Life isn’t linear and rarely goes according to plan. It’s how an individual responds to life’s unexpected twists and turns that ultimately defines who they are, and the legacy they create.
One day while working as a paramedic, Don Munro’s life took one of those dramatic and unexpected turns. A serious workplace accident left Don with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), a rare chronic condition in which the pain experienced in the aftermath of the event feels even greater than the initial injury.
Related to his CRPS, Don has also developed a functional neurological disorder resulting in limb weakness, seizures, tremors, shaking and jerking, occasionally causing him to fall unexpectedly. The motor issues he experiences are similar to those with multiple sclerosis (MS) and cerebral palsy (CP), while the pain can be excruciating, with episodes that can leave him bedridden and howling in pain for days on end.
Post-accident, Don’s life has continued to unfold in unanticipated ways – ways he believes are for the better. “For the first two years after my accident, I fought hard to get back what I lost. But I realized what I was fighting for was unattainable, so I decided to forge a new future instead.
“Sure, CRPS is a part of my life, but I don’t let it hold me back. I control the narrative. I consider my pain and injuries to be a gift and my teacher. Because of that, I’m a different person; kinder and more compassionate. It would be easy to make my life all about me, but I refuse to do that. My goal is to live selflessly.”
Before the accident, Don would spend some of his free time hiking around the Kootenays. He still embraces the outdoors, perhaps even more fearlessly.
Kootenay Columbia Home Medical Equipment (KCHME) recently upgraded Don’s wheelchair to a Permobil TiLite ZRA, a titanium mono-tube-frame chair that is exceptionally light while offering unmatched strength, performance and durability. We outfitted Don’s TiLite with rugged four-inch tires customized to reduce the bumps and vibration he experiences as he zooms along the hiking trails, powered by a Rehasense PAWS Tourer add-on drive.
“Prior to the fat tires, I’d zip through the trails as fast as I could but the pain on my body was rough,” Don explains. “The wide tires have totally smoothed out my ride and added stability. Now I can even go faster.
“The top speed I’ve gone is ∎∎km/h,” he adds with a laugh. “David (at KCHME) probably won’t be happy to hear that. But that’s just me. He understands my mentality and that I just want to be out doing stuff. He read my mind with the new chair; I knew I could trust him to set things up exactly as I need them, and it’s been perfect.”
If you’re hiking in the Kootenays and see someone flying by you on a wheelchair at max speed, that very well could be Don. If you happen to notice an intricate “Rebel” tattoo pattern on the titanium frame, that is definitely Don. He’s quite the character.
To learn more about Don’s custom TiLite/PAWS setup or for more information on how we can develop a customized wheelchair setup for you or a loved one, contact us to book a consultation.