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Gary Bretney, an Indiana man recovering from a spinal cord injury, is using groundbreaking technology at Omaha’s QLI to regain movement and work toward returning home to his family. “I’m pouring all my energy into getting better, you know,” Bretney said. Eight months ago, Bretney fell from a porch, compressing his spine. “It was such a minute fall, you’d never think it was something that could paralyze,” he said. The accident primarily impacted his left arm and hand. “I have a wife and three daughters that I’m trying to get back to,” he said. QLI therapists advocated for a new device this spring to help patients like Bretney make significant progress. “We’re actually applying the electrical stimulation to the spine itself,” Occupational Therapist, Melissa Faller said. The device, called ARC-EX, sends measured electrical pulses to the damaged area of the spine to boost communication signals between the brain and body. While using ARC-EX, therapists like Connor Davis and Faller guide Bretney through exercises to strengthen muscles and reinforce movements. “Feeding ourselves, brushing our teeth, getting dressed, now becomes a challenge and something he has to work toward and focus on every small piece of that,” Faller said. Davis praised Bretney’s dedication, saying, “Nobody works harder than Gary. I purposely put him as my first therapy of the day. I know he’ll be ready for us.” He said Bretney is performing in the top 99 percent right now. Twenty sessions into therapy with ARC-EX, Bretney’s arm is showing signs of improvement. His therapists said they could see progress the first time Bretney used the device and not everyone responds this way. “I think that’s the big thing, you have to have hope,” Bretney said. “Through the process, if you gain hope, you have a much better prognosis and chance.” His steps are stronger, and he is finding his balance. “We weren’t even able to do this three months ago because balance was an issue, so now we’re incorporating it in everything we do,” Davis said, as Bretney walked across the room, flanked by therapists. Bretney’s determination inspires the people around him. “They have to show up every day and put so much into everything they do, and it makes me really motivated to help do as much as they can for themselves,” Faller said. “My number one goal is to get as many gains as possible to become the person I used to be,” Bretney said. This technology is still evolving in rehabilitation settings, with only a small number of programs using it in daily therapy.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
Gary Bretney, an Indiana man recovering from a spinal cord injury, is using groundbreaking technology at Omaha’s QLI to regain movement and work toward returning home to his family.
“I’m pouring all my energy into getting better, you know,” Bretney said.
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Eight months ago, Bretney fell from a porch, compressing his spine.
“It was such a minute fall, you’d never think it was something that could paralyze,” he said.
The accident primarily impacted his left arm and hand.
“I have a wife and three daughters that I’m trying to get back to,” he said.
QLI therapists advocated for a new device this spring to help patients like Bretney make significant progress.
“We’re actually applying the electrical stimulation to the spine itself,” Occupational Therapist, Melissa Faller said.
The device, called ARC-EX, sends measured electrical pulses to the damaged area of the spine to boost communication signals between the brain and body.
While using ARC-EX, therapists like Connor Davis and Faller guide Bretney through exercises to strengthen muscles and reinforce movements.
“Feeding ourselves, brushing our teeth, getting dressed, now becomes a challenge and something he has to work toward and focus on every small piece of that,” Faller said.
Davis praised Bretney’s dedication, saying, “Nobody works harder than Gary. I purposely put him as my first therapy of the day. I know he’ll be ready for us.” He said Bretney is performing in the top 99 percent right now.
Twenty sessions into therapy with ARC-EX, Bretney’s arm is showing signs of improvement. His therapists said they could see progress the first time Bretney used the device and not everyone responds this way.
“I think that’s the big thing, you have to have hope,” Bretney said. “Through the process, if you gain hope, you have a much better prognosis and chance.”
His steps are stronger, and he is finding his balance.
“We weren’t even able to do this three months ago because balance was an issue, so now we’re incorporating it in everything we do,” Davis said, as Bretney walked across the room, flanked by therapists.
Bretney’s determination inspires the people around him.
“They have to show up every day and put so much into everything they do, and it makes me really motivated to help do as much as they can for themselves,” Faller said.
“My number one goal is to get as many gains as possible to become the person I used to be,” Bretney said.
This technology is still evolving in rehabilitation settings, with only a small number of programs using it in daily therapy.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
