At the beginning of 2015, the Motivation team in charge of the home care activities arrived for the first time to George’s home, in Dărăști, Ilfov County. We were happy to meet a large and beautiful family.

George and his wife, Laura, have three wonderful children who celebrate every progress made by their father. He became a wheelchair user in the summer of 2014, due to a spinal cord injury following a dive in the water. George is diagnosed with tetraplegia and when we met him, he had reduced mobility in his upper limbs, poor balance and could not sit upright for more than two hours. There was no doubt in our minds that George required home care and group support services.

From August until December I spent most of the time in the hospital. The Motivation team reached me in a moment when my wife and I were both exhausted by the time spent in the hospital. It was a difficult time, because we had to ask for help from the in-laws and other relatives, to look after the children while we were away. The thought of having a physical therapist work with me in my home really made me happy, especially that while in the hospital, I would have only one hour of gymnastics in the morning, while the rest of the day I felt like I am wasting time away from home. Moreover, the independent living trainer opened my eyes to a lot of things related to being a wheelchair user, things that I had been unaware of, information that you get only from living in such a situation.

After three months of home care, I am happy to be able to show you what I have achieved so far: I can move my hands a lot better, and on Easter I spent almost 12 hours sitting in the wheelchair. In January I was unable to lift my hand, and now I can lift bags weighing 1 kg. I started putting on some muscle, ever since I exercise and respect the diet prescribed by that lady in Motivation. It’s not that I am bragging, but a couple of months ago even my daughter’s arms were thicker than mine.

When I first went to the group support organized by Motivation, I felt that life was going back to normal. Most of the people were wheelchair users and I felt great being among ‘my own kind’. The discussions we had only increased my motivation and I understood that life needs to be appreciated, regardless of what it gives you.

 

George was enrolled in the home care and group support activities organized by Motivation Romania Foundation, within the Access to Education, Services and Community for wheelchair users Project, financed through the 2009 – 2014 EEA grants, within the NGO Fund in Romania. For information regarding the above mentioned project, please contact Iuliana Eftimie, Social worker (phone: 0728 176 179, e-mail i.eftimie@motivation.ro).

For official information on the 2009-2014 EEA grants, please go to www.eeagrants.org or www.fondong.fdsc.ro.