TURNING A NEGATIVE INTO A POSITIVE: SPIRIT COMES BACK SWINGING PARACLETE GOLFER COPELAND RETURNS AFTER PARTIAL PARALYSIS.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Travis Copeland came into this season not as concerned about getting his scores down as getting himself up.

Perspective and partial paralysis will do that for you.

Copeland, a Paraclete High sophomore who was the Spirits' No. 3 golfer as a freshman, woke up Dec. 7 ``with this terrible feeling in my legs.''

He thought it was a bad case of cramps and went back to sleep, then woke up again, attempted to walk out of his bedroom and collapsed.

``I was in so much pain,'' he said. ``Then I got to the hospital and realized I couldn't move anything from my waist down, and my back hurt real bad. It came on sudden, within a period of six hours - a good night's sleep turning bad.''

Copeland is, at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, big enough to be mistaken for a football player but vulnerable enough, it turned out, to be knocked flat by a tiny bug.

Acute transverse myelitis, a viral infection that attacked his immune system, left Copeland bed-ridden at Antelope Valley Hospital for five days with an inflamed spinal cord.

``It just shut down my nerves and left me with nothing,'' Copeland said.

It also left the once-long-hitting golfer - he could drive a ball nearly 300 yards last season - determined to return to full mobility and absolutely dedicated to enjoying a normalcy he used to take for granted.

``Like walking two miles on a golf course,'' Copeland said. ``I definitely appreciate that a lot more.''

Anti-inflammatory medication and ongoing physical therapy have aided his recovery, and his family appreciates the value of a good attitude.

``That is one of the most positive things,'' said Valerie Copeland, Travis' mother. ``He came home with a walker. Can you imagine a 15-year-old using a walker? But he never once complained. His attitude has been the most positive aspect of this - he hasn't felt sorry for himself.''

She called the experience a powerful reminder that health can be fragile.

``We're certain we're in control of our life, but we're really not, because at any given moment something can happen,'' she said.

Copeland, who shot in the low 80s last season, has made slow but steady progress, culminating in a non-scoring practice round in an Alpha League match two weeks ago.

``I'm giving him every break I can,'' said Paraclete coach Tom O'Haver, who has watched Copeland gradually regain his golfing ability as his motor skills improved.

The swing looks awkward and the distance is lacking, but Copeland and his coach are happy with the progress.

``He hits a beautiful straight ball, but just can't get power,'' O'Haver said. ``He still has the short game and putting, but it makes you hurt for him - one day he's practicing with us and the next day he calls and says, `I can't come to practice. I can't walk. I'm paralyzed.' ''

Copeland is enjoying every bit of progress, which comes only in baby steps. The first step was stretching on his hospital bed, realizing walking again would be possible and wondering what would be possible beyond that.

``It really started to hit me, wondering if I ever could play again,'' he said. ``So when I got home and could stand on my own without the walker, I tried to swing a golf club. I could only get a quarter swing, but I was just happy to see that I could still remember how to do it.

``It's hard for me to put it all together right now, but every week I'm out here helps me feel a whole lot better.''

Dave Shelburne, [phone]

dave.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Acute transverse myelitis, a viral infection that attacks the immune system, left Paraclete golfer Travis Copeland with an inflamed spinal cord.

Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer