First 90 Days is an information resource company focusing on acute trauma. We help those with sudden life-changing injuries navigate the complex systems in medicine, insurance, rehab and community integration.
Spinal Cord Injury: The First 90 Days is a roadmap to the chaos of trauma and paralysis. There are two editions, one serving the Southern California SCI community, and one for the Rocky Mountain States SCI community.
There’s no denying it, SCI is mean and merciless. But these books and website, written by neurotrauma expert Sam Maddox, will help slow things down so you and your loved ones can start to process the chaos; this resource will help you make the best possible decisions as you’re dealing with enormous stress.
Here are some of the First 90 Days basics:
- Don’t go into this alone. There is a vibrant and caring SCI community in SoCal. If you don’t find these folks, don’t worry, they’ll find you, and they are your most valuable resource.
- Stay active. Be part of something. Get out, play, travel, explore.
- Stay aggressive about staying healthy.
- Learn. Interact. Connect. Information is the coin of this realm.
- Know your rights and be ready to advocate for yourself.
- If your injury was someone else’s fault, get expert legal advice.
Above all, remain hopeful — partly because new therapies are on the horizon, but also because you will survive. It will take time but you will figure this out. Yes, SCI sucks and life’s a bitch. But then you live.
Get The Book - SCI The First 90 Days
Meet Sam Maddox
Sam Maddox is co-founder and former Knowledge Manager for the Reeve Foundation Paralysis Resource Center. He is an author of several books related to chronic health and paralysis, including three editions of the Paralysis Resource Guide; over 200,000 copies have been distributed by the Reeve Foundation.
In 1992 Maddox wrote the first comprehensive history of spinal cord injury research, Quest for Cure. He wrote and published the much-acclaimed resource book Spinal Network, and is the founder, 30 years ago, of New Mobility magazine. Maddox was a panel member of The Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine, which develops and disseminates evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to professionals and consumers.
Maddox is a neurotrauma subject expert and has consulted in catastrophic injury litigation. He has been a reporter for many magazines, including Time, Money and People. Maddox is a graduate of the University of Colorado, where taught in the School of Journalism. He lives in Los Angeles.
Sponsors
Please support these businesses and services. Without their sponsorship, First 90 Days would not be possible.
For the Southern California book:
Ballard Rehabilitation Hospital
California Rehabilitation Institute
Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS)
Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
For the Rocky Mountain States book:
Centre for Neuro Skills (CNS)
Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
SCI Hotline
The SoCal SCI Hotline is a service of First 90 Days. The Hotline offers a free half-hour consultation for those dealing with acute SCI in the Southland.
For more comprehensive consulting, case management and advocacy, we offer fee-based services to help clients navigate the onset of SCI, including the complexities of trauma care, outcome prediction, treatment planning, rehabilitation, long-term medical care, equipment and supplies, and return to the community.
These services may include:
- Identification of experienced and qualified specialists and facilities
- Insurance coverage review and advocacy
- Clinical trial evaluation and decision support
- Medical research reports in support of best practices, standards of care
- Medical records review
- Rehab or long-term care recommendations
The SCI Hotline receives no financial compensation from doctors, hospitals, or agencies for client services.
© 2020 SCIFirst90Days