AttitudeLive
(narrator) He was a rising rugby star
when a tackle changed his life.
(Cody Everson) There's a guy behind
and he grabbed me by the shoulder.
I landed like that first and I'm not sure
if that's when I done it.
You know at first, all I'd say
is I'm going to walk.
All my mates still say, "You know,
you're going to walk out here,
you're sweet." I was like,
"Yeah, nah, nah, I'm sweet." You know.
Now, it's starting, to get to the point
where there's a chance
that I can walk but there's a chance
I 'm going to be in the chair
and I've got to accept that either way.
(narrator) Even in the hospital,
he shows strength of character.
(Cody) I think at first,
a lot of people want to help me.
and think that I can't do much
for myself
but it will slowly
come to terms with them.
(woman) Alright. Cool, well done. Yay!
(narrator) For the last 6 months,
Cody has been mentored by Sholto Taylor,
helping him adapt to his new life.
(Sholto Taylor) Just remember the basics,
so let's take a little bit of momentum
into the bottom of it.
(Cody) Sholto is great. He pretty much
just comes and helps us out.
Well, Sholts does everything
for us pretty much you know,
just stuff that we need
that he knows we can't do.
(Sholto) You're doing good mate,
keep that momentum, keep going.
(narrator) Now, he's heading home.
(Cody) I know some people say
even they’ve done injuries young
that don’t see themselves walking.
They prefer being in a chair.
They've achieved do much in a chair,
if they had the chance
they'd stay in a chair,
they wouldn't want to walk.
And it’s kind of the way I look at it;
I might be able to achieve
a lot of things in a chair,
do everything I wanted to do even more.
(Cody) Oh, don't let that fall.
(Warren) Cody, I'm going to have
to hold you up this way
because that board's going to fall out.
Alright, are you ready?
(Cody) Just watch my foot.
(Warren) I'm going home.
It was a bit of a tussle
towards the end
to get everything here, but we got it.
- One...two...three...
- In you go.
And actually, to get him out of the car
and into his chair,
walk him through the door
and I knew we were home.
We were back to being a family again.
- What's up?
- Hey bro!
- Did you get potato fritters?
- Yeah, do you want one?
(Cody) Well I live with my dad here
with my two brothers.
Troy who's 18 and Tyler who is 13.
I've got an older brother
living with his girlfriend,
so he comes over for tea
and everything still
and spends time with us which is good.
My mum moved to Blenheim
with her boyfriend
while I was still in hospital
but then mum comes down every weekend,
every second weekend to come see me
and I go for tea, and that so
we're all pretty much the same
because that's what happened before.
- Do you have any dinner cups?
- Will do what?
(Sholto) Some of the biggest struggles
you're going to go through
is finding out what works for you.
Different types of cups and knives
and forks for example,
things that you go through
with the spinal unit but it's not until
you actually see people
that are actually very similar to yourself
and what they're using
and gives you an idea
on how you can do it yourself.
(man) Are you still interviewing
caregivers at the moment?
(Cody) I picked three so far.
(man) Are you going
to decide on them? Three piece?
No, you've got to like four.
(man) Oh, four?
About four or something.
A couple of full timers,
a couple of part timers, aren't they?
♪ (music) ♪
- Finished?
- Just got a wee drop.
(slurping sound)
Thank you.
I might as well get up.
(Cody) I'm pretty much on 24-hour care.
They've helped me up in the morning.
I have a shower
and all that sort of stuff
and they'll help me get dressed.
They give me breakfast
and it's just quite good
to have them around, to help me out
and they do, if I do ask for something
they still do make me do it myself.
It’s just all crazy, aye?
Like I never actually practice
too much balancing while I was there.
While I was at the hospital
because it's just so hard.
At first, I had
to have a nurse for everything.
So far I'm able to get my top partly on
and that's step 1 out of about four.
- Oh!
- Alright.
(woman) That was a good one.
I've come a long way
from when I just used a slide board back
over the hoist at first.
Always tell the nurses and that like,
I started to act child-like
to them at first,
'Oh, I'm allowed to slide-board'
hadn't been cleared off,
but getting into this is pretty mean.
(narrator) Even though
he has full time carers,
he's taking the initiative
to keep himself fit,
and go out by himself.
♪ (music) ♪
(Cody) It's been two months
since I left the hospital now.
It's different to be home aye,
so much different than the hospital
because you're
in a much different environment.
The first time I got home,
it was just a mission
trying to get up this way,
hilly part
but lately I've gotten a whole lot stronger,
so it's just so much easier now.
Once you get out here
it's a bit of a relief though.
Going up the ramp is a bit of a mission.
Got to kind of lean forward
to get up it. I should just wheely.
One of the things
that I had to get used to
was carpets. At the hospital,
it was just all concrete,
so it was just a breeze
to go on.
I always pass by my old room
before I got to my new room,
and I've got heaps of memories
in there like, trophies
from when I done BMX-ing
and all that.
There wasn't too much modifications
that needed to be done in the house
like one of the main ones
was the bathroom.
So the ramp is pretty there
to help me get into the shower.
If everything leveled
would be much easier
because it's quite dodgy
coming up this.
Got to...and oh,
I don't like it but what can you do?
(Sholto) It's not as simple
as life back to normal again.
Everything is going to be a look around
and check your environment.
You got to be aware
of your physical abilities
and more obstacles there actually are.
Yeah the ramp sort of dodgy
trying to go up and down off it
the first time.
Nearly, came right off the side,
skimmed out of the way.
I'm a bit stuck.
Got to get a wee run up for it...
Something like that.
My hands are sore.
As soon as I got down,
and got a bit of speed,
and got real close to that.
I don't like going down it
but if you want to go outside
and get in the sun, and usually you
got someone around
or something helping me out a bit.
♪ (music) ♪
(Warren) It's hard work
with all the boys and Cody.
I spend a lot more time with Cody
and helping him out
as much as I possibly can.
I just got to organise other
bits and pieces
for the other boys as well,
now done, working my time but work.
Yeah, I do 50 odd hours a week,
now I have to come home
and cook tea for the boys.
It's bloody hard.
Yeah, I do get frustrated sometimes.
He will say, "Oh Dad,
can you get my pills?"
And then I'll come back
and he'll go, "Can you do this for me?"
And so it's back up
to the other end of the house again
and it's back down.
I'm taking it all in,
I'm putting it all on my shoulders,
but you're getting it done.
(Cody) The most frustrating thing
is when I just keep spasming
especially over these bits, on the foot path.
Push that hard.
Is that hard to pull?
Come on down.
- Just bend your toes down or up?
- It's down.
♪ (music) ♪
So it's a breeze going on concrete.
(Warren) He's had his mates around,
They've been his rock since day one
and they're still here,
and that's a real bonus.
I don't think,
if it wasn't for his mates,
I don't know how he would be actually.
(man) Must be getting tired.
Yeah, my arms are killing me.
Like it's a weird thing
my arms are really sore
but I don't feel tired.
- Yeah,
- Oh.
- It's just...
- You're just working them hard.
Yeah, I felt if before like
I don't get tired
I get to the point when my arms
don't want to move anymore.
Your mates text you,
"What are you up to?"
or else I text my mates,
"What are you up to?"
And it's kind of like
you don't want to ask them
to come and hang out
because I know they're coming
to pick you up
and they'll be lifting you in the car,
and they'll be helping you get your water
and just all the little things, it's like,
these things are really easy
but it's just a challenge for me to do it.
I don't like to ask
but I guess if you're asking
in the right manner and you're trying
at home to do that yourself.
(woman) You're stuck in there.
- Are you alright bro?
- I'm alright.
- Nah, it's pretty soft.
- Yeah nah, she's alright.
(woman) Keep going.
- I'm getting there
- Go over there.
And you go like more here.
- Oh it is soft.
- Yeah.
- I'm alright.
- No, I'm pushing you.
- No you're not.
♪ (music) ♪
The first thing that people told me
is don't get trapped in your house,
and stay in your room.
So I try to get out as much as I can,
especially on a nice day.
It's just... there's no point
staying home.
If I want to go, leave my house,
and just go outside for a bit,
or even just getting picked up
by a couple of mates and going out,
anything is better than home.
I want to get a job.
I want to do something with my life now.
I definitely want
to get into wheelchair rugby,
that's a big goal for me
and be independent.
Those are my two goals.
But yes, just take it day by day
and just see what happens.
(narrator) He's keen to go back to school,
but will have to deal
with the constant flow of assessments
and therapists to make sure
he can get to the next stage.
Well, kind of
been chilled out of it really.
How are you thinking
are you going to manage that
in terms of nights and class week
and things like that?
Well I want to do it myself
so I don't really want help.
What about the other things around school?
Do you think you'll be able to manage
getting your laptop
in and out of your bag?
What about getting around school?
In and out of classrooms,
In and out of doors?
Can you manage doors?
Okay, I just need to see
how you manage to transfer, and then...
- Is that onto the bed?
- Yeah, thanks.
- That's it.
And I'll flick you an email and
we'll can deal with the other stuff
that we talked about, okay?
- Yeah, yeah. alright.
- Cool.
- Alrighty.
- Well good to meet you.
Yeah, you too. Good luck.
(Sholto) You'll find yourself
being interviewed
and asked questions
by lots of different people,
and some of them
are very private questions
and you just need to learn to you know,
it's in your best interest to open up
and to know as much about yourself
as you can.
I got to be patient, I guess.
And now you do.
(man) Yeah, once it's already in there.
- Hello!
- Hey mate. How you going?
Not to bad.
You know you got
school tomorrow
...in the morning?
- I honestly don't know what's going on in school.
- Well, that's what I hear.
You got school tomorrow.
- Wednesday.
- Is that 1:00 pm?
- Yes it does. It is Wednesday.
- No that's Wednesday.
- Yeah.
- That's for year 12.
- I am year 12.
- Are you?
- Tuesday we start back as normal
- On the 7th
Alright, so yeah,
I do have school tomorrow.
I'm pretty keen to tea aye?
Yeah, it's cooking. It's cooking. Okay?
Don't push your luck with me anymore.
Can I have ---
Coming home, cooking tea,
getting tea ready for this one,
for all of them actually,
but you know Cody.
You got to make sure it's right for him
because he's fussy.
(Cody) No I'm not.
You are so, you are.
And you got to cut it up for him,
get it all cut up for him and everything.
He's always first at tea time.
- What's that?
- Keep them fed.
And by crikey, that one
works wonders (chuckles)
And that, they're really good.
Who cares? I care,
because I'm the one
who's going to get grunted at
by everybody, not you.
♪ (music) ♪
- It's the first day of school today.
- Are you excited?
I don't know. It should be all right
to get out of the house.
It's pretty weird being in uniform though.
- I'll get you to do my buttons up
- Okay.
- I think I need a smaller top?
- Yes, it's looking a bit big.
I made my brother do my tie.
I just hope he can do one.
- Hey, Tyler!
- What?
Can you give us a hand?
Do you know how to do a tie?
- No.
- Oh you're going to find out.
Now if you pop it around my neck.
Okay, there you go.
- Do it up.
- Yeah.
- You turn it like that.
- And through here?
And through again... I'm doing it myself.
- I think you should --
- If you pop it...
Does that look good?
You make this look wild.
- You're shocking.
- I know!
- Look at this Tyler!
- That's alright.
- It's not alright.
- We can...
Aha! I think I know
what you've done wrong.
If you go the same way,
but go this way.
- With the tie, off that?
- Yup.
- So...
- Up there.
And then, well just not too tight.
And then, there, other way.
-I don't have a clue. I really have to...
- Yeah.
Rebecca? Rebecca!
(man) Okay, get straight into the car.
(Cody) I reckon it's going to be good
for me, getting back to school.
Just seeing all my friends
and not having
to wait for them to come here,
I can go to them.
I'm actually excited
to get back to school.
You know, not much,
people say that...
Can I get my bag emptied before I go?
(narrator) Cody's missed
almost a year of school
but he needs to return to pass
critical New Zealand qualifications
if he wants to have
any chance of finding a job.
♪ (music) ♪
- Finney!
- What's up bro?
Yeah.
(Warren) I think he's
a completely different child now.
Since his accident,
he's matured very fast.
He's accepted his injury,
he hasn't thrown his lollies
out of the cot like all expect him to do.
He's just got on with life
and it's made him a better person.
I'm in a completely different position.
You know, usually I'd come to school
and I'd just be like everyone else,
just go in, get it done and leave.
But now it's like everyone's coming
to say 'hello' and 'how's it going?'
So, yeah.
What's going on?
What's up?
- Catch you later bro.
- Are you rocking on. Alright.
♪ (music) ♪
(Cody) Mob tried to take me out.
So I've been at school,
pretty much a term now,
and I'm starting
to get used to all the wee
bits and bobs around the school.
I sure like the ramps like this.
It's a bit of a pain having to --
but I guess it's good
just to get around to the other classes.
Yeah, as you can see,
I can get up it.
but before, I needed a mate to push me
and it was not I really like
but I've improved.
Most of the steps around school
like this one, they're like quite...
Like this one, this is quite large,
the other ones are quite small
but this one is a bit of
a mission to get over
and most of the time I need
a bit of a hand from a mate
or I'll just go up somewhere
around the school.
But something like that, like
this one, I couldn't get up it myself.
So the ramps are just here are
pretty good, easy for me to get up.
But one of the main things
is the door, trying to open it
like I want to be the most independent
as I can, and not have
to ask for help every time.
As you can see I'm not strong enough
and my finger function does not have
any grip onto the handles
so every time I try to grab it,
it's slips off.
So I pretty much get stuck in a situation
where I got to ask for help.
Ben. do you reckon can open this for me.
I don't like to ask for help
but I guess if it's there.
♪ (music) ♪
- Those new ones are pretty, so...
- They don't have shh
- I don't mind the white ones.
- Have you seen the new ones?
I only do half days.
I only bring a snack for lunch.
I usually can keep it near us.
I have it in my bag.
Either either, I've got someone here
to help me anyway
so it's quite good.
(Sholto) Certainly in the initial stages
of leaving the rehab unit,
fatigue is often an issue. That can come
from a number of areas,
either you're working too hard
or you're not eating properly
or simply you're not getting enough rest.
Cody, he has only
a few muscles to push from.
He's got his deltoids and his biceps
and not a lot else.
I think he has
to take it back a little bit,
taken to the fact that he's a teenager
so he's vulnerable to late nights
he's vulnerable
to using a can of energy drink
for nutrition, so it's really a fact of
getting him to buy into
the proper eating habits
because those things have
an overall effect, not just your energies
but your toileting
and all those kind of things.
Usually I go to sleep in the afternoon.
I'll get home and go to sleep.
It is good being at school
and I'll start to get more used to it
which I am now, getting into class
and doing work.
But yeah, like, I guess hopefully soon
I cans start doing all day at school.
♪ (music) ♪
One of the things about this field is,
Shirley rugby hasn't been out of playing it
for two years,
since the grounds' been damaged
in the earthquake,
and that's one of the big downfalls for me
because I really wanted to play on it
especially for the first fifteen.
Because it's one of the biggest things,
playing at your school.
And so I come out here sometimes
just on my free periods
to sort of look at it.
You know, it kind of sucks
because I'm never going
to go play on it again.
This year is the year they get
to play on it and I'm quite excited
to watch them but in my head
I'm going to be,
I just wish I could go and play.
That's like every rugby game, even on TV.
I just sort of, I watch it.
I want to play but I can't now.
♪ (music) ♪
AttitudeLive.
Attitude Live
Тој бил ѕвезда во подем кога клизач му го сменил животот.
Имаше човек позади мене и ме фати кај рамото.
Се симнав (паднав) прв и не сум сигурен дали е тоа што направив.
Знаете прво, сите викаат дека ќе одам.
Сите мои пријатели уште викаат, „Знаеш пак
ќе одиш надвор од тука
сладок си“. Реагирав како,
„Да, не, не, сладок сум“.Знаете.
Сега, почнува, до точката каде има шанса.
дека ќе одам, но има шанса дека ќе бидам во количката,
и треба да го прифатам тој поинаков пат.
Дури и во болница, тој покажува сила на карактер.
Прво мислам, многу луѓе сакаат да ми помогнат,
и мислам дека не можам да сторам многу за себеси,
но полека ќе дојде до услови со нив.
Добро, добро сторено. Јеј!
Последните 6 месеци, Коди е учен од Шолто Тејлор,
му помага да се адаптира на неговиот нов живот.
Само запомниги основите, па да земеме малку моментум
на дното.
Шолто е одличен. Само доаѓа и помага.
Добро, Шолтс прави се за нас, знаете,
само работи што ни требаат, што знае дека не ги можеме.
Добро ти оди пријателу, задржи го тој моментум. продолжи.
Сега, тој оди дома.
Знаме дека некои луѓе викаат дури направиле повреди како млади
не се гледаат себеси како одат. Саакат да останат во количка.
Постигнале многу во количка, ако ја имале шансата
бе останале во количка, не би сакале да одат.
И така некако е на начинот како што јас гледам во тоа, Би можел да постигнам
многу работи во количка, да права се пто сум сакал да правам уште повеќе.