Cody Wall: A Comeback from Brain Injury to Purpose

Cody faced a severe brain injury, and with the help of Dr. Brandon Crawford, he discovered a new way to approach his healing process. He found that the brain has an incredible capacity for self-repair and reorganization, which gave him hope and led him to a career in chiropractic care. His story is a powerful reminder that positivity, resilience, and seeking new solutions can lead to unexpected and life-changing outcomes.

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Transcript

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Welcome everyone to the longevity formula. I'm your host, Dr. Brandon Crawford. Today is an extremely special day. I have someone here with me that I just, I love, I adore. I personally look up to someone that I've been able to work with clinically. So he's been a patient of ours and he just has a remarkable story and now really has a story and a message that he wants to convey to the world. I'm talking about Cody wall here. And Cody is the essence of. A saying that we like to say, we, we always say never accept never, right? And you embody that saying for us because of all the things that you've been through and what you've been able to accomplish and everything. Um, so Cody, thank you for coming on today, man. 

Cody Wall: Thank you very much for having me.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. So there's so many things I want to talk about. Okay. Um, specifically the events at Joshua Tree that you just described. I'm trying 

Cody Wall: to think of Joshua Tree. Joshua Tree, nothing really bad happens. It's funny because me and my friend Bill would go there and just kind of explore and stuff.
Then one weekend we thought, we had some great idea, let's go camp up there. Because there's places where you could camp, like park randomly and just camp there. So like, we're going to camp here and then explore Joshua Tree in the morning. Well, we got to the campground at like 2 in the afternoon, and Joshua Tree is not really the Most shady place, so it's literally just two guys sitting out by the car in the sun for four, nope, whenever we got dark in Southern California Drinking and playing games like for a while like we're sitting in a little fold up chair throwing cheeses in his window To his car for like two hours.
Oh my god. Yeah, we we did some dumb stuff for sure. How old were you? The sad thing, 24, 25, for sure. Yeah. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So, old enough to 

Cody Wall: Old enough to not do that, but young enough not to care. Absolutely. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So, you know, life kind of changed for you, you know, roughly five years ago, right? So, before we go into that, I kind of want to get to know the, the Cody before that, right?
And so, who were you? What were you doing? 

Cody Wall: So, the Cody before that, and I So I usually, I was in college or work in a job, but I calibration shopped just With no direction in my life. So I was going to school to do, I was looking to get just a general business degree because that's what my dad did. So that was like, well, that's what I have to do.
But, uh, after sitting the classes, that's not what I want to do. I was in the drinking, like, Half a bottle of liquor at night, smoking weed, just trying to escape my real life just because I wasn't happy with my life. How things were going, but I was, but I was going to school just because that's what I thought people had to at my age, you know?
Right. Yeah. Which, when you don't know what you want to do, don't waste your time in college or your money in college. Find something you're really passionate about, and then excel at that, and that's what I want, that's, that's what I'm trying to do now, that I finally found out what I wanted to do, and that's how now I'm going to school.
So back in those days, I was making pie. Bees seized with maybe a few bees, but now it's like if I don't make a bee I get sad Because I'm like, well, I should have done better. Yeah, like, okay Let me take it back when I don't get an A I'm like I should have done better I should have paid attention more Discuss like now I'm making A's and B's and I would have never done that before the accident at all Yeah, yeah 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah, that's amazing.
And then eventually you found yourself in the military, right? 

Cody Wall: Yeah, so I spent a year and a half wasting my time with the school and just not knowing what I wanted to do. But then I was like, well, I can't just waste all my All my parents money and stuff when I don't know what I want to do so I'm just gonna sit here and be a bum so I finally joined the military because I was like, well at least I'm going to do something that,
I'm finally going to do something that is more productive than just still going to class. And then 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: you also had family members that went into the military, right? 

Cody Wall: Yeah, my grandpa, my step grandpa, my step uncle, and my dad. Which is funny because my dad literally did the same thing as I did. We spent a year and a half in school.
Mm hmm. Didn't know what to do, so then we joined the military, like, I joined the marines because I, I can't go something different when I got three other Marines. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah, if you're a marine, it's not like you can just go to the army. I mean, yeah, you got to go marines. Yeah, 

Cody Wall: like I, I didn't have a, a, a desire to go into any other branch except for the marines because of My family had joined the Marines.
I want to be part of that. Sure. I want to be, what's the word I want to 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: be. Well, you want to be a part of what they started and be included and all the things, right? Yeah. And of course they're going to give you hell if you go into a different branch, because that's kind of what you have to do, right? I mean, that's part of the military, right?
I'm sure you would have taken some heat from your brothers and your dad and everyone. Oh 

Cody Wall: yeah. It's funny because. Looking back now, I should have chosen a different branch, because I probably would have been treated a little better while in the military, but when I went home, I would not have been treated better at all.
So, It's a give or take, and I took my family's respect over being treated like a prince at the work, and so, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: yeah. Nice. Yeah. Okay, so, so that was Cody, you know, five years ago, or, you know, longer than that. So you were a strong guy, you were probably pretty stubborn. I know I've talked to your mom. Oh, I am the most 

Cody Wall: stubborn person there is.
Right. You tell me. Hey, you can't do that. Like doctors have said that your brain cannot do that. Well, I'm going to say, well, I'm going to do it because you told me I can't do it. So I'm going to, that's 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: right. Yeah. That's why you embody never accept never. Right. That's awesome. So you're just kind of goofing around with life, just having fun, doing your thing, and then went to the military and then something changed, right?
There is an event. What happened? Can you 

Cody Wall: walk us through that? Yeah, so, so eventually, er, So I had finally gotten there and I was living in San Diego, dating a girl, and I was found at the bottom of the three story, her three story apartment, just found on the ground and, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: um, Three stories? I didn't realize it was three stories.

Cody Wall: Three stories, they found me on the ground, luckily the ambulance came and They had to do a GPR and stuff, but they got me going. I mean, I still got some difficulties, but I feel like I'm more or less here. I'm at least here physically and mentally. Absolutely. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I think that what we're going to learn is that you're actually more here than previously prior to the accident.
Right. I think that's going to be the, the gist of this story, right? Yes. Good. So. 

Cody Wall: Go ahead. No, what were you saying? 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Well, no, so, so something happened and the thing is, you don't really remember what, right? I mean, you're the strong guy and you know, you're not small, I mean, you're bigger than I am and something happened.
We don't know what, you don't know what, and you were found, apparently maybe fell off a balcony, thrown off a balcony, not sure, um, and it's just hard for someone to imagine, you know? Because you don't even remember what happened. When did you wake up? How did you wake up? What did that look like? 

Cody Wall: So, uh, so when the two of the hospital apparently I was in a coma for probably But then when I woke up, I was, I woke up, but I was still kind of asleep because I wasn't, I didn't come back to my senses until June, which was, uh, probably a month and a half, two months after the accident happened.
I was, I was awake, but I, I was staring pretty blankly at everyone. Yeah. Yeah. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Okay. And what you, you were transferred around to different hospitals, rehab facilities, etc. Yeah. And then. What roughly like two months or so after all of that happened, you, you kind of described this, like I kind of came to, 

Cody Wall: right.
Yeah. Kind of in my eyes, I woke up from a dream, but yeah, I woke up and I was like, I thought I woke up and I thought I was still in a dream because my left leg didn't work. I was like, my arm was, I mean, it's still pretty up here, but I mean, it was worse. And I was like, I remember what is happening to me.
Didn't know what was happening. And I was like, well, this sucks. Mm hmm. Yeah, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: so Can you because I don't have any perspective on this. Can you give us a little bit of insight? I mean, this is an intriguing to me, you know with studying neuroscience and the brain So when you were in that coma state, right, so you were in this coma, but then you were awake, but not really Yeah, it was kind of like a dream.
Yeah. Do you remember? Anything about the coma? Because I've had patients tell me about their coma experience. And some people can remember things. Do you have anything there? No, 

Cody Wall: but luckily, I don't remember anything because I was in some pretty like, the facilities I was in, apparently they weren't very exciting and stuff, so it's kind of good I don't remember it, but it's kind of like God was putting a shield in front of me just to help me, you know, Get through to the next part without me suffering through all this way.
Yeah. Seeing what was happening. Yeah. Right. That's the one good thing too is my spiritual life has greatly increased with this accident, which you might think you would decline because of all this happened. But I think it's increased to, to new limits. Right. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Why do you think that is? 

Cody Wall: I think I'll never forget this song with Lauren Daigle and.
She's talking about how, like, him, uh, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: she, uh, I would help you, but I'm terrible with 

Cody Wall: lyrics. Yeah, I'm trying to remember. She's like, the song is pretty much saying how, like, He, he came and found you in the darkness, and I was in a very dark place, and he found me, and Like people, not people, but like I've heard it said like wouldn't you be mad like this happening?
I would say no, he found me and took me out of a dark place. It might have, might have had to take some detours, but in the end, it's pretty amazing stuff has happened. Yeah. Yeah. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So, I mean that's a perspective that a lot of people never really arrived to, and the Bible tells us to, to be joyful. And rejoice and be thankful for trials and tribulations, right?
Yeah, the Bible tells us that and this is a perfect example, right? So you can find gratitude in What some would consider just an extremely just terrible awful. I'm not saying it was good Yeah, but you have gratitude 

Cody Wall: in it. That's because good things have come out of this like I was a typical You Asshole kid who is 21, 25.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Like, did you say where, because I would say maybe, no, I'm kidding. I was for sure. Like, 

Cody Wall: like, I'm not going to reach out to anyone that cares about me. Like I'm pretty much cut myself off from my family, just trying to live my life. And, but this action is I'm closer with my family now than I ever was. And, uh, Jose, like, I wasn't the best older brother because I left when they were in high school, like I left to California for the military, I mean, I was a good example, but I wasn't a good teacher because I didn't reach out to them and see how things were going, I just was not a very good, very good older brother at the time of my life.
Yeah. So luckily, okay, luckily, I'm lucky that my eyes have been open to this. Do this session and I'm not just going back to the way I was right. I'm trying to turn over a new leaf, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: right? Yeah, so it's one of those things where man, you know life was going along like this if this traumatic experience wouldn't have happened I mean, maybe you'd be in prison.
Maybe you'd be dead. Maybe you'd just be a bum in San Diego, right? I'd 

Cody Wall: most like you'd be a bum in San 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Diego. But yeah There's plenty of those already, right? 

Cody Wall: I know I would have been You Apparently it's pretty cool to do, and the weather is perfect there so it would be easy to do, but I don't think I would have enjoyed it that much though.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: I know you wouldn't have. Yeah. And I think that we can acknowledge that you have too much purpose, and God wants to use you. And that's why I had to whack you upside the head. Yes. And somehow drag your butt to Austin, Texas in, in set you on this path on this journey. Right. Yeah. And we're going to get in.
Oh, this is so cool. So here you are in your, you're waking up and you know, you're, you're saying, shoot, my left leg's not working. My left arm, what's going on. I'm finally kind of waking up from this dream. Take us from there. So, were you in a wheelchair, 

Cody Wall: right? Yes, I was in a wheelchair for probably, like, from waking up, I, I was in a hospital in California for a month, and I couldn't lift my left foot at all, so I thought I was bound to the wheelchair for the rest of my life, but I was like, eh.
But luckily, my mom, who's a phenomenal, What's the word? 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Phenomenal, like, person, 

Cody Wall: inspiration. Person, she, she, like, No, she says, well, I'm going to, I'm going to look and then I'll let you know, no, it was the 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: answer. So we know where your stubbornness came from. Yes. Okay. We have that established. So yeah, 

Cody Wall: so she got me to cheer and it was funny cause the first day I was in cheer, I, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: that was tear, tear downtown.
Yeah. 

Cody Wall: Downtown. Yeah. And so my first day there, we had to go see some doctors and stuff. So. My physical therapist actually came to my room to introduce herself to me. And I had to show her how my walking was, and I was like, I can't move my left foot. So as we're walking, she yelled at me, and started yelling at me to move my left foot, and all of a sudden it started working.
I think I respond well to yelling because I, I don't know what happens, but when people yell at me, things get done, you know, that 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: would have helped me out if you would have told me that when we started, what, a year and a half ago, two years ago, whatever. If you would have told me if you yell at me, I'm going to work harder.
Thanks. Now I know this. 

Cody Wall: It's funny because I didn't have to tell you what you just showed me from the 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: get go. That's true. That's true. I did. Oh man. So what was kind of that experience like of, okay, I was a strong guy. I'm waking up from this dream. Now I'm in a wheelchair. What was going through your mind?

Cody Wall: Well, for the first year and a half, I was like, Well this is just how my life is gonna be like for the rest of this, I mean, there's uh, not much I can do, I was like, this is what it's gonna be like, but it's different once I found the,
the functional neurologist, they really, I, I really bought into their work because I found out that when, so when I get in big fights with my parents, which I'm a 31 year old man. I should not get in a fight with my parents, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: but I Yes, you should. It happens all through life. Don't worry. It will continue to happen.

Cody Wall: Yeah. I find that when I fight with them, I end up being able to do more than I used to be able to because I don't want to ask for help. So, that's when I find out when I can do things. Like, whenever I was at home, it was around Christmas time, and I got in a fight with my parents. And They were like, okay, put yourself in the wheelchair and go to bed.
I was like, F you, like, I'm walking over there. So I got out of it and walked from my chair to the bathroom. Before I went to the, they were freaking out, they're like, get in the wheelchair, you're gonna fall. And I was like, no, F you, I'm going this way. And I ended up walking over there. And that's when I found I could walk and stuff.
So it's like, when the bad things, when the arguments happen is when I see the biggest changes that I didn't think were possible. Yeah, that was a funny day, for sure. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. I think that's one way to describe it. That's a funny day. Oh my gosh. So, would you say that there was like a significant turning point, or like a shift in your trajectory, like to getting better, if you will, or to recovering?

Cody Wall: Let's see. I would say yes. So, so after a year and a half of doing regular PTOT and speech, I was like, like once you get a year mark, that's just as far as you can go. And I was like, I started freaking out. Like I only have a few more months, like what do I do? But then I went to, uh, Dr. Trafford in North Carolina.
Mm-Hmm. . And uh, that's where we got really introduced to the functional neurology and stuff, right. He introduced me to your laser and everything. And
that's when I, I ended up getting off all medicine when I was there. And started using the laser and I started seeing results from this. And then That, I would say that was probably the turning point of my life, just because, at that point, like, No was not the answer anymore. I was like, from then on, I was like, I'm gonna get back to where I, I mean, People, my, I think people are saying like, you wanna get back to where you were?
I say, I say no, like, I'm trying to get past where I was, and The thing is like, it might look a little different, but it's, I'm further than where I was before the accident, for 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: sure. Yeah, that's, that's a huge concept. That's a big mindset. Yeah. Right. So there is a shift. And so going through traditional model of care, which we're thankful for, right?
We're not saying that now I will say, you know, we had to, We had to undo some compensation strategies. Yes, for sure. Yeah. Cause, and that was a big part of when you showed up at our office, right? And so you, you were exposed to functional neurology and laser therapy. Specifically, the type of laser therapy we practice, which is different.
And it gave you hope. Yeah. And that hope is, Hey, maybe this isn't the end of the story, right? Maybe my story will continue for forever. And I get to be the author of this story. Yeah. Right. That's, that's powerful. So before we kind of continue down that rehab path, let's kind of, because you, you're talking a lot about mindset.
Yeah. Tell me about this, man. I mean, tell me about the mindset and. Good days, bad days. Where 

Cody Wall: are you at with that? Okay, so mindset is a very big very big deal when it comes to getting past injury or Negativity and stuff, but here's one thing I have to tell you is there will be days when It will seem like everything is for nothing and like all the work you've done.
It's just going down the hole because you're not There have been days where I literally woke up and I was like, Today is not the day. And I just, yeah. It's just, turns out to be an awful day. I'm like, I'm never getting better. I'm never ever doing anything. I'm just going to sit here for the rest of my life.
And so, yeah. But then the next day, I wake up and I'm like, Well, yesterday was kind of bad. But today's going to be good. So, yeah. I'm lucky and I have a short term memory. So, well, it's funny because now it's like, I really do have a short term memory, but no, I, I can't know what's the word. I do have a short term memory.
I didn't, I say I'm like, well, that was bad, but I wasn't ready to do something good today. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Forget it. Let's move forward. Right. And that's not really easy to do. Right. And especially if you're talking to people in similar situations. So whether it's brain injury or any kind of thing really, you know, some days really suck, right?
Mm hmm, and that's okay. 

Cody Wall: Yeah, and that's the one thing I want to say is the brain injury recovery is not a short short short journey it is I'm on year 5 and still see improvements and stuff, but uh, there will be days when things are like, look like they will never, ever be back to the way they were, and they won't be, and that's the thing I'm trying to tell people is, you're gonna be different, but different does not mean anything.
I mean, like I'm in a different place than I used to be, but I'm in a better place than I used to be because of that. Right. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. That's amazing. Just the, the whole mindset and the concept around being able to acknowledge, acknowledge gratitude for a terror, you know, what some would consider just a terrible event.
And here you are saying, no, I'm better than what I was before. I'm past what I was before. Yeah. It's huge. And, and a lot of people, and look, I get to see a lot of people, right? I get to work with a lot of people that have had brain injuries and other kinds of things. Not everyone gets there. 

Cody Wall: I've been, okay, first off, it really depends on who you surround yourself with.
Yes. Luckily, my, my parents, they're just like me. They, they will not take no for an answer. So, I'm extremely grateful for that. And it, like, I consider you as my mentor and stuff, so like, you've been a huge figure in my recovery too, just because you've, you've done so much and everything. You've made me want to be a better person because you, you see the positive, the positive lights in people and that's what I want to do.
Just because. It is, for a while I didn't see that there was a positive way forward anymore, but you showed me there was, and I'm forever grateful 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: for that. Well, thank you. Well, I'll say that you have taught me a lot, right? And that's something that, you know, every patient that we get to work with is a new textbook.
Mm hmm. And you have written so many chapters for me. I'll say that I'm going to try not to cry. 

Cody Wall: Luckily I can cry. So we're good there at least. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Shoot. So I'm the one that's going to hold it back. Oh my gosh. Okay. So, so you end up, right. So I remember that first day, right? I remember you showed up in the office and I just remember that first evaluation, right?
Your, your arm was just, you know, it had a big contractor and I remember, You were, you know, you were getting up, I wouldn't call it walking. Yeah. You had this compensation pattern that I went, Oh my gosh. And that's something that I like to really talk about is, you know, in developmental functional neurology, we have to acknowledge that it's just like a baby, right?
If a baby is learning how to walk. Well, there's a process that they go through. We don't take a three month old baby and just stand them up on their feet and say, okay, walk, take some steps. Well, we know that that baby has to crawl and they have to pull up and they have to go through this developmental trajectory.
And the cool thing is, is that our brain, if it's injured or if something happens to it, it's not like it just gives up or it forgot how it got there to begin with. It has these mechanisms. And so that was kind of what was frustrating to me because I've learned it academically. Right. And, and I had worked with a lot of pediatrics and I had worked with adults, especially when I was in the hospital doing my work in Dallas.
I got to see a lot of adults of various types of issues. But I really got to see it in you because I saw so much potential in you. But then you came in with this compensation pattern and you're walking. And I was like, shoot, all they did was like, they really focused on standing you up, standing you up, standing you up, standing you up.
And the brain is really plastic. The brain is going to mold and change. And sometimes that molding and changing will happen. And maybe instead of developing in the proper way, 

Cody Wall: I'll never forget, I remember the first time getting to your office, the old office. My parents were like, okay, we're going to get the wheelchair out.
I go inside and I was like, no, I'm going to walk in because I want him, I really want Dr. Crawford too. Focus on my arm, because it was like this all the time, and uh, I stumbled in, I didn't walk in, I stumbled in, but uh, that's when you told me to get that, uh, maybe the plate of my wrist was a problem, and uh, lo and behold, that was the biggest problem.
Yeah, yeah, 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: yeah. Go to go figure, right. If we put a big old hunk of metal across a joint, it's not going to move properly. Right. Funny how that works. Yeah. So what was going through your mind when we were, you know, we were starting to go through all the things. I remember I was stripping a lot of muscles. I was going through primitive reflexes.
I was, you know, doing all these things. What was going through your mind? Okay. Well, it 

Cody Wall: was, it's harshly bad, but try not to make a face because The thing was, when I would make a face, you would stay in that spot and continue the trip, so when you do something, you would hurt so bad. But I was trying my absolute hardest not to make a face, so you'd just move 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: along.
Which you were really good at. Yeah. And I was like, man, this guy's like, I can't believe he, my thumbs hurt. Like, I was like, what's going on? And then I could see the sweat was pouring off of you. And I was like, yeah, he's a Marine. He's holding it. Yeah. And that's funny. Cause you'll be in the office, right?
So you've been turned in the office. Yeah. And you'll be, you know, you'll, you'll see us doing some of that work with someone and you always tell them, you know, act like it doesn't hurt. They won't stay there as long trying to coach them 

Cody Wall: along. But now, now when I look back at that, I kind of wish I would have made a face because I, by interning with you, I found that they have to deal with the place that hurt you.
Break the passion stuff. So you get to move again. It's funny. It's funny because I've actually Learned all this stuff. I'm like, that's what they're doing, doing that and stuff. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah, exactly. Well, we feel it We're gonna focus on it. Anyway, you can think you can think you were changing how we were doing it But you really were but that's okay.
You can take that awesome Okay, so I mean I could talk about your your rehab and all the therapy and things I remember When you started doing pushups, I remember when, you know, we, we were hitting all these milestones and things were just awesome. Um, but let's talk about Pam. Oh, Pam is 

Cody Wall: the best. She is the best, the best dog ever.

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Tell me why she's so important to you. 

Cody Wall: So Pam, I say she's my therapy dog, but she's never been to therapy dog training. She's just, But she's my therapy. She, her presence just has a, a certain calming factor for me. And it just, and when you say her name, it just helps calm you down and stuff. And you can't get mad at a dog named Pam because, you can't yell, Pam, what are you doing?
It just makes you laugh when that happens, you know. So, she kind of has a good name because, Did you name her? Oh, I had to yeah, I named her after Pam in the office. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: So you named her after Pam from the office? Oh, yeah. 

Cody Wall: It's funny cause if I had her I was gonna name a girl Pam and a boy Dwight. Oh my gosh.
And I'm so happy I got a girl dog named 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Pam. Oh my gosh. So, would you recommend that, you know, someone going through a similar scenario is, is this something that they should look at? Yeah. Trying to connect with a pet or a certain dog, maybe a dog named after a, someone from the office. 

Cody Wall: I would say like if, it depends on if you're like a, a animal person, you know?
Mm-Hmm. But like my family is grown up with dogs, so I mean, I, I, that was my goal was to get dog and I had to take care of it. So it was kind of like a part therapy dog part, just a companion. Which was amazing because she calms me down and I had to wake up in the morning, I feed her and stuff. And now I can take her on walks around the block, which is the therapy.
She, she's a good therapy 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: dog for sure. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I mean there's studies on this. I mean therapy dogs are good. Obviously, you know, it depends on the person But yeah, it reduces anxiety Reduces heart rate blood pressure and you're right. It gives the person something to do. You have to take care of them They're obviously you got to take them outside It's a great thing.
And I mean, I've never thought of Name your dog Pam. You can't get, you can't get mad when you're yelling at Pam. Yes I do. It 

Cody Wall: sounds even better, cause like, imagine yelling at Pam. You can't, you can't say mad yelling at Pam, you know. You instantly start laughing and stuff, so it calms you down a little bit.
Just have her name with Pam. Absolutely. Yeah, that's 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: awesome. So, do you remember ever coming up against a doctor? And they gave you just this crazy prognosis, like, Hey, Cody, here you are, you're not going to do this. You're not going to do this. This is kind of life. Here's what's going on.

Cody Wall: So tell you the truth. Like in the beginning, I didn't in California, I wasn't aware of any of the doctors. So I didn't have any problems with them, but I, I was the one dealing with them as my parents were dealing with them. But when I got to cheer, I got. Paired with this doctor named Dr. D, I think, from Tierdentown.
Dr. D? Yeah, he was a phenomenal doctor. He Gave me so much hope and stuff. So it's really just finding the people like first off like Yeah, if someone tells me you can't do this anymore. I just I cut them off They're out of my life pretty soon after that. Yeah. Yeah. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Is that something that you would suggest to someone struggling out there?
Like it's how important is it to to get people out of your life that are not Helping you and to surround yourself with the right type of person 

Cody Wall: That's probably the number one thing. Like, luckily, I My mom is my gatekeeper and she, she finds the people I needed the most. Like she's where I get my hard headness from when she, when people tell her he's never going to do that again, she doesn't listen to them and they get cut off and sometimes I mean that personality trait doesn't, doesn't sit well with me.
We kind of get in big arguments, but I mean, in the long run, being a hard headed. People's lives. And that's what changed my life. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Well, we only have a certain period of time while we're on this planet. Right. So maybe we don't need to waste that time talking to these people that are really just feeding negativity and telling us what we can't do.
Yes. So the quicker we excise that and remove that situation, the faster we can fill it. Was someone that's going to help us and tell us what we can do and actually help us do something, right? Mm hmm. I'm right there with your mom man. Like if someone's not helping me, they're hurting me and they need to go 

Cody Wall: Yes, and and that's the way I am now just where people in my life I give them two maybe three chances then then I cut you off because After that, like, there's no point in hanging out with you because you're sitting your ways.
We're gonna get an argument, just move on. There's no reason to sit, sit in this hatred, you know? Mm-Hmm. . Yeah, absolutely. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. So you've, you know, come through this story, right? And your story's still unfolding, and that's the awesome part here. So 

Cody Wall: right now, believe it or not, I'm actually back in school trying to get an undergraduate in kinesiology from Tarleton State University.
I'm at the Texas A& M at Rowlett's campus. But then I hope to go to chiropractic school just because you have inspired me so much that I didn't know there's so much that goes into a person's walking and stuff because our brains used to just get our body to do it but now I see how much work our brain does and that's, you've, I've seen all the stuff that you've been able to do and I, I want to do that too so I'm, I'm trying to go to chiropractic school.
Chiropractic School After I graduated from Charleston State. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Absolutely. So, all you chiropractic schools out there, you better be fighting over who gets to have Cody in your school, I'll tell you that much right now. Because you're not going to have anyone more passionate than Cody. And more stubborn.
Yeah. And no one else with a dog named Pam that is just amazing. So, are you wanting to also pursue functional neurology? 

Cody Wall: Yes. Yes. Functional neurology is the main way, just the main thing, because
I want to, I want to inspire people that there's always a way to do things. Don't, don't take no and just sit there and accept it. I want you to, when you hear sitting there, say okay. Then go find someone else that will show or, what's the word? Treat you to a way that will get you past that 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: no. Yeah. Yeah.
Um, that reminds me and I've had a lot of Dr. D'Onofrio quotes today. I think I had two or three in the previous podcast that I remember, right? Well, he was, he was my mentor. So once I got into chiropractic, I listened to him. He would, he did an impromptu lecture at Parker where I was going to chiropractic school and he was talking about how chiropractic can influence the brain.
And, uh, like from a scientific perspective, you know, really talking about how the things that we do to our, our joints, like we can adjust a joint, we can do exercises, we can do these things and they influence brain function. You know, I was just so enthused by it. Right. But I remember that he specifically said in functional neurology, we don't necessarily always just want to focus on what's wrong.
We want to highlight what's right. Because what's right in that individual is our leverage to create positive neuroplasticity. And that was a completely different perspective. You don't get that perspective in medical school. Right? I was going, that was my path. I was going to medical school. And then I got accepted to pharmacy school and all this kind of stuff.
That perspective doesn't exist. So it's a completely different way to look at an individual, right? It's not just about what's wrong with them, but it's about what's finding what's right and highlighting that and using that to leverage and build the brain and the nervous system and the mindset and all the things, right?
I mean, it kind of describes your story, doesn't it? It's pretty cool. Yeah. Yeah. Well, what, so I know that we all know that you have purpose. I mean, you clearly have a huge purpose, though. What do you want? From the story, right? What do you, do you have any like goals, aspirations? Like, how do you want your story to influence others?

Cody Wall: I want my story to influence others just by there's showing that there's always hope and don't, don't, and don't take like, don't take one. Like the best thing for me, like my mom would get a prognosis prognosis from one doctor. Then she'd say, okay, then she'd move on to the next doctor. And that's kind of how I want to live.
It's just, okay, that person told me no, time to move on to the next one and see what they have to offer. And that's what I want to do. That's what I really want to do. Like, I want to be the one that gives people hope and stuff. And that's why I want to do functional neurology. Just because I was that guy that was at the, I was very close to giving up because I didn't think there was any chance in my life to get back to driving or myself going to college by myself or anything.
So I wanted to give that hope to people. And I want them to know too, this isn't a short journey. So don't, don't think that you're just going to snap your fingers and one day you're going to wake up and say, Okay, I'm healed now. It's not, it's not fast at all. I've been in this for five years and it's still improving.
So I just want people to know this, this is a journey that it takes a while, but it is so worth it in the end. Yeah, and that's what I want people 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: to know. That's great. I mean, I've been amazed, you know, number one, at your mindset, your physical endurance. I mean, because, you know, we put you through some things that Are not easy to do right?
I had you trying to do push ups when you could barely hold yourself up. You remember that? Yeah, and I remember thinking I hope his wrist doesn't break, right? I mean literally just sit, you know watching your arms shake and I'm sitting there going, okay You know trying to support you to do all the things right and I'm like, oh my gosh, but you were like no I'm gonna push I'm gonna do it.
This will happen, right? That was your attitude And there was a thing with you where, you know, if we did 10 reps, you wanted to do 11. If we, you know, you got to a place where you could do five pushups. Well, next time I saw you, first thing you told me, I can do 10 now. Right. It was, it was always this mindset of here's where I am, but I'm going to get here.
Right. I'm going to push. I'm going to always get better. Right. But always acknowledging, like you've said multiple times already, Some days suck. Yeah. 

Cody Wall: It's just funny cause I was actually just gonna interrupt you and say that don't get me wrong, some days It was not that way. Yeah. Right. I was very close to interrupting you.
Yeah. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Right. Yeah, but that's okay. Right. Yeah. Because every day can't be a glorious day. We're going to, it's going to be a roller coaster. Life is a roller coaster. And we just need to hang on for the ride sometimes, you know? Yes. I mean, do you feel like sometimes you're just buckling the seatbelt and just throwing your hands up?

Cody Wall: There have been days where I wake up and I'm just like, This is not the day. Do not talk to me. Do not mess with me. And those days were not good. But the next day, I put the I put my visor back down and I was ready to keep going. You know, it's just You can't, the thing is you can't stew in that negative mindset though, and I think that's the main thing It's like, I don't, I mean I stew in it the most, the longest I stew in those bad moods by like two or three days But after that, I'm ready to hit the ground running.
Yeah. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. How do you pop yourself out? Like if you're getting to a place you're like man, it's been

Cody Wall: So, believe it or not, So, I actually find that I can do a lot more than I used to when I am in one of those dark places Just because I don't want to ask for help and anything like that I end up doing things for myself because I don't want to ask anyone And when I see I can do those things, That's when I start to get out of that mindset, just seeing like, how much progress I really have made, you know?

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah. Yeah. So is it, would you recommend like, maybe going back and looking at videos or photos from the past and going, Okay, I've really come a long way, or is it really just a mental exercise for you? 

Cody Wall: I mean, don't get me wrong, everyone's okay to look at the old videos, but I wouldn't say do it every day, it's just, it's just tough to do that every day, but just like, like, once a month, or once every few months or something, it's okay to look back and see where you were, and then that's where you see how far you've come, and I actually would probably recommend that, just probably, Like, if you're having a really bad day, look at all the pictures and stuff and just, let's say this is where it was.
That's where I am now. Let's get going, you know? 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: Yeah, yeah. That's awesome. Well, is there anything else you'd like to tell the world? It can be anything. It can be, you know, what are the winning lottery numbers. It can be talking about a pet ferret or Is there anything that you want to inspire them? Is it anything?
Anything at all? 

Cody Wall: Just, just probably my motto or I My thing I've learned the most is Don't take no for the Don't take no as like the final experience. When you hear no, say okay. Turn your back and say, I'm gonna go to this guy and make it possible and prove you wrong, you know? Absolutely. Which, which is a pretty good way to do things, I believe.
Yeah. Yeah. 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: And that is Never accept never. Yeah, right. Mm hmm. That's why you embody never accept never. Well, it's funny 

Cody Wall: because I actually have a tattoo on my ribs. It says, what does it 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: say? Let's see, to know what life is worth, you have to 

Cody Wall: risk it once 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: in a while. Okay, so let's say, hold on, so to know what life is worth, you have to risk it once in a 

Cody Wall: while.
Yeah, and I like to tell people I kind of live that, uh, saying a little too, uh, You took it a little too literal. Yeah, a 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: little too serious. When did you 

Cody Wall: get that tattoo? I got that when I was in the Marine Corps. So, uh, probably five or six years ago. Okay. Actually probably like eight or nine years ago.
Yeah, yeah. Okay. But yeah, so don't take things too seriously like that. Like I did my tattoo too, but just that's a, yeah. Don't take that that seriously. For sure. Yeah, for 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: sure. Well, man, I'm, I'm just, again, just so thankful that you're here and extremely excited to continue to watch this journey unfold.
Obviously, support you in all the things that you do. Can't wait for you to graduate. And then move on to your next stage in chiropractic and functional neurology and then. Maybe, maybe you'll be with us. Maybe, you know, we'll see, you know, what you want to do there. Right. I mean, who knows, maybe you'll be working alongside alongside us.
Right. Maybe you'll go open a neuro solution center somewhere. I don't know, but I'm just, you know, so thankful again, that you're here. Your story is extremely just remarkable. Your mindset is amazing. And I mean, you really are your resource for so many people, you know, so many people are going to watch this.
And I can only imagine how many people you're going to really help out here, you know. 

Cody Wall: And thanks for having me, because just now, without you, my life would be in a much different place. And I'm in a much better place once I met you and stuff. You just inspired me to put my life on a different path than I was in.
And I think it's going to turn out to be Pretty good in the long 

Dr. Brandon Crawford: run, you know, absolutely. It's going to be better than pretty good. Yeah. Right. And thank you for writing so many chapters in my textbook. I had to try. You didn't know you were an author already, right? That's awesome. Well, everyone, thank you so much for joining us today.
And as always, you know, we're here to help others. So. If this message resonated with you, if you think there's someone that Cody can help, right, that this story can help, please share it with them. That's why we're doing this. So again, thank you. And I can't wait to talk to you next time. Again, Cody, thank you so much.
Thank you for having me every year. There's an amazing event. Um, it's hosted by team Luke hope for minds, a nonprofit for pediatric brain injury, and this event is very. Um, important for the brain injury community for several reasons, but it's important for um, individuals that are walking through some of the most traumatic events in life that have ever occurred.
It's important for them to come together. It's important for them to be able to meet clinicians that are helping them in the trenches, right? It's important for them to come um, experience life together and understand that there is hope. There is meaning, um, there is more to this story that needs to be told, right?
And so, I would just ask that you would consider supporting this mission, supporting this non profit. Um, they need to, to help people, they need to help these kiddos that have had brain injuries, and they need to bring these families together. So, if you would, please consider donating. Um, to team Luke hope for minds because these kids need your help.