SPINAL
Life SCOTLAND
Returning to paid employment after any level of SCI can be a daunting process. For those who can, this might involve returning to an old job, finding new full time or parttime work and even self-employment.
EMPLOYMENT AFTER A SCI: ALEX’S STORY Alex, one of our Spinal Injuries Scotland volunteers has been good enough to share his journey with us. My story starts on a Monday morning in October 2015. I was an HGV driver for over 30 years, delivering containers with a lorry mounted crane. One Monday morning I was attaching chains to the top of the container when I fell approximately 14 feet to the ground. The next thing I remember is talking to a fork- lift driver who saw me slumped over the side of the lorry. A short time later I was attended to by a paramedic, followed by a trip to Forth Valley Royal Hospital, Larbert in the
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back of an ambulance. After two CT scans it was discovered that I had three fractured vertebrae at L1, L3,T12 and a fractured rib. I was admitted and placed in an orthopaedic ward where I received 10 stitches for a head wound. Fortunately, I did not require any spinal surgery. I was however restricted to bed rest for several days until the fitting of my back brace. After 10 days I was discharged with instructions to wear a TLSO brace for a period of three months. The only time I was not required to wear the brace was when I was in bed.
