“Movement is life,” says Nataliia, gently nodding towards the physical therapy room, as if to emphasize her words. Inside, her husband Oleksandr is learning how to use a wheelchair under the guidance of a physical therapist.
For the past 3 months, Nataliia has not left her husband’s side. She has been caring for him after multiple complex surgeries – treating wounds and stitches and helping him relearn the simplest things: how to eat, drink and sit up again.
Until recently, the couple lived in Kostiantynivka, in a small house they had built over many years, hoping to spend their retirement surrounded by nature. Oleksandr made his living by raising nutrias – large, semi-aquatic rodents somewhat similar to beavers. He took great care to ensure the animals were healthy and well looked after, turning this work into both a livelihood and a way of life. “We were never the kind of people who could sit idle,” Nataliia recalls with a smile.
“We run a small farm at home – chickens, geese and sometimes 5–7 pigs. But Oleksandr loved his pet nutrias the most. He was always busy with them – building new cages, separating the females from the males, or taking them to the vet if they got sick. Sometimes I would joke: ‘Why don’t you just go kiss your nutria?’ But, of course, I helped him because he loved them so much.”
Road of rehabilitation
“He has always been a kind, hard-working man – if someone needed help, he would be the first to show up. And when bread stopped being delivered to our town, he volunteered to bring it together with men from the nearby town of Druzhkivka,” Nataliia continues.
That fateful morning, a neighbour asked Oleksandr to help with some work in the yard. As always, he agreed. A few minutes later, an Iranian-made drone struck the courtyard.
“At first, I didn’t even understand what had happened,” Nataliia remembers. “I just heard a terrible scream – an inhuman scream. When I ran outside, there was a sneaker lying on the grass… with a torn-off leg inside it. On the way to the hospital, Oleksandr kept asking over and over again: ‘Where is my sneaker? Did you take it with you?’”
The neighbours didn’t survive the attack, but Oleksandr did, even though doctors had to amputate both of his legs and remove an eye. Then came the long and difficult road of rehabilitation.
For a long time, Oleksandr could barely move. He spent most of his time lying down and gradually lost motivation. Even sitting on the bed was possible only for a few minutes. Severe back pain made it unbearable.
“Until Illia appeared,” Nataliia says.
Relearning how to live
Illia is a physical therapist at the hospital. He gradually began working with Oleksandr – teaching him how to start using a wheelchair, maintain balance and use his arms. Just recently, even that had seemed impossible.
“But now you can’t stop, Sasha,” Nataliia smiles, using Oleksander’s nickname.
“Sometimes Illia says, ‘Maybe that’s enough for today’, but Sasha asks to continue. He says he wants to become independent again as soon as possible – to stand on prosthetics,” adds Nataliia.
People who have lost both lower limbs or sustained spinal cord injuries are often forced to relearn how to live – and in many cases, their mobility depends on a wheelchair for a long time. That’s why it is essential to ensure an individual fit, so that the wheelchair is comfortable, safe and supports a person’s daily activities.
According to the National Health Service of Ukraine, since the start of the full-scale war, around 12 000 people have sustained spinal cord injuries. Many others also currently require long-term rehabilitation and assistive mobility devices. To cater to that need, specialists across Ukraine are being trained to properly assess, patients’ needs, and to fit and adjust wheelchairs according to international standards.
Certified trainers
Over the past 3 years, more than 300 rehabilitation professionals have completed this training, and 9 Ukrainian specialists have become certified trainers, helping pass these skills on to colleagues.
That has made it possible to gradually expand access to quality rehabilitation services across the country ensuring that more patients receive the support they need, where and when needed.
“I think everything will be alright for us,” Nataliia says with a gentle smile.
“Maybe we’ll even start a small farm at home again someday. We’ll live… and enjoy life. Because life goes on.”
The training project is implemented with the financial support of the European Union.