stand tall and feel the weight, they support his as he takes his first small step…. “You just walked – that was amazing” Rachel cheers and for Jason this is a huge moment in his recovery as he comments “You don’t know what that means to me – the best day of my life”
Rachel explains just what moments like this mean to her: “It’s hard to explain or describe how magical it is when you help someone take steps for the first time. The best comparison I can come up with is how exited Greg Wallace gets about a dessert. When he sees a really good juicy bit of brownie on a plate – he gets so excited. So think about that times a thousand and there you go you’ve got what it’s like to be a neurophysio” Jason is now recovering well and has returned home and is walking with crutches.
