SCI Awareness Month: #Quadwife Dayna Cruz

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"My husband Chris sustained a C4-C6 SCI back in 2018 in Cartagena Colombia. It was the night before our friends wedding and what was suppose to be the start to our “honeymoon”.
Let’s back track a little, we were kind of still newlyweds and had pushed our honeymoon back because we ended up getting pregnant just a few months after saying
“I Do” . After our daughter was born we bought our first house. We had so much going for us becoming New parents, New homeowners, & good jobs. So you can only imagine how many plans and projects we had in mind and wanted to accomplish.  Months after moving in to our new home is when it all happened.
Our story is a bit diff and complicated, most say it should be a book or a movie with everything we dealt with in Colombia. After his accident a Few days later as I call it us being “rescued” out of there. We had a medivac jet sent our way to bring us to Florida trauma unit where he had his 2 spinal cord surgeries. The first one didn’t hold so he needed to go under twice.
It was about a month in half stay in that hospital fighting for his life, while I lived in a hotel about 5 mins from him with our daughter, my parents and some of my family and friends. Once he got cleared for inpatient we had another medivac jet take us back home to NY and that’s when our new journey began, that’s when the fight to push hard and work hard started!
Fast forward….
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This summer made 5yrs and man oh man we have been through it all and seen it all. You don’t know how strong you are until being strong is all you know how to be but like I always say it’s always good to let out a good cry instead of holding it in. We have learned and still learning to adapt into making everyday living as normal as possible. We have to think twice and research places before going or attending events to make sure it’s accessible and have ramps, we no longer can just get up and go. There is so much that comes with having a SCI from doctor visits, ER visits, spasms, can’t control body temp, nerve pain, and so much more that goes on behind closed doors… But we always make the best of it!

Parenting has its days but I’m sure that goes for anyone (haha). He still watches our daughter independently, plays hide n seek, tickle monster, colours, goes walks(rolls), and to an extent depending on certain parks he can go on the playground with her. This life isn’t easy but we do the best we can and sure as heck make the best of it …

As I said from day 1 WE GOT THIS 💚" - Dayna Cruz of New York

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