I compared Mayo Clinic Guide to Living With a Spinal Cord Injury to The Spinal Cord Injury Handbook (isbn 978-1891525018) and found this book to be very comparable in information but updated for 2009. There are not a lot of books on this subject, but both do a great job of covering the basics and beyond for what a patient needs to do to adjust to a new lifestyle while dealing with a spinal cord injury.
I found the book to be open, honest, and well-written. Prevention of problems, identifying problems, and solving problems were key throughout the book. Beyond the medical side of spinal cord injuries, day to day life and care was also addressed. The book went into great detail about how to hire a personal care assistant, covering many issues I would not have thought of. Management of your personal care assistant, how to resolve conflicts, and setting up schedules was included as well.
Health, sex, stress management, substance abuse/addiction, employment, sports, and travel were also covered with real world solutions. This book is a must read for people living with a spinal cord injury or people who are close to someone with a spinal cord injury.
