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Spinal Cord Injury

‘Such a blessing’: For spinal cord injury survivor Brad Stubblefield and wife Kristan, having children has brought joy along with a unique set of challenges

After over 25 years working with spinal cord injury patients at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, occupational therapist Bridgett Pelts knows there is little they can’t do when they set their minds to it.

That includes experiencing the joys of parenthood.

“It is no different for them as with anyone else who wants to have a child, they just have to know there will be challenges,” Pelts said. “They have to be willing to think a little bit differently and adapt the way they do things.”

‘Every muscle in my body was paralyzed’: Methodist Rehab helps John ‘Bones’ Cossar reach goal to play golf again

John “Bones” Cossar has been flaunting his golf scorecard lately.

But it has nothing to do with proving whether he eagled, birdied or parred.

For Cossar, just making it to a tee box is evidence of an evolution he feared he’d never make. Just nine months ago, he couldn’t move a muscle, let alone swing a club.

“Every muscle in my body was paralyzed,” said the chairman emeritus of Mississippi Valley Title Insurance in Ridgeland. “I couldn’t wiggle a finger. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t swallow. I was on a breathing machine and a feeding tube.”

Ready for Mayhem: Therapy at MRC helps Ridgeland cyclist bounce back from spinal cord injury to ride in annual Mayhem Century Ride

For a seasoned cyclist like Robert Tierce, riding the 60-some-odd miles from his Ridgeland home to Kosciusko may not sound like a Herculean task.

“I used to ride a road bike anywhere from 60 to 70 miles a time, no problem,” he said.

But now, it is quite a feat. Nearly two years ago his right leg was completely paralyzed by a spinal cord injury from a gunshot wound.

Tierce made the jaunt using a recumbent bicycle, which places the rider in a reclining position. 

Spinal Cord Injury

Proven SCI Expertise

Since 1975, Methodist Rehabilitation Center has helped thousands of spinal cord injury patients reach the highest possible level of independence.

We see more spinal cord injury patients than any inpatient rehab facility in Mississippi, including 180 in 2021. As a result, we provide the proven expertise that no other Mississippi hospital can claim.

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