unofficial sensation test | my daughter pokes me with stuff to see where I can feel | paralysis

My official level of paralysis is t6, which means the 6th thoracic vertebrae, but most people have no idea where the 6th thoracic vertebrae is so I always just say mid chest level. Recently, a subscriber asked for a better visual explanation so I recruited my daughter Jamie to poke me with things in an unofficial sensation test so that I could show you guys more clearly where I can feel and where my paralysis begins.
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[@tinabrickley8157]

I think it's great that you included your daughter's participation experiencing this with you. Its wonderful the way you communicate and educate your daughter as well as your viewers about your condition.

[@ronunderwood8099]

I think Jamie was enjoying sticking you with sharp objects a bit too much. 😂

[@EmpoweredPara]

She was really wacking me with that banana lol

[@jbreezy101]

You could say she went bananas over this. 😂. Glad you all can have fun with this.

[@billyoung8118]

@@EmpoweredPara I've had T1 diabetes for almost 40 yrs. I have some friends who are too enthusiastic about wanting to give me my insulin shots! I'm on a pump now, so I use that as my excuse.

[@muddikissez22]

This was a GREAT idea for those who are very visual. Little Jamie is such a good helper!

[@solimarlugo3539]

This was so interesting to see how the sensation line isn't a true "line" and can vary so much. Thank you! Also, I love Jamie!😍

[@EmpoweredPara]

yeah really weird hey!

[@solimarlugo3539]

@@EmpoweredPara getting tattoo today, and it's pretty wild how patchy my sensation is! (No SCI, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, herniations, spurs, stenosis, etc).

[@ksufler]

I totally see her as future neurologist! very diligent examination

[@EmpoweredPara]

lol I hope she makes a more thorough neurologist if she becomes one. She did pretty good but definitely gave up fast haha

[@westiepower2020]

For some reason, I think about this video quite often. I think that for some of us Able-Bodied persons, we can understand the lack of movement below the level of injury, but we have more trouble understanding the lack of sensation. This video was very helpful in this regard. Thank you Brittney!

[@wanderingFran]

This was super interesting. Especially the part about having more sensation on the inside. Thank you.

[@ThorbjrnPrytz]

Because the vagus nerve is not inside the spine. It runs along the organs down.. It is is part of the parasympathetic system, the autonomous parts of your body (bladder, colon musclels, digestive system, heart rate etc). It branches of above your injury, and is therfore not affected.

[@KevinConlon69]

Interesting, yes. Weird, no. Educational, yes. This is a very interesting video, you show what many people are wondering, but don't know how to ask. Thank you.

[@EmpoweredPara]

I do my best to answer all the questions that I had and was too afraid to ask!

[@brucekerl5139]

Awesome, thank you! I've been a subscriber for sometime but don't comment that often. This was very informative! I was surprised how high you first sensations were. Keep up the good work!

[@EmpoweredPara]

Thanks ❤️!

[@loscarnm]

I think the video was really educational. I have Never have the chance juguetes information from my person that is paradised. Thanks for posting the video.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@gtrguyinaz]

❤❤❤you are so brave and your vlogs are very helpful…

[@seanmc1351]

again, i find yourself amazing, plus involving your children. knowledge is power, well done again

[@EmpoweredPara]

Thanks Sean!

[@Jaggededge112]

Jaime was having fun poking you. It was a very helpful visual video about your level of injury. Thank you.

[@EmpoweredPara]

lol she definitely liked the excuse to poke me haha

[@T11paraplegic]

I remember doing this in rehab but it's always good to re-due this over the yrs to see if you gained any sensation👍♿️

[@warrenfloyd1484]

Again you are awesome, an a inspiration to everyone!

[@EmpoweredPara]

Thanks ❤️!

[@keyshawnperkins111]

I’m also at t6 para. I find it crazy that I also have less sensation in my right armpit also!

[@Salty_Knuckles]

Alright, you got me addicted to your channel. Been binge watching for 3 hours. From pee to sex to falling to wheelies. What an informational channel. Thank you so much.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Welcome! Glad you're finding my channel educational!!!

[@jtimgray]

Very interesting. I love your positive attitude. You are very inspirational for me. I have a lumbar back injury. I am on disability but not paralyzed. I can only stand or walk for about a minute before my legs and feet start going numb. When first diagnosed I could stand for 20 minutes before they went numb. So it has progressed quite a lot in 10 years. I have had a hard time dealing with not being able to work anymore (I am 60 years old). You encourage me and inspire me to realize that I can continue to have a high quality of life regardless of what the future holds. Degenerative disk disease, spinal stenosis, and osteoarthritis all tend to be progressive so I can expect it to keep getting worse but that doesn't mean my attitude and or depression has to keep getting worse. Thanks for reminding me about this truth. I love your videos. Your daughter was so cute in this one. I agree with others that she was enjoying poking you quite a lot. :) I think the banana was a clever choice. LOL Thanks again and God bless you and your family.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Let's decide together not to get any worse and see what happens lol!

[@jtimgray]

@@EmpoweredPara That is a great idea. :)

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@jtimgray Alright. Let's wake up every morning saying "I am feeling stronger and healthier everyday" and "I am in the best shape of my life".

[@jtimgray]

@@EmpoweredPara I'll do it. I believe in positive thinking. It definitely improves your attitude. I was just in a "poor pitiful me" phase for a while. But, I'm getting back to my old me. I'm always inspired when I see people like you, with a "can do" spirit. Thanks for sharing that message to us. :)

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@jtimgray thanks for being a wonderful supportive follower!

[@nezaroobest7139]

You and your daughter are great, I usually do sensation exercises with brushing teeth and gently 🥰

[@EmpoweredPara]

I will definitely do them more now. It was interesting to actually see where my sensation stops!

[@nezaroobest7139]

@@EmpoweredPara Yes, this is useful and fun

[@brucehobbs1734]

You are such an inspiration. Taking what the good Lord gave you and doing the absolute best you can with it. 😊😊

[@EmpoweredPara]

I try at least!

[@TheBlueknight32]

Love your videos, U R very informative and and make awesome videos.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Glad you like them!

[@ctgctg1]

Can you differentiate between the areas of sensation and overall motor function? I feel that your abdominal muscles have a lot more function (motor) in your abdomen region then your sensory function based on what I saw. Is this correct? Do you do any resistance training or weight bearing exercise (with braces) at all for your lower limbs?

[@SmackedyDoo]

It was helpful. Thank you

[@EmpoweredPara]

you're welcome!

[@swilson5346]

Jamie was SUPER Excited 😂

[@keyup2626]

Very helpful, I guess I never really bothered to check out my level of sensation. I’m going to get my wife to map it out.

[@EmpoweredPara]

it was actually kind of surprising how little I can feel on my skin on my back. Definitely worth mapping out just to see. I realize now I feel much more inside than on on my skin!

[@javierbarrucz7755]

UNBELIEVABLE

[@wheelerdave]

Sorry in advance, once I get started with a simple comment; I end up writing the Encyclopedia Britannica of responses. Hiya. I have SMA and Spina Bifida(guess the universe decided just having 1 wasnt enough fun), but I'm one of the rare(as told by Drs) that my hole resealed itself on its own, just not soon enough to stop nerve damage. I have a "dead" spot about 1/3 of the way down from my neck, I can feel above and below that spot. They've done lots of nerve testing and they always get one of 2 results; either the nerve signal hits that spot and essentially dies, or the signals hit the spot and end up somewhere else that wasnt the intended recipient. Above waist I'm at about 80% sensation/90% control, where as from the waist down I'm around between 50-70% sensation and 20-30ish% control. But as if that wasnt fun enough my 50-70% sensation isnt always in the same places each time, it can wander. I have a lot of friends who are various levels of para's and quad's and I'm always amazed on how even the same injury level can have totally different levels and location of sensation.

[@EmpoweredPara]

lol you're either really lucky or really unlucky 😅 . I'm always amazed at how different all injuries are in terms of feeling and function.

[@swilson5346]

I learned a lot from watching your videos. Thanks a lot!

[@EmpoweredPara]

Yay, glad to hear that!

[@ChrisDoyle2112]

Very helpful.

[@francisrobinson8830]

Another great video.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Thanks!

[@rogersawyer70]

Thank you.. I’m a t 4 and mine is higher in the back also, and can feel stuff on inside and not on the skin also. Thanks for the video, I thought I was a wired O , but guess not.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Finally someone like me lol!

[@Amelia5358]

What you said about the recurring fluid in your spine that you're body can't absorb...just wow! That helped me soo much! I've had to have the same surgery but it was due to a massive amount of fluid my body wouldn't absorb due to my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome but maybe I have your issue too because things make way more sense that way. Thank you so much for sharing, I'll check out your video talking about it, and then I'll do my own research and see if it's something that can help me. Thank you again for sharing such great, fun, educational videos! Love from Zebra Amelia and her Crazy Cat Five- Momo🐱, Noodle🐈‍⬛, Peanut🐈‍⬛, Sophie🐱, and Lenny🐈‍⬛! 😁😘🥰💜💙🖤

[@EmpoweredPara]

Definitely check into it. It's officially called syringomyelia, but syrinx for short.

[@Amelia5358]

@@EmpoweredPara Thank you! It's been a long long time since someone has helped me so much. I feel hopeful for the first time in a long time that things, even if they can't better, I can have control, and new and better ways to adapt and modify, my situation that I have now. You and what your platform stands for, has been such an important, irreplaceable, empowering, part of my life and soul. Thank you 💜💙❤💚💛🧡🤍🖤🦓🦓

[@Amelia5358]

PS...Jamie you are a professional banana poker for sure! I see high hopes for you in the land of bananas, peeling the way for sensation levels, one banana poke at a time.🙂😘😁 But really, you did great Jamie! Thanks for helping your mom and being an awesome sauce helper! 😘🥰🥰🍌🍌

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@Amelia5358 I think that's the key to coping with anything - realizing that you don't have to gain back what you lost to be happy abd hopeful again. Just having faith that you will find new ways to feel the way you used to feel and that with time things will get easier is what will keep you motivated in the difficult moments. It sure helps having a community and that's what I hope my channel is building. You guys are the reason I do what I do and I get as much from you guys as you get from me!

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@Amelia5358 lol I'll show her your comment. I thought it was hilarious that she picked a banana 🍌 🤣

[@korrisaglaspie1334]

U go girl.

[@ayokay123]

Incredibly informative! Why don't they teach some of this shit in school? Ya know, like useful stuff to know about others.

[@EmpoweredPara]

It would be so cool if they did!

[@curtisgibbs8529]

if you draw 2 lines one where you stop feeling going down and another where you start feeling going up , do they overlap? its like a 2 inch band for me t2/4

[@EmpoweredPara]

It's about the same for me it think!

[@prahd2954]

Very informative. Keep it up

[@EmpoweredPara]

thanks ❤️

[@orthogluchensnable6777]

You are such a beautiful woman and your daughter is taking after you ❤

[@EmpoweredPara]

thanks!

[@howiroll740]

I'm surprised that as a C 5/6 quad, my level of sensation is only about one inch higher than yours, but you have so much more function in your arms, hands, and core muscles.

[@EmpoweredPara]

yeah I was kind of surprised too how high it was

[@garryrosman4512]

Do you remember the last time you walked? I am a L3 Para and was injured in 1989. I wonder what it would be like to feel my feet again? Life has been great. Thanks

[@EmpoweredPara]

Don't really remember the feeling of walking. It's been too long, I think my brain figures that memory isn't necessary lol

[@korrisaglaspie1334]

See a fantastic person.

[@Noname-eu5uj]

Respect And you power through and still come off as positive as humanly possible for your girl.beautiful young lady you have there as well.just cute as can be. Best of luck to you guys in the future.

[@tonyfitzg]

This was so interesting

[@EmpoweredPara]

Pretty fascinating how different each person's spinal cord injury is!

[@zerofox1551]

It's strange, I'm a hemi (left side) and I still have sensation there.

[@Neppy22]

I adore that the first poker was a banana XDXD

[@charles8801]

Ok from what Jamie had tried to show us. If I'm correct, you can't feel anything from your feet to your upper belly. You can fee pin sticks from bout just above your chest all around your back. Or did I miss something?

[@EmpoweredPara]

yep accurate

[@charles8801]

@@EmpoweredPara so for me to Fully understand, if your family was at a pool and your older daughter or husband were to rub suntan lotion. You feel nothing from the feet till mid breast and on your back you can feel from above your bra back strap.?!?.

[@om617yota7]

Gosh did any of that tickle?

[@adriennebosse6728]

I was wondering if your stomach muscles are weak due to your paralysis?

[@wpatrickw2012]

Wouldn’t a doctor use a Wartenberg pinwheel instead of a safety pin?

[@EmpoweredPara]

My doctors have always used safely pins.

[@blairrymal4994]

Blair from San Diego ca ......WONDERFUL

[@EmpoweredPara]

Hi Blair!

[@chrisflint4474]

I'm a T11 Para from Spina Bifida. I have weird sensory things too. My skin sensations diminishes more the further below my navel you go. But I can still feel things like when my bladder/bowels are full, or if my joints are aching etc.

[@EmpoweredPara]

it's it odd how skin sensation can be gone but inside things like bones and organs still have sensation. I should look into the science behind that lol.

[@ronunderwood8099]

@@EmpoweredPara U Chicago Online’s channel has a complete series on the nervous system including how the different nerves are distributed through the spinal cord. One thing I thought was interesting is nerves for sensing heat are on opposite side of cord from rest of the sensory nerves.

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@ronunderwood8099 thanks! I'll check that out!

[@jasonsmith-bm1sv]

"When do I get to poke you with other stuff?". lol

[@EmpoweredPara]

lol um never 😅.

[@EmpoweredPara]

My daughter was not the best at poking me lol

[@MeeblesSporella]

Dang her arms are ripped!

[@EmpoweredPara]

It's from lifting my butt around lol!

[@MeeblesSporella]

@@EmpoweredPara lol! Nice!

[@justrollwithjesus]

I hate this test 😂. Every time they do it on me I always freak out

[@EmpoweredPara]

lol why? hate sharp things?

[@justrollwithjesus]

@@EmpoweredPara that and well it feels like an actual School exam/test. Lol I guess I'm traumatized of tests 😂

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@justrollwithjesus school has traumatized many of us lol

[@morgancalvi6675]

I'm at the beginning of the video here...but shouldn't you say whether you are a T6 complete or incomplete? I mean it does make a difference. I'm C4-C6 incomplete and I have more movement than sensation as opposed to a C4-C6 complete quad...and whether it is a sharp feeling as opposed to a weird sensation...or a sensation someone without a spinal cord injury would feel? Also, incomplete injuries sensation will vary from one side to the other. It's really strange. I have pinched nerves in C4-C6...and have numbness and tingling on my left hand...and also less of a numbness and pins and needle sensation when my wrist is in a limp position.

[@EmpoweredPara]

yep I totally should have said that!

[@morgancalvi6675]

@@EmpoweredPara do you ever feel an itch...but you can't feel when you scratch?

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@morgancalvi6675 yes lol! I hate it!

[@morgancalvi6675]

@@EmpoweredPara I wonder what does that...do you know?

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@morgancalvi6675 not sure but it's annoying lol

[@mpyronomos4]

Thanx for the video, if i am not wrong, i had also asked you about it.. Could you do it something similar about the temerature sense? At any way, again thank you.. you see from the comments and the likes that a lot of people are very courious about this not so well known part of a sci

[@EmpoweredPara]

I can do that!

[@mpyronomos4]

@@EmpoweredPara thank you.. we will wait (i hope not as long as efore hahahaha... well i am kidding)

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@mpyronomos4 I know I gotta be faster lol

[@doktormcnasty]

0:57 wouldya lookatthe pipes on that? It's like the Sarah Connor of the actual non-Terminator franchise world.

[@EmpoweredPara]

lol thanks!

[@itzeeyanbaby]

Hmmmm. It's weird but I seem to not feel when mosquitoes are biting me.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Below your level of injury or above?

[@itzeeyanbaby]

@@EmpoweredPara Below

[@charleslatman6123]

Your daughter is going to be a doctor one day. ... I have a strange question.... I noticed you have a tattoo on each arm. I really couldn't make out what they were. I would love for you tell us your tattoo story.

[@EmpoweredPara]

Will do! Watch for a KZbin short!

[@charleslatman6123]

@@EmpoweredPara ok ... I am excited... thanks

[@tracymcgrath1192]

Beautiful girls. Truly 🌹🌹💕😘

[@EmpoweredPara]

Thanks!

[@dananov7899]

Base on your sensation level it looks like you a t 3 sci I’m at6 and i have more skin sedation then you This is very interesting how we all different even if its the “same” level

[@EmpoweredPara]

I definitely think it looks higher based on my skin sensation. but my internal sensation is much better.

[@morgancalvi6675]

What's that awful reddish-purplish spot on your back? Oh, it''s a tag....never mind. I have that same reflective vest...except I put on the back of my chair so when I'm out and about at night, car lights will reflect on the reflective tape.

[@EmpoweredPara]

it's for when I teach and do supervision lol

[@morgancalvi6675]

🤣

[@dazza70smith]

👏💜👍🙏🤗♿️

[@christophertaylor7647]

wow you are gorourges how do a i find a women like you

[@pebblessmudgef1578]

How you alway been in wheelchair

[@EmpoweredPara]

No I was paralyzed at 13 years old in a snowmobile accident

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@Craigster1280 no I don't remember anything

[@MrOGREATWISEONE]

I have missed finding out why you became paralysed, was it from a vehicle accident? 🐨 🦘

[@EmpoweredPara]

snowmobile accident when I was 13

[@MrOGREATWISEONE]

@@EmpoweredPara Thanks for that information, I hope you start to regain some feelings over time, you deserve it. 🌺 🐨 🦘

[@EmpoweredPara]

@@MrOGREATWISEONE it's been 23 years lol. Unlikely but I hope so!