Update on 11/30/20:
After 5 months of being paralyzed from the chest down, I started to feel a lot of muscles in my back, I can’t really feel the ones in my pelvis, but I can control them to help me stand and walk with assistance.
I have started to gain back my abdominals muscle on the top and a little on the side. I have some tension in the quadriceps, which allows me to pull my knees back. This is a positive sign for the moment, even if it’s only a little progress. My feeling/touching also has progressed, I regained feeling about 10cm on the chest and the bottom of my ribs on my back, but it’s not a consistent sensation. I can feel a lot of tingling in the left leg and a few things in the right leg. Unfortunately, it’s challenging to explain what it is exactly.
I have had a lot of pain in my back since my injury; I may have to undergo a new operation to fix the problem; time will tell.
Update on 07/21/20:
Killian and his wife Morgane got outfitted for a little adventure today. The University of Utah rehab department decided today was an outdoor adventure type rehab day. They set up Killian in a Handcycle and Morgane was able to with him in a recumbent bike. They took a little stroll around the grounds of the hospital and surrounding areas. You can imagine the joy they both had getting outside and being active.
Earlier this week Killian stood up in a standing frame for his second time. His first time he could stand for a few minutes but his blood pressure is still really low so they had to slowly get him back to the sitting position. The second time, he stood for 10 minutes. He continues to push the limits of his injury, always focusing on the forward progress. Every day he is getting better and will stand for longer and longer as his body recalibrated itself. The goal is to stand him one more time and then end of next week if the blood pressure can stay up.
Update on 07/11/20:
I’d like to take a minute to update all of my friends and family on my progress. It’s been a little bit since I was able to update you all there has been a lot going on for me as you can imagine. My world has been turned upside down. One minute I was a supercross lites rider and the next I’m learning how to cope without the use of my legs. It’s been very hard emotionally and mentally. Because of the COVID restrictions at the hospital I have been by myself. Luckily my wife will be able to be with me and join me next week until I leave here in hopefully 3 more weeks to start outpatient therapy in California. We need to know what’s new?
So here we go. A week ago I was transferred from the hospital side into the rehabilitation side this is where they will prepare me to learn how to do daily living all over again this new way. I have been learning basic things like how to transfer myself from a bed into a wheelchair. It’s very hard. We have also been working a lot on my balance. It seems so easy but it’s so so hard. But I’m learning and getting better daily with the practice.
People ask, How I have been feeling? It’s tough.. really tough I hate the feeling I have with my body and to be in this situation alone without my wife, family or friends is really difficult.
People have also asked me, How is your body healing, and are you getting any feeling back? My body is healing up. Lots of pain in my shoulder and neck from the crash I have also been sick really back for 3 days. I have had high fevers and unfortunately, I still don’t have any feeling or movement below my injury.
I want to thank all the people who have helped me and supported me, please remember to enjoy every single moment of your life. Thank you! I’ll update you again soon!
On Tuesday, June 16, Swiss supercross rider Killian Auberson suffered a major crash at a local track in Utah while preparing for the final round of the 2020 AMA 250SX West Championship in Salt Lake City. The 28-year-old was immediately transported to a nearby hospital where he successfully underwent surgery on Tuesday evening to repair a T3 burst fracture, where surgeons performed a postural spinal fusion to release pressure from the spine.
The Gas Monkey Energy/AJE Motorsports rider is now in stable condition with no feeling or movement from the chest down due to the excessive swelling and damage to his spinal cord. It is expected that Killian will have an extended stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with plans for air transport back to his hometown in Switzerland for additional medical treatment once he is stable enough to travel. His medical bills are anticipated to be substantial, even after his insurance is applied; therefore, the Road 2 Recovery Foundation has opened a fundraising campaign to assist with Killian’s medical bills.
If you are able, please donate to Killian’s R2R Fund here.
We encourage folks to leave positive messages of support on Killian’s R2R page for him to read.
Photo Credit- JEY CRUNCH/ lebigusa.com
