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Look at what we’ve been up to this past summer!!

OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8TH (6-10pm) :  Rise Up Gallery will be showcasing art at the City Hall Rotunda Gallery in Jersey City for the entire month of December and Thursday, December 8th will be the opening night reception!  Come mingle, check out our vibrant work, meet our artists, and help propel Rise Up to the next level.  Our art collection has grown considerably over the past 4 months and we are ready to display our latest pieces.  If you can’t make the event, you may always purchase art via website (www.riseupgallery.com).  Just in time for Holiday shopping and end of year tax write offs!  Rise Up is also able to provide Corporate Art Installations, which is an excellent way for businesses to give to a charitable cause, obtain tax deduction, and enrich an open space.   If you know a property manager, commercial real estate developer, or an office/lobby that needs to be brightened with original artwork, please refer them to Rise Up Gallery

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8th (6-10pm)
City Hall Rotunda Gallery - 280 Grove St, Jersey City, NJ 07302

RISE UP GALLERY:
In June 2011, we launched Rise Up Gallery as the flagship program of RUTCP.  The gallery is a collective of artists with disabilities who present artwork during quarterly gallery exhibitions.  Proceeds fund Quality of Life Grants for individuals living with paralysis and Research Grants to Medical Institutions searching for a cure to paralysis.  We are actively searching for a permanent venue to house our office, adaptive art studio, and gallery.  If you have any ideas or leads to help us find a permanent home please contact us!

INDY:
A big THANK YOU to all the supporters of the 5k walk in Indianapolis!  Partnering with Walking for Dreams, Rise Up Gallery was a part of this incredible fundraiser.  As a result of these efforts, Rise Up was able to provide a quality of life grant to an Indiana resident that helped him purchase a rugby wheelchair!  Thank you all the supporters for coming out!

NYC TAXI’s:
Recently Rise Up rallied with Disabled in Action and United Spinal Association in the name of fair and equal transportation for all at the New York City Courthouse.  Calling for the Taxi and Limousine Commission and the city of New York to design the new 2012 taxi cab to be wheelchair accessible; as of now, it is not.  The Federal Judge decided in favor of Disabled in Action, which is the first step in having the 2012 taxi design reconsidered.  Check out the movement below!
http://queens.ny1.com/content/news_beats/transit/139708/judge-allows-disabled-activists–lawsuit-for-taxi-access

WALKABOUT:
We recently attended the Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez movie premier for ‘The Way’ at the launching event for another great Paralysis cause, the Walkabout Foundation.  Rise Up Gallery was proud to contribute two Rough Rider wheelchairs, to Walkabout Foundation last week.  President Bill Clinton attended the fundraiser in a collaborate effort that helped the foundation raise over 600 wheelchairs for recipients all over the world.

NJ HERO:
Recently David was recognized with the New Jersey Hero award.  Selected for his work with Rise Up to Cure Paralysis, and the development of Rise Up Gallery, David was paid a visit by the First Lady of New Jersey who presented him with the honorary title.  A formal ceremony will be held at Drumthwacket, the New Jersey Governor’s Mansion, on November 17^th.  Rise Up will be honored with a grant to support their ongoing work.  Article HERE!

VOLUNTEERISM:
We have had an amazing uprising of volunteerism from many walks of life and we’re proud to welcome new faces and talents all the time!  In addition to these incredible aids of change, we have also expanded our Rise Up Board of Directors and welcome these strong and capable minds with our growth.  We are currently holding an official ‘Artist’s Call’!  If you know of any artists with disabilities who might be interested in joining our collective, please spread the word and have them contact Rise Up!

ARTWORK:
Rise Up has an ongoing “Artist Call” and we’ve grown to a 5 person collective with a large inventory of artwork.  If you know of an artist living with a disability who is interested in being part of our team, have them contact us!  Since June, David has been exploring mixed media in the creation of his new art projects.  Specifically, utilizing recycled skateboards to create colorful mosaics.  Keep checking the www.riseupgallery.com website for new creations.

CAPITOL HILL:
Rise Up headed to Capitol Hill on Oct. 18th to advocate on behalf of the Regenerative Medicine Promotion Act of 2011.  Rise Up joined Unite 2 Fight Paralysis to speak to congress and encourage bipartisanship for the bill that hopes to change the way we look at progressive medicine.  You can help by taking 30 seconds out of your day and follow this link; enter your name, country, and email and SEND!  Its super easy and incredibly important for a better, more progressive medical tomorrow!  http://www.opencongress.org/contact_congress_letters/new?bill=112-h1862&position=support

CORY BOOKER:
Rise Up was featured as Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s WBGO guest on ‘Newark Today’!  Mayor Booker spoke to the importance of non-profit organizations providing community development and the importance of mentoring.  Here is a link to the radio broadcast. http://www.wbgo.org/newarktoday

Thank you for helping us make this happen!  Your generosity enables Rise Up to provide life changing programs to the paralysis community. You are all heroes for making a positive impact on people lives.  Thank you for being part of our foundation.  Hope to see you on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8TH.

All the best,

David McCauley

303-960-7810

www.riseupgallery.com

Do you have plans for Sunday May 22nd?  Rise Up To Cure Paralysis is partnering with Walking for Dreams to host a 5K Walk (Family & Pet Friendly) along the Canal in Downtown Indianapolis!  It would be great to catch up, go for a stroll, have a beer on the patio of Buggs Temple, and support a great cause!

In case you haven’t heard, RUTCP recently held an event in Brooklyn, NY and awarded a grant to a disabled skier to assist in the purchase of a Mono Snow Ski!  He was stoked!  Now, we want to duplicate our efforts and give back to the Indianapolis community that has been SO supportive to us since our inception.

3 Ways You Can Help:

1) Become a Team Leader and recruit a group of friends, family, co-workers to participate in event May 22nd!

2) Sign up to be a walker on one of our existing teams!

3) Spread the word around Indy and ask people to sponsor our walkers!

Let me know if you’re interested in participating!  If you’re ready to commit, go ahead and follow these instructions to register with the Rise Up To Cure Paralysis Team.

How to register:

1.    Go to www.walkingfordreams.org

2.    Click on Register (located on the left sidebar)

3.    Read the walker disclaimer and click on I Agree

4.   Select Join a Team, this will take you to a form page, where you will fill in the appropriate information.  The last question will be Select Team:  This is where you will click on the down arrow and go through the drop down box to find Rise Up To Cure Paralysis.

ALL FINISHED, now you just need to get some friends, family, etc. to sponsor you for the walk!

I’m looking forward to hearing back from you and I hope you’ll be able to make it on the 22nd!

Best,

David

Rise Up To Cure Paralysis will be holding our NYC launch party at the Brooklyn Winery on Wednesday April 6th @ 6:30! Come celebrate this fantastic event with Food & Wine! Art, Vacations, and Spa Packages being auctioned! Discussion Panel featuring Dr. Wise Young and Brooklyn’s own Damon Rozier keepin it lively!

Participants in the Discussion Panel include:

1) Dr. Wise Young – Founding Director of the W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience and a professor at Rutgers University. Dr. Young is recognized as one of the world’s outstanding neuroscientists, and has appeared on 20/20, 48 Hours, Today, Fox News, CNN, Life Magazine, USA Today, and TIME Magazine.

2) Dr. Sue Ann Sisto – Director of Research & Rehabilitation Services at Stony Brook University

3) Adam DeMuth – Adaptive Sports Foundation

4) Micah Kellner – New York State Assemblyman and Transportation Advocate

Come learn about the latest developments in research, improvements to transportation for the disabled, and ways to maintain your health through adaptive sports! Rally your crew for an evening of advocacy!

Easy ways you can help make this event a success:
1) Attend
2) Attend and Bring 3 Friends
3) Attend, Bring 3 Friends, and Tell 5 More Friends

You get the idea!

Event Details: http://www.rutcp.org/events

RSVP via Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=128489157220505

Thanks again for all the support! Can’t wait to see everybody in the Borough of Kings! The location is 213 N 8th St, Brooklyn, NY 11211, its 1 block from the L train stop at Bedford.

Best,

David

Rise Up To Cure Paralysis March Madness Pool
Complete Bracket by 11:00am EST Thursday, March 17th

Hello Everybody-

It’s time for March Madness – and time for the 2nd Annual Rise Up To Cure Paralysis March Madness pool!  You may, at this moment, be asking yourself several questions…

1) Who are you and why are you emailing me?
—> I’m emailing to invite you to participate in a March Madness pool.  Many of you already know me and have been supporting my path towards recovery, since an accident left me with a Spinal Cord Injury in September 2008.  Thank you for all the support!  For those of you who don’t know me, you probably received this email from a friend or family member of mine who is helping me out by raising awareness about Spinal Cord Injury and Paralysis.  Please check out my non-profit organization’s website (www.rutcp.org) to read about our story and the inspiration for what we are accomplishing now.

2) I’m already in, like, twenty March Madness pools. What makes this one any different?
—> This pool benefits an amazing cause and all participants will be entered in a raffle to win a house!  Ya, you read that right….  Your entry fee is a tax deductible donation, which will double as a raffle ticket for a drawing to win a 3bed/2.5bath Condo in Holland, MI. Drawing will be held late 2011.  In addition, half of the entry fee goes towards the Rise Up To Cure Paralysis Foundation (www.rutcp.org) to improve the quality of life of people living with paralysis.  The other half of the entry fees will be distributed to our Top 5 finishers and they may donate their earnings to a charity of their choice.  Where else do you have the opportunity to be awarded money to give to charity, help people in need, possibly become a home owner, and feel good about yourself even if you lose?

3) What’s the dilly-yo on this year’s pool?
—> It’s a $25 entry fee. Half of the fee will be donated to the Rise Up To Cure Paralysis Foundation (www.rutcp.org). The remaining prize money will be paid out to the top finishers as follows:

1st Place – 50% to Charity of your Choice
2nd Place – 20% to Charity of your Choice
3rd Place – 15% to Charity of your Choice
4th Place – 10% to Charity of your Choice
5th Place – 5% to Charity of your Choice
Last Place – You get your entry fee returned or complimentary entry into next year’s pool.

4) Is the pool open to others? Can I forward this to friends?
—> That would be FANTASTIC!  More participants = Greater Success.  Please forward this email to anybody who may have interest.  The whole point is to raise money and increase awareness about SCI (Spinal Cord Injury).
(* NOTE: If someone forwarded you this message, please send me a quick email: djmccauley@rutcp.org just to let me know so I’ll add you to the email distribution list. Otherwise you won’t get the regular Updates, and that’s half the fun.)

5) OK, I’m in. How do I join?
—> We’re using CBS SPORTSLINE BRACKET MANAGER this year. So go there (click on link below).

http://djmf.mayhem.cbssports.com/e
Pool Password: djmf

IF you are a CBS Sportsline member:
- Go here http://djmf.mayhem.cbssports.com/e Sign in to your account
- Pool password = djmf
- Make your selections for your bracket anytime after Selection Sunday, March 13th

IF you are NOT a CBS Sportsline member, you need to create an account, it takes about a minute):
- Go here http://www.cbssports.com/registration?master_product=6797&end=http://djmf.mayhem.cbssports.com/e&tag=pageRow;pageContainer
- Create ID, input First Name, Last Name, Date of Birth, and Email
- UNCHECK BOXES
- Click SUBMIT
- On the “Thank You for Joining CBS Sports” webpage, click on “click to continue”
- Type in Pool Password – djmf
- Make your selections for your bracket anytime after Selection Sunday, March 13th
(if you have any questions/difficulties setting up an account or logging in please email).

6) Can I enter more than once?
—> Yes, you may create as many entries as your bankroll allows – each entry is $25.

7) How do I pay you?
—> Stop lying. You didn’t just ask that question. But I’ll tell you anyway. There are 3 main options:

PAYING Via WEBSITE (Easiest): Please go to www.rutcp.org and click on the Donate Now button in the bottom right corner, fill out form ($25 per entry) and in the Dedication, please put “NCAA Pool.”  You’ll be emailed a receipt, which you should keep because it’s a tax deductible donation!

If you are part of the technological stone age and would prefer to use carrier pigeons, or send me smoke signals, then you may also choose:

PAYING BY CHECK
($25 made out to: Rise Up To Cure Paralysis), and mail to:
1 Harborside Place Suite 735, Jersey City, NJ 07311

PAYING BY CASH:
If you are in the NYC area stop by the apartment and drop off your loot!

THANKS for reading all of this verbose email and supporting an amazing cause! I’m looking forward to watching some great games this March! Let the MADNESS BEGIN!

Good Luck in the Tourney,

David

Thank you to everyone who has been keeping tabs on me!

2010 has been filled with advancements and achievements!  First off, I have officially started a 501c3 non-profit organization called Rise Up To Cure Paralysis!  Check out the new website!  RUTCP was born from all the amazing support I encountered from the wonderfully generous people in my life.  Since early 2009 I’ve been searching for my niche in the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) community, where I could apply my knowledge and experience to be most effective in helping find a cure for paralysis.  The success of several grassroots fundraisers inspired me to foster new relationships, rekindle old relationships, and build a book of business in order to raise money on a large scale.  The ultimate goal of these fundraising efforts is to support innovative SCI research and assist individuals living with paralysis through Quality of Life Grants.  THANK YOU so much for the continued support, none of this would be possible without your amazing generosity!

Before I get on with the blog update and while you’re in the holiday spirit, remember a donation to RUTCP in the name of a friend or loved one is a great holiday gift (and it’s a tax deduction)!  Our new website has an easy donation link, so check it out!  If you would prefer to mail a check, that’s great too!  Our address is 1 Harborside Place Suite #735, Jersey City, NJ 07311.  Also, we are always in need of volunteers, so if you are inclined to lend your expertise to a phenomenal cause, contact us!

The positive outcome of the original fundraising events is the motivation for what I’m doing now.  If I can do it for myself, what’s stopping me from increasing involvement on a large scale and providing life changing assistance to many more people living with paralysis?  Nothing.  OK, well maybe some long days on the phone, meetings to garner interest from corporations and individuals interested in charitable giving, pages upon pages of paperwork for the IRS, consultations with attorneys and accountants, etc…. you get the idea.  It’s a lot of work, but all very worthwhile once a life changing gift is given to a research institution or individual!

What else have I been up to other than starting a non-profit organization?  Well, since February I’ve been participating in a clinical trial at The Kessler Foundation.  3 or 4 days a week I am standing over a treadmill for a 65 minute workout using a body weight support system.  I have electrodes attached to my legs.  Once a minute for 11 seconds, electricity shoots through my muscles causing them to contract and for a brief time I am able to stand under my own power (albeit quite wobbly).  While standing, my therapy team takes me through many adaptive exercises to strengthen my body, promote muscle movement, and improve balance.  I’ve had some remarkable advancements since starting this therapy.  I’ve regained use of use of my left tricep, increased the grip strength (flexion) in my right hand, awakened and strengthened many muscles in my core (upper abdominal, mid/lower back, obliques), improved blood pressure, and increased bone density significantly.  Unfortunately, as proven as this therapy is, it is not available to people with spinal cord injuries classified as Asia A.  Hence the clinical trial to prove its efficacy.  And it is currently only available in less than 10 locations throughout the US to people with spinal cord injuries classified as Asia C or Asia D.  This is why it is so very important to raise money for research institutions, so they may continue to develop innovative therapies and make them available to rehabilitation facilities as soon as possible.  These cutting edge therapies need to be readily available to all whom wish to participate.  Nobody should be denied the opportunity to recover due to insurance coverage, geographic location, or financial status.  The bottom line is new therapies and advances in medicine are not possible without appropriate funding for research.  That’s why I’m asking you to get on board and help out

Throughout 2010 I’ve been forging new relationships, while ramping up the launch of RUTCP.  I’ve been fortunate enough to have discussions and build friendships with some of the brightest minds and ambitious contributors in the SCI community.

This spring I was invited to meet the team at the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and learn about their organization.  Their impact on the SCI community is truly amazing.  They are involved with worldwide advocacy, research, assistance to individuals, information dissemination, and the list goes on.  Amongst the many events they organize is an annual star studded gala in NYC, which Rosaleen and I attended, and a research symposium hosting some of the most distinguished minds of collaborative neuroscience.  They are absolute pillars of the SCI community.

I may be a bit biased but the team at the Kessler Foundation are phenomenal as well.  I’ve learned so much about my injury and the possibilities of recovery from the vast amount of knowledge that these wonderful people possess.  Since February 2010, I’ve been surrounded by a top notch team of researchers, doctors, therapists, and engineers whose chosen profession is to find a cure for paralysis and improve the daily lives of people living with SCI.  I consider myself extremely fortunate to be their test subject (lab rat  .

Later in the spring I toured the W.M. Keck Institute at Rutgers University.  This is the home of Dr. Wise Young’s SCI Lab.  Dr. Young is a bit of a legend and has been at the forefront of SCI neuroscience for 25+ years.  He is currently spearheading stem cell clinical trials in China and his research has directly contributed to many innovative SCI treatments used today.  During our visit to the Keck Institute, we bought some raffle tickets and won the grand prize!  A dinner discussion/speaking engagement with Dr. Wise Young!  Just another sign that RUTCP is destined for success!

This summer I was introduced to Jesse Billhauer and the Life Rolls On Foundation. Their flagship program is an event called TWSA (They Will Surf Again), in which I participated at Rockaway Beach, NYC.  I was left speechless and with a perma-grin after catching wave after wave on a beautiful sunny Saturday morning at my old surf break.  What an amazing sense of accomplishment this program provides!

So that’s my update!  Thank you to all who have provided continued support and have helped make RUTCP a reality!  Best to you all during this Holiday Season and remember a donation to RUTCP in the name of a friend or loved one is a great holiday gift (and tax deductible)!  Again, our new website has an easy donation link, so check it out!  If you would prefer to mail a check, that’s great too!  Our address is 1 Harborside Place Suite #735, Jersey City, NJ 07311.  Also, we are always in need of volunteers, so if you are inclined to lend your expertise to a phenomenal cause, contact us!  Please continue to spread the word about us as awareness is of the utmost importance!

Wishing everybody the best in 2011!!!!

David

Hey People!

Here’s another long overdue update!  Honestly I’d update the blog more often, but I like to wait until there is significant news to share and not bore you with my day to day.  Thankfully, I do have some exciting news!

Quick recap:  In October 2009 we had two awesome and successful fundraisers in Indianapolis (Indy Half Marathon) and Denver (Halloween Party).  Also, over Christmas Jake Hendershot and Company put on another great Xmas Jam in Muncie with some of the proceeds going to yours truly.  THANK YOU TO ALL THE ORGANIZERS OF THESE EVENTS AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CAME OUT TO SHOW SUPPORT!  It is incredibly amazing to catch up with people from different segments of my life who are at my back offering support and encouragement.  Don’t think for a minute that I could make it through some of the grueling, frustrating, but eventually rewarding therapy sessions without emotional support from YOU (family, friends, friends of friends, etc…).  Its also an impossibility to imagine me taking a hiatus from the world of 9 to 5’ers to solely focus on my rehab and recovery without the financial support you’ve provided.  Many thanks, even though I feel “thank you’s” are not enough to describe how grateful I am to you all.  I’m looking forward to making these events an annual occurrence.  Lets GO BIG in 2010, tell your friends and rally your crew, see you soon

So here is the exciting news!  I’m finally starting my LT (locomotor training) and FES (Functional Electronic Stimulation) clinical trial at Kessler.  I signed up last September and have been waiting patiently to be a lab rat.  Over the past couple weeks I’ve gone through many tests to ensure my body is ready for the hard work on the horizon.  During these tests my therapist has determined I have muscle activity in my trunk (mainly my right obliques), which,  means I have communication occurring well below my level of injury (almost 2 feet below).  According to science this is an impossibility with my type of “ASIA A complete” injury.  Needless to say this is fantastic news!  I also have topical sensation on the skin surface in the same area to just above my right hip, pretty cool.

So on February 22nd I had my first LT session.  I stood upright with a 60% of my body weight supported by a harness.   With probably 99%-100% help from my therapy team I took my first steps in 17 months.  There were four steps, two backward, two forward.  The steps were sloppy, minimal, unsightly, uncoordinated, and almost completely manufactured by my therapy team.  And they were beautiful.  It amazed me to be upright, look in the mirror and watch my feet be shuffled awkwardly.  I forgot I was 5’11” since I’ve been chillin at peoples waistlines for almost the past year and a half.  I was able to look people in the eye at eye level.  I was grinning like a mad man and so was the research team as they did not expect my body to accommodate this type of movement so well.  Common challenges that other test subjects encountered are a drop in blood pressure, fainting, joints buckling, muscle spasms…the list goes on.  I just stood tall.  The perceived communication to my trunk/core helped me maintain my balance and stand steady, which is another impossibility for somebody with my level of injury.

February 23rd I was back for another session.  After our morning stretch and data collection I was upright again in the harness, over the treadmill.  I stood for a few minutes, attempted to shift my weight side to side, monitored blood pressure, all was ok.  Then the doctor leading the study asked if I wanted to walk today, which was not originally in the cards for the day’s session.  My eyes lit up….seriously?  Lets do IT!  I was thinking COOL, I get to show off for Rose  The team checks and double checks all the equipment, countdown 3, 2, 1, and off I go.  The treadmill starts moving.  I have a therapist sitting on each side of me triggering and controlling my leg movements.  Another therapist is behind me bracing me at the hips and observing my upper body response to the stepping.  Another data collection engineer is at the controls twisting knobs and looking at data being fed to several computer monitors.  A foreign language of scientific and medical acronyms are being tossed around the room by the team members.  After a few minutes of walking my body weight being supported is diminished to 55%, then 53%, then 50%.  So I’m supporting half my body weight and walking at a decent clip, smiles all around.  I’m concentrating on moving my legs but it’s a bit confusing having to think about what once was such an involuntary motion.  I walk for several minutes, probably cover 200+ yards and then we shut down the locomotor trainer.  Any doubts in my ability to perform for the study are now absent.  I’ve come to work and now my team knows it, even if I tend to crack the occasional joke just to keep it light.  One of my fav’s…”why does Snoopdog carry an umbrella? (confused pause)…..FO’ DRIZZLE!!!!!!!!!  HA HA!  And I digress.  I even surprised myself as I was anticipating some blood pressure issues (drop/low) which I’ve dealt with since the injury.  That’s it, I’m brought down, taken out of the harness, the session is discussed, I receive some praise, and we’re out.  See you Thursday.

And that is the gameplan for the next 7-8 months.  A total of approx 120 sessions (3-4/week) with different variations for the study.  Laying down with FES, standing in locomotor, walking in locomotor, walking in locomotor with FES, etc…

Pretty exciting news to be involved with cutting edge and innovative research.  My own independent steps are probably still a long time coming, but this is a step in the right direction yes, pun intended.

Please pass this blog, website, Facebook Group along to as many caring folks as possible.  Spam your email address book, invite Facebook friends, mass text message, send snail mail letters, bring it up in conversation, all of this helps get the word out!  Donations are tax deductible and play an immense role in keeping me afloat while I focus on my recovery/rehab. No doubt that it has become a full time job for me.   Also raising awareness about the SCI (Spinal Cord Injury) Community is imperative to push the U.S. to stay at the forefront of developing innovative therapies (such as LT and FES) which will one day help myself and many others like me to walk again!  Thanks for all the support!  I couldn’t do it without you.  I look forward to catching up sometime this year.

Wishing you all the best in 2010!

David

OK people, think “Indian Summer”!  I would definitely enjoy a few more weeks of warm weather, trips to the beach, concerts in the park, dinners on the patio, and other outdoor excursions.  It seems like an “about face” from my years in Colorado where we all yearned for the snow to start falling in October in anticipation of the snowboarding season.  Times have changed.

Exactly, one year ago my life was turned upside down.  My accident was unfortunate and tragic.  Now a year later, when I reflect, the images in my mind of getting pulled out of the water and ambulance rides to various hospitals have faded.  I choose to remember all the bright memories of the last time I was walking.  In typical McCauley fashion, it was a weekend mixed with R&R and running amok.  Spending time with good friends, playing in the surf, bonfires on the beach, tailgate BBQ, toes in the cool sand, sneaking Tahoe into the local pub for a late night game of billiards, cutting through the tree lined Hampton back-roads in the back of a pickup under a beautiful sky filled with stars, and a fresh ocean breeze.  That’s how I remember the weekend of Sept 14th, 2008.  It was the ideal weekend getaway from a sweltering city in the summertime.

My entrepreneurial spirit has finally gotten the better of me and I’ve decided to devote my time, skills, and energy to taking the David J McCauley Foundation to the next level.  I’ve been amazed at the support YOU (ie. Family, friends, colleagues, people with big hearts) have shown this past year through charitable donations to my foundation.  It has been truly life changing and inspiring.  Recently, my brother attended the Working2Walk Conference in Chicago.  He took copious notes and informed me of all the progressive research being done to find a cure for SCI (Spinal Cord Injury).  Doctors and scientists think a cure is inevitable and close, but nobody was willing to put a time frame on finding a cure due to a lack of reliable funding for research.  Hearing this broke my heart.  Doctors are close to a cure, but are limited by lack of funds?   Then the light bulb appeared and I realized where I fit into this community to find a cure.  I could raise funds.  I could teach others how to raise funds. I could be the “hype man” for SCI and raise awareness.  I view fundraising as a Sales Organization, of which I’ve had plenty of experience and success over the past 10 years.  Raising money for SCI will be different than selling innovative networks to Silicon Valley or electronic trading solutions to Wall St because true passion will be the underlying ambition to succeed.  Trust me, the opportunity to walk again, and help others walk again, is greater motivation than a better title or bigger paycheck.  And with these ideas, I’m jumping into the non-profit world to help myself as well as others in need with similar conditions.

Its still fresh and in an infancy stage, but I have a big dream to grow the David J McCauley Foundation into a titan.  The mission is to raise funds and contribute to medical research, individuals in need of adaptive equipment or alternative therapies, and the education and employment of people with disabilities.   The latter goal of presenting an employment opportunity for people with disabilities, I hold dear to my heart.  Providing a chance for people, who are now incapable of pursuing their former (pre-injury) career, to help themselves will be empowering to all parties involved.  So wish me luck on this journey, keep me in your prayers, and please continue to support and raise awareness about the David J McCauley Network for a Cure.  None of this would be possible without your contributions and for that I am incredibly thankful!

Now on to the summertime update!  Aside from my leap into the non-profit world, the summer has been quite eventful.  Rosaleen threw a surprise birthday party for me on our apartment complex roof deck back in June.  I was a little suspect when she told me she was having dinner delivered to the roof.  So when we went upstairs, instead of finding a romantic candlelit dinner, there were a bunch of my cronies carousing, ready to celebrate. Everybody had a blast.  Our rooftop is really quite amazing, jutting out into the Hudson River, with a view of the entire Manhattan skyline, from the Verrazano Bridge up to the George Washington Bridge.

My family came to visit for Father’s Day and did some NYC sightseeing.  The Paulus Hook Ferry Terminal is about a 5 minute walk from my apartment.  So we took a boat ride to South Street Seaport one night for dinner. It’s a great little trip, only 10 minutes or so, but you travel around the southern tip of Manhattan and see all of New York Harbor including the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Skyscrapers of Financial District, Downtown Brooklyn, and the Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Williamsburg Bridges.  The ferry docks at Wall St, Pier 11, just south of the tall ships anchored at the seaport.

Children from Rosaleen’s non-profit, Urban Art Beat (PLUG – www.urbanartbeat.org), were selected to perform at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, alongside major acts like DJ Premier and Pharoahe Monch.  My dad was officially the oldest person in attendance  On the way home from the festival, we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge, and cruised down the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

For the 4th of July we took a trip to a little hippy retreat called Earthdance in the Berkshires (Western Massachusetts), where Rosaleen’s sister was an instructor.  It was refreshing to be out in the woods, relax, and catch up on my leisure reading.

We have definitely been taking advantage of summer events in the city.  Central Park Summerstage has been in full effect and we caught a Lee “Scratch” Perry concert one afternoon and a Q-Tip show the following day.  Lucky for us, the disabled seating section is the same as the VIP section, so we were literally right next to the stage on an elevated platform for the performance.  The park buzzes with energy in the summer and we had beautiful sunny days for the concerts, perfect for a reggae show.  Green trees in full bloom, mazes of pathways in every direction, people playing pick-up soccer games, running, biking, skating around the paved track, tourists in rickshaws or horse carriages, sunbathing in Sheep’s Meadow, the old school roller skate disco area is always filled with characters, and city peeps getting out to enjoy their little slice of nature.

Also in July we celebrated Bastille Day on Smith St in Brooklyn.  Several blocks were barricaded off and the entire street was covered with sand for a petanque (like bocce ball) tournament.  All the boutiques, restaurants and bars had their doors open as people wandered up and down the street drinking champagne mixed with St. Germain.

In August, we went down to LBI (Long Beach Island) on the Jersey Shore for Rosaleen’s family’s annual beach vacation.  Rosaleen’s grandmother typically rents two monstrous beach houses for her family which consists of three sons, each of which have three daughters.  Which I think is a funny demographic.  Everybody gets to relax for a week, share massive meals, catch up with cousins, uncles, fathers, daughters, grandkids,  great grandkids, and partners to reminisce, and talk about what the future holds.  I must admit I dominated in Taboo one evening  We scored a beach accessible wheelchair from the lifeguard station so I was able to bask in the sun with everybody else.

Also in August, we had another rooftop party for Rosaleen’s birthday.  No surprise party this time around, but we did have the local deli put together a delicious spread of food for all our friends who came out.  It was another beautiful summer night.

Therapy has been going well and now that I can set my own schedule I will be able to take full advantage of spending more time at Kessler Rehab Institute.  I was able to purchase a standing frame with the monies donated to the foundation, which is great for me to be able to do often at home.  The standing frame is adaptive equipment that supports my body so I may stand upright.  This exercise is beneficial by putting weight on my muscles and bones so they don’t atrophy or grow frail.  I am in the process of applying for a locomotor training clinical trial which will also incorporate FES (Functional Electronic Stimulation).  I’ll be supported by a harness to stand upright over a treadmill like piece of equipment.  The FES electrodes will be connected to my legs, as the electrodes activate and shoot electricity into my body, my muscles will “fire” and with the help of therapists moving my legs, I will walk.  The trial is 60 sessions over the course of 4 months, so approximately 4 sessions per week.  Results from this therapy have shown promise in many patients, helping to reestablish communication to parts of the body below the level of injury.  Needless to say, I’m pretty excited about being a lab rat

So that’s about it.  Life has been full of exciting changes with many more on the horizon.  Stay tuned for updates on development of the David J McCauley Network for a Cure!  Hope to see you at one of the upcoming fundraising events in Indianapolis or Denver!  Thanks so much for all the support!

Peace and Blessings.

David

Happy Spring Everybody!  Sorry to have fallen off for a few months.  I’ve just been getting my life settled back in NYC.  Hmmmmmm, where do I start?  Mid January, Rosaleen and I moved to Jersey City, right on the Hudson River.  The apartment is great for my accessibility needs (ie. open layout, with large bathroom and kitchen) and it even has a patio so I can venture outside, get fresh air, check the views of NYC, and watch all the boat traffic in the bay.  We are a 4 minute subway ride to World Trade Center, so getting into Manhattan and to my office is convenient.  A few days after we arrived in NYC, my company had a welcome home party for me at the office.  It was fantastic and I got to catch up with lots of family and friends.  That evening was when the “Miracle on the Hudson” happened which was the US Airways plane that crash landed safely in the Hudson River.  Later that night when we returned from the welcome home party we were surprised to see the plane in the river at the end of our apartment complex!I returned to work part time in February and eased into the work schedule by going into the office once a week. Over the past 2 1/2 months I’ve increased my work schedule to 3 times per week, which allows me to create a good balance between work, therapy, and down time.  I’ve also started my therapy twice a week at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.  The facility is ok, but the commute there via Access Link (public transportation for the disabled) is ridiculous (1 1/2 hours to travel 16 miles).  So eventually my goal is to purchase the adaptive rehab equipment I need and start a home rehab routine.

Since being back we’ve ventured out in the city for various events and tried to keep track of places that are accessible for me.  Fortunately, we found some great places to be accessible and located near subway stops with an elevator.  One night we went to BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) for our friend Sol’s movie premier (PLUG – The Living Wake http://www.thelivingwake.com/).  The people at BAM were kind enough to remove a couple of theater seats to make way for me to see the film.  Another night we went to the Anjelika Theater for another one of Sol’s premiers (PLUG – Explicit Ills http://www.explicitillsthemovie.com/  They snuck me in on the service elevator, through the kitchen and into the lobby  We’ve also discovered several restaurants and shops that aren’t too cramped and are easy for me to be independently mobile, which is great.  We went to a Knicks game in March, and to our pleasure, one of the disabled seating sections was on the floor of MSG about 12 seats down from Spike Lee!  The Knicks actually won!  Nate Robinson was practically draining 3′s on our lap. Now that the weather is getting warmer we’ve been getting over to Liberty State Park to exercise.  It has great views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty.  Plus, with the warm weather, there are more cafe’s and patios open!

Rosaleen and I took a road trip to Maine to see her family and they were kind enough to build me a ramp to get in/out of the house.  We also took a trip to Kansas City for work where they held a surprise fund raiser for me!  I was really astonished when my parents showed up!  Unbeknownst to me Randy (my boss) and Rose were scheming for them to be the surprise guests at the fund raiser.  Pretty cool since I hadn’t seen them since January.

I’m still getting stronger by the day and recently have been able to venture solo to the supermarket, mall, Liberty Park, and along the Hudson River Walkway.  These may seem like small feats, but for someone who once was fiercely independent, they are big steps.  I also conquered the long ramp at World Trade Center, which, when I first saw it a few months ago thought would be nearly impossible.  The next major challenge I have is to get up and down Vesey Street in Manhattan, which is shoulder to shoulder people during rush hour!

I haven’t regained much more muscle mobility since I left Atlanta, but I continue to strengthen the parts of me that do work.  I’ve come to terms that this recovery time frame could stretch into years, but still hold faith that a cure will develop or something miraculous will happen to me.  In the meantime, my life is in cruise control and I’m enjoying my days.  Just the other day Rose and I went for a run/push along the waterfront.  It was a sunny evening with a cool spring breeze.  I stopped for a minute to rest and realized, my world that had shrunk so much as a result of this injury was finally starting to open up again.  As I looked out across the Hudson to NYC I thought this new life is not so bad.  Definitely not how I dreamed of living, but liveable, with plently of smiles.  I’ve told myself “this isn’t so bad” on numerous occasions, but this was the first time I actually believed it  The stronger I get, the more independent I become and as a result the world is less of a microcosm.

Thank you to everybody for the continuing support!  All the message postings have been uplifting!  If I haven’t gotten back to you to say thanks it might be because I don’t have contact info for you.  So feel free to drop me a note to my personal email (djmccauley@gmail.com).

Thank you all again, I’m wishing everybody the best!  Be well!

David

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Sorry for the delayed update. I don’t have any excuse aside from being busy and a little procrastination. I’ve actually started this update several times but the words I wrote never seemed to come correct. Thank you to everyone for their continued support, the letters, emails, phone calls and visits, they really brighten my days. So here is a quick summary of the past couple months…

In early November I had a muscle test to see what mobility I had gained since my first days at Shepherd. One by one my occupational therapist isolated the muscles in my upper back, shoulder, and arms and asked me to move them. If the muscles respond the strength is measured on a scale of 1-5. If the muscles do not respond they are graded zero. When my therapist got to my right hand I told my fingers to move, but saw no results. I was prepared to have my hands graded as a zero once again, same as they were when I first arrived to rehab. However my therapist said she could feel the muscles firing. She held my hand tight with an inquisitive look on her face, searching for something I couldn’t feel. I tried again and again. Finally I saw my middle finger and my pinkie twitch ever so slightly. I was surprised but skeptical. The movement was so minimal I didn’t know if I were responsible or if my therapist was accidentally initiating the movement through skin contact. I kept trying to move the fingers, the more I did so the more i realized the movement was under my command. My therapist shouted across the gym, “He’s got extensis digitorum! David’s got extensis digitorum!” That’s the technical term, which essentially means I can extend those fingers. This is important because once you know your spinal column is helping your brain communicate with a certain region, you can work on strengthening it. The movement in my fingers has improved and my index finger has recently started firing. The finger muscles are still weak (i.e. I cannot fully extend) and fatigue quickly, but it is still a cool new trick to show my friends.

Throughout November I continued to use the FES bike twice a week, pedaling 11 miles each session. (This is the machine that moves my legs through electronic stimulation) The bike measures how much effort I am contributing to its movement by %. Usually the bike was doing about 97% to 100% of the work. By Thanksgiving I was able to work the bike down to 79% which means my legs were able to contribute almost 1/4 of the power to pedal the bike. Pretty amazing for appendages I cannot feel or move under my own power. I’ve found pedaling the bike is a mental game where I think about my legs moving the pedals. The more focus I have, the greater I contribute.

Shepherd Center is very progressive concerning extra curricular therapy to get patients acclimated to the real world. One class in which I participated was Airline Travel. We went to Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport (world’s busiest airport) to learn the ins and outs of traveling while being disabled. The class was extremely beneficial and eliminated many concerns I had about traveling with a wheelchair. Since then I have flown to New York and Indianapolis, travel plans went off without a hitch. Its small accomplishments like this that encourage me that getting back to a normal life is not out of reach.

Also in November I completed some therapy in the swimming pool. This was a big step as I hadn’t been immersed in water since getting pulled out of the pool where I broke my neck. The feeling of being buoyant with out the full use of my limbs is a bit scary. Especially in water, its nerve racking to not be able to effectively control your body’s movement. The notion of floating face down without the ability roll over to breath is not a pleasant one. Just a week before my accident I was surfing the Hurricane Hannah storm swell with 8-10 foot rollers at Rockaway Beach. Its a quick surf break with debris of an old pier lurking underneath the waves. It’s a bit nasty out there to say the least and I was getting pounded by the storm surf. At the time that environment didn’t phase me but now I am intimidated by the back stroke in a heated indoor pool. That’s a tough transition, but you have to start somewhere and I feel good about taking my first steps back in to having an aquatic life. Shepherd Center also has scuba diving classes for disabled people which is encouraging to know I can still dive while I recover from my injury.

I graduated from inpatient rehabilitation on December 6th. That weekend Rosaleen and I flew to New York to test the waters and see if it were feasible for me to return to the city to lead a normal life. There were many accessibility questions to be answered. Unfortunately my old apartment in Fort Greene, Brooklyn is in a turn of the century brownstone, with three sets of stairs to reach my bedroom. We scoped out other options in the neighborhood, but to our disappointment quaint historic neighborhoods are not the most accessible. Everything from stairs, sidewalks to subway stations were going to be a challenge in Fort Greene. So we expanded our apartment hunt to Manhattan and Jersey City. We dropped into my office in the Financial District during our dry run of my NYC commute. Surprisingly, for an old building it was quite accessible for me. I was able to catch up with my boss and team over lunch. I have to admit I was concerned how I would be perceived by everyone now that I am in a chair. But there was no need for concern as the people in my office didn’t blink and we began to catch up where we left off in September. That group is truly a bunch of champions; it felt great to be in the mix again. I have been utterly amazed by my employer’s support, caring and patience throughout my ordeal. Seriously, thank you so much, everybody has been incredible!

The rest of our week in New York was spent jumping trains and buses, negotiating sidewalks, and braving some fierce winter weather. On one particularly nasty day, with cold driving rain, Rosaleen and I were in lower Manhattan scurrying down the sidewalk when a lady ran up, shaking her umbrella at us, saying “Take it, take it! Take my umbrella!” We sat there for a second on the corner and thought, “Wow, we must look pathetic,” and declined her offer for the Burberry print umbrella. I am glad we both find humor in situations like that, because it was quite funny. Just goes to show that New Yorkers do have hearts.

Towards the end of our week in New York we were able to catch up with some family and a few friends before heading back to Atlanta to begin Day Program at Shepherd Center.

The Day Program at Shepherd Center is structured around goals set by the patient. Now that we had a dose of NY reality, we had several things we wanted work on. Most importantly is urban landscape negotiation. So during my first week back at Shepherd I learned to pop wheelies. Poppin’ wheelies has led to climbing two inch curbs independently and four to six inch curbs with assistance. I have also learned to “bump down” curbs in reverse, a trick that makes my mother very nervous.:)

I was able to show off my new skills when I flew home to Indiana for Christmas. It was awesome to have a break from therapy, see family, show Rosaleen my home town and catch up with friends. Speaking of catching up with friends, some of my old cronies dedicated this year’s Muncie Christmas Jam to me. The Jam has been going on for several years where some of the coolest kids in town put together an evening of local music for a good cause. This year I was the good cause and my heart goes out to everybody involved in organizing as well as everyone who came out to support. I love the fact that old friends in Muncie are still holding it down, supporting local music and continuing to grow as artists. BIG UP!!!!!

Happy New Year Everybody! I complete rehab at Shepherd Center January 14th and then Rosaleen and I will be on our way back to NYC. Thank you so much for your continued love and support, we couldn’t make it with out you. Hopefully it won’t be as long until the next update!

I wish everybody the best in 2009!!

Love David

3 Percent.  One in every 33.  After probing my doctors this week about a complete C6 vertebrae injury, these are the statistics that I was given for probability of a full recovery (i.e. walking upright).11 Percent.  One in every nine.  This is the statistic for patients with complete C6 vertebrae injuries regaining sensation in parts of the body below the level of injury.

Needless to say, not the best news I could have anticipated.  But before people get sappy and start to feel sorry for me, let me tell you a story about odds.

In May of 2006, my former employer, flew me out to New York City for a week so I could apartment hunt and get acclimated for my relocation to New York.  On the Saturday prior to my departure I still had not decided that a move to the East Coast was in the cards for me.  I was shocked with how ridiculously expensive New York City was and I was reluctant to leave all the wonderful different circles of friends I had established in Colorado.  But the idea of a fresh, exciting, challenge usually gets the better of me.  I was just not ready to commit 100% yet.

So on that last Saturday of my apartment hunting trip I was invited by some new friends I had met earlier in the week , to a loft party down in the South Street Seaport.  It turned out to be a party for the Preakness horse racing event.  When I got to the party I was shown around the beautiful artist loft and introduced to friends of friends.  Then a few minutes prior to the start of the race everybody ran downstairs to the OTB (Off Track Betting) facility to place last minute bets.  I had never bet on horses before but I figured, ‘why not?’  I attempted to place three separate bets on three different horses.  The lady at the betting booth informed me that was stupid and I should put together a Trifecta.  She explained a Trifecta to me, but I didn’t like those odds so then she told me about a Box Trifecta where the horses could come in any order, you just had to have the top three correct.  I felt these odds were much better so I placed the bet.  Everybody went back to the loft to watch the race.  The race was fast, maybe just a couple of minutes.  Afterwards people were checking their tickets to see if they had won.  I showed mine to the host, he said “Dude, I think you won pretty big”.  All the potential winners marched back downstairs to the OTB to claim their winnings.  I flashed my ticket and immediately a lady in a dark suit appeared to speak to me about tax deductions from my winnings.  I was a little concerned but the booth officer informed me it was a good thing as they only pretax winnings of $5000 or more.  It turns out that I won approximately $8700 from a $17 bet.  After the tax deduction, the booth officer counted out 61 $100 bills.  I folded the wad of bills and stuffed them into my front pocket.  I smiled at the bulge.  The odds for my Box Trifecta were 511 to 1.  The odds were high that year because Barbaro was expected to win and at the very least, place in the top three.  He went down during the race with a broken leg.  Unbelievably, I had the Trifecta in the correct one, two, three, order but I placed my bet as a Box Trifecta.  So if I would have taken the booth officer’s original advice and placed the bet as a Trifecta I would have walked away with approximately $26,000 from a $17 bet placed on 1500 to 1 odds.  No big deal, I was completely happy with my $8700 in winnings.

Everybody returned to the loft to celebrate their winnings.  People were in awe that the kid who didn’t even live in New York, just won almost nine grand.  Later in the evening I treated the host, several of his friends, and my new friends who invited me to the party to an Italian dinner at a legendary establishment down in the Seaport.  Good times were had by all and I took this entire day as a sign/omen that I was making the right decision to relocate to New York City.

So how do you like those odds?  511 to one?  1500 to one?  It makes my recovery seem very doable.  It might just take a little longer than I had anticipated.  When I was in ICU on my back in New York, I was thinking  that after three months in Atlanta at Shepherd Center and I would be back on my feet.  I’m coming to realize my injury is much more severe than I previously thought and its possible recovery could stretch into years, rather than months.  Regardless, I’m remaining hopeful and positive that my hard work will pay off.  I’m also optimistic that alternative treatments, such as stem cell injections and bonding, will become readily available in the near future.  THANK YOU to my friends, family, and colleagues who have assisted in fundraisers or have contributed directly to my foundation.  Without this support, the notion of seeking alternative treatments would not even be possible!

Let’s get back on track with an update on my progress.  A week ago Friday my therapists put me in a manual wheelchair,  definitely a step in the right direction.  Unfortunately my arms look like a second grader’s which makes getting around quite slow and difficult.  But everyday that I’m in that chair pushing myself around, I’m  getting stronger.  The first day the therapists wanted me in the manual chair for two hours, I was in it for six.  I was excited to push myself around and essentially have a constant work out.  Yesterday I was able to remain in the manual chair the entire day, a total of 12 hours.

Also this past week, three important functions of my body have slowly been returning.  My appetite, blood pressure and core body temperature regulation.  People with spinal cord injuries have difficulties with low blood pressure and a decreased body temperature.  For the past several weeks I’ve found food, especially warm food, repulsive.  The low blood pressure makes me feel faint almost every time I sit up straight.  And my core body temperature is typically at least 2° lower than normal  and as a result I’m rolling around the mild southern autumn with long sleeves, a hoodie, and a stocking cap.  Yes, I do get some weird looks but all three of these functions are slowly returning to normal.  Over the past few days my appetite has returned and I have gorged myself on Thai food and Mexican.  Getting an appropriate amount of nutrition is very important during my recovery so I can regain strength.  My blood pressure has stabilized to the point where I can be upright in my manual or power chair for 12 hours plus.  And my core body temperature is also stabilizing to the point where I don’t have to look like a ski bum when it is 70° outside.

Rosaleen and my mom have both been trained enough to get a “push pass” which means they can wheel me off hospital property as long as a vehicle is not needed to get to the destination.  Essentially, we now have the freedom to travel a five block radius in any direction to check out shops, restaurants, and other stores.  This is really good for all of us to acclimate to society in a slightly altered state.  Simple tasks that previously did not require much thought, like stepping on to a curb or negotiating the width of a convenience store aisle, have become more difficult in a wheelchair.  Regardless it feels great to be able to go out to dinner or take a walk/spin around the block.

I’ve been riding an FES bike twice a week for 11 miles each session.  Electronic transmitters are hooked up to my legs to fire my muscles which in turn pedal the bike.  The goal of this therapy is to keep my muscles strong so when my spinal cord does start communicating with the rest of my body I will be able to respond accordingly (i.e. stand up).  Also by firing these muscles it is hoped that the spinal cord will notice activity below the injury and start communicating,  kind of like dangling a carrot in front of a donkey.

Thanks again to everybody who turned out for the fundraisers, sounds like everybody had a good time.  I really appreciate the support.  Thank you to all the people who sent me cards, letters, e-mails, and guestbook responses.  Reading these messages is incredibly refreshing and has become a highlight of my downtime here at rehab.  And thank you to all my parents’ wonderful friends from the community and First Presbyterian Church who are helping back in Muncie to get my parents new home ready to move into.  It’s really taken a lot off of their mind and in turn allows them to stay here in Atlanta with me and help with my recovery.  Thank you all so much.

Getting better by the day,

David