SNN_July 2021 Issue_web low res

SPINAL NETWORK NEWS 27
“You Will Still Have an
Outstanding Life”
Q and A with Andrew Hall on winning the mental battle
It has been almost 40 years since your accident, what
are some of the ways you have won the mental battle
and remained positive?
I have found that you have got to have little wins along the
journey. Whether that is getting up into your chair
without chundering. Or making it the length of the gym
in your chair. Other bigger ones like building up to getting
out of hospital and getting your first vehicle. Getting
mobilised and your first journey into town. The small
wins along the way are important and then before you
know it, you have some semblance of a normal life again.
That kept me going.
It is normal to have negative moments or down days,
how do you manage that?
Every now and then it’s ok to get on the ‘pity bus’ and go
for a wee ride. It is like the orbiter bus in town that goes
around in a circle. You see the bus going past every day as
you are working hard and carrying on with your life. And
then one day you think “you know what, today I’m going
to get on the pity bus”. And you go for a wee ride. Take a
bit of time out and think about what is going on with your
life, and dwell in that pity and then you get off again.
The secret is you are allowed to get on the pity bus from
time to time. You just don’t stay on it for too long. It is
perfectly natural and part of life but just don’t stay there.
What advice would you have offered to a 19-year-old
Andrew Hall who arrived at Burwood scared and
unsure what the rest of his life would look like?
Andrew receiving the Canterbury Road Trauma Award for
Community Service.
What advice do you offer to people who are helping
others with a spinal cord impairment?
I say to people who are looking after people here, everyone
has their own story. It is not my story. We are all spinal
injured but not one of us is the same. Everything about us
is slightly different, our social situations, our coping
strategies, our relationships, our level of injuries and pain,
and fatigue. You need to recognise that in everything you
do, so the best thing to do at first is just listen.
I would say things are going to get a whole lot better. You
will still have an outstanding life. You will still do
fascinating and great things and you will meet some great
people. You will fall in love, have kids and all of that stuff
that you always wanted to do, you will still do. It will just
be different.
There is an art to finding out what is concerning people
and then find what it is that they need to address that
concern. Or sometimes it is best just to listen and show
that you understand. You can’t solve it or make it better,
but you are just there to listen and appreciate that their
journey is their journey.