A Virden woman who found herself disabled after surgery hopes her story will point out ways to help spinal cord injury patients and will inspire others to push through their own crises. Christina Henrion suffered an Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury from C4-T2. Her condition is known as myelomalacia.
Her story begins: “I am a mother, a grandmother, a wife, and until recently, was employed as a Home Care attendant for Prairie Mountain Health Region. I walked into surgery on May 21, 2021, just three days after my 45th birthday. I came out paralyzed on the left side of my body and partially paralyzed on my right side.”
Henrion had a discectomy of C4-7, and two titanium plates placed to stabilize her spine.
“During surgery my spinal cord began to swell for reasons ‘unknown’ but speculatively, of an autoimmune response.” This was a spinal cord bleed or stroke which impeded the surgery and caused lack of blood flow to the spinal canal. The result was a softening or deadening in the area from C3-T2.
Henrion describes her operating room experience:
“I remember, at one point, hovering above (the operating scene). I couldn’t breathe. I was in a lake, deep down, trying to swim. I hear the doctor saying, ‘we’re losing her.’ At that point I said, ‘like hell you are…’.”
She thought of her kids, of her partner Dave, of her life. “I started to swim. I took a breath.”
She said she came into the light and into excruciating pain.
“I couldn’t feel my legs.”
She had pain and paralysis in her legs and arms despite all medications, leaving her virtually helpless for everything from going to the bathroom to feeding herself.
At the time, beds were needed in Winnipeg for COVID-19 patients and Henrion was sent home two days following her operation with instructions to return to emergency in Brandon should things get worse.
“By day-five I could no longer tolerate the pain and my husband drove me to Brandon where I lay on the floor until I was able to see my surgeon, who came despite not being on-call. I am grateful for his genuine care.”
She was readmitted and an MRI showed the area that her surgeon believed to be a bleed, but she said the radiologist identified as a dura-leak. The discrepancy in diagnosis was troubling.
COVID-19 restrictions did not allow for a family member or friend to attend their loved ones’ bedside. She points to this as a contributing factor to adverse outcomes and undue distress, anxiety and depression to patients. “I want to reinforce how absolutely necessary an advocate is for every single patient in any circumstance,” says Henrion.
“Between all the medications and the stress, anxiety and PTSD I was facing, to have to endure this alone was incredibly difficult.”
She was advised by the Patient Safety Institute of Manitoba to seek outside second opinions.
With a bed shortage in Winnipeg, Henrion asked for an out-of-province referral to Regina General Hospital. There, expertise in spinal injuries was available and Saskatchewan was allowing family members and friends to see patients. She said, “Regina was a blessing.”
Henrion stayed in the Saskatchewan hospital for three weeks before being sent back to the care of her Manitoba surgeon and neurologist, who then referred her to the Spinal Cord Injury Clinic in Winnipeg.
“I require immediate rehabilitation for the best outcome, however due to my injury’s significance my doctors will not refer me to any outside physiotherapy or rehab until I am assessed In Winnipeg.” She is now awaiting her first appointment, scheduled for October.
Crushed dreams, persistent determination
When she was struck down with myelomalacia, Henrion was in midstride to recertification as a nurse.
A month earlier, in April, she received her Student Nursing Designation and began her first course. “I was so excited to get back to the career I loved.”
However, she was required to disclose her new medical condition to the college. That meant handing over her Student Designation. “This crushed my dreams of re-entering my beloved nursing career.”
For the family’s five children, ages 10 to 24 years, Henrion’s spinal cord injury has stolen their mother as they knew her. “They… are trying very hard to accept and adapt to the new normal,” she says. “I was engaged with my children on every level. We especially loved to spend time together as a family, hiking, biking, walking, fishing, building forts, gardening, and anything outdoors.”
Now, nearly three months after her surgery, Henrion has recovered enough to walk short distances with a cane and to drive in town. “I can drive a very short distance without my arms and legs going numb… .”
She knew the operation held common minor risks such as temporarily losing her ability to speak. “I had a very positive attitude. I was going to come out better than before.” However, the actual outcome made it necessary to ask for help on many levels.
“I am unable to do basic things like laundry, cooking, dishes, and other household chores alone. My husband still assists me with some basic personal needs.”
Her partner who has had to continue to take significant amounts of time off work. She says, “We are grateful that his employer, the Town of Virden, has shown understanding during this very difficult time.
“Until I started the GoFundMe page (www.gofundme.com/f/help-for-medical-expenses-income-loss) we were relying heavily on family and a few friends to help us. I felt it was unrealistic and unfair to continue to ask for help from the same people repeatedly. It has taken a great amount of humility to ask for this help.”
Henrion wants to bring awareness to the need for more resources to rehabilitate spinal cord injury patients in Manitoba.
“There has been a known shortage of resources for a number of years, with patients seeking private care in Saskatchewan and Ontario,” she says adding, “the price tag on private facilities is something unattainable for a family such as ours.”
Overwhelmed with the care from others she says, “I have personally been touched by the kindness of people, especially strangers in the public, who offer me assistance if I am out at the grocery store or post office alone. One of the most touching was a young boy who gladly helped me out with a few purchases at the Red Apple [some] weeks ago. His kindness will not be forgotten.”
Christina Henrion is viewing this personal tragedy rather as a stepping stone to a new path that awaits her. “I may not be able to work as a nurse, but I will work as someone who will inspire others to rise above their circumstances.”
