Dale and Connie are back home in Townsville amongst familiar surroundings with a very different perspective.
All it took was a few innocuous seconds on a Friday morning at work for Dale’s life to be changed forever.
A workplace accident left him paralysed from the waist down.
Now home in Townsville after undergoing rehabilitation in Brisbane, the 19-year-old is back amongst familiar surroundings with a very different perspective.
Approaching something as simple as getting through the front door of the family home was suddenly a challenge.
His is just one of the many stories being told as part of a new YouTube series from Queensland Health.
Healthy Convos is a collection of long-form, first-person narratives from patients and staff made possible by unique behind the scenes access.
The series aims to showcase personal, powerful and evergreen stories to inform, shift perceptions and improve health literacy by highlighting the real impact of Queensland Health.
In the premier episode - Adjusting to Life after a Spinal Cord Injury - Dale and his mum Connie reflect on how they are adjusting to a new life after the accident.
“It all happened so quickly,” Dale said.
“You know that you’re paralysed but you don’t know what the outcome is going to be.”
Now he’s back home, the focus for Dale is easing back into work, getting back behind the wheel of a new car, and plenty of time with his mates and girlfriend.
Things which normally wouldn’t need a second thought, like going to the toilet or having a shower, now require a different approach.
But his accident at 17-years-old has also given him a new perspective.
Months before his accident at work he was involved in a traffic crash in which no one was hurt but his car was damaged.
At the time it felt like the “end of the world” - but now things are very different.
“It’s pretty much like having a full-time job I guess, being in a wheelchair,” Dale said.
“You don’t realise how good your life is before something like this happens.
“You look at everything, like it doesn’t look the same as when you left.
“You realise, there’s a lot more to it. You’ve got to look after your skin, make sure your bowels are working… make sure you’re not getting UTIs.”
It’s still raw for mum Connie but she knows Dale has a big future ahead of him - it’s just going to take time and some modifications to get back into rhythm.
Her son’s life was flipped upside down in an “instant” so it’s only natural to need time to adjust.
Connie said while much of the focus was on the physical recovery, she stressed the importance of taking care of your mental health after a serious injury.
She said it was vital to accept support, engage in difficult conversations when things aren’t travelling smoothly, and understand you are still the same person dearly loved by family and friends.
Visits in hospital from others with lived experience and reaching out to peers on social media, especially younger people, have helped immensely in the early stages of Dale’s recovery.
“Just to know that you’re not alone. There are other people in a similar situation,” Connie said.
“It makes you realise life’s not over.
“You can still do things. Yes, they’re going to look different, and yes, it’s going to take a lot more effort - but it’s possible.”