Disabled and Damaged
March 9, 2010, will be forever scorched into my soul as the day that my life turned into a hellish nightmare. What started out as a normal day soon became a day that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. Well, maybe you would. It was on that day that I went from a super physically fit, energetic guy with so much to live for to waking up two days later staring at the ceiling of a hospital room with almost no feeling in my arms and legs. I will spare you the details of the incident that put me in that position, but just say that it involved my job, a big angry dog, and a flight of brick stairs.
It took 16 hours of surgery to rebuild my neck with over 30 screws, metal rods, plates and a metal cage that surrounded my cervical spine. I addition to this drastic surgery, I was told by my surgeon that I would need at least six more surgeries to repair the extensive damage to the rest of my spine. That was the day I became permanently disabled and also the day of awakening to the fact that my life would never be the same again.
It took 16 hours of surgery to rebuild my neck with over 30 screws, metal rods, plates and a metal cage that surrounded my cervical spine. I addition to this drastic surgery, I was told by my surgeon that I would need at least six more surgeries to repair the extensive damage to the rest of my spine. That was the day I became permanently disabled and also the day of awakening to the fact that my life would never be the same again.
Disabled and a Time for Choices
It took a few days for my brain to absorb the severity and finality of the situation, but when it did, oh boy, the proverbial poop hit the fan! I enrolled in pity party 101 and was about to take it to the next level when my wife firmly, but lovingly, said to me “ knock it the hell off and make a choice: Be a quitter and give up on yourself and your family or be a survivor and give it everything you got!" That night I made a decision to give everything I had and more to rebuilding my shattered body and life. I knew and understood the hell that I was going to have to go through on my journey of healing, but I was ready. I was a survivor.
Finding Strength to Overvome your Disability!
I soon came to realize the amazing power that we, as human beings have within us that enables us to achieve goals that may seem out of reach or impossible.Everyday brought new challenges and hurdles, but I faced them with determination, faith and hope. It wasn't very long before I had my first major breakthrough and was able to stand on my own with only a walker for support. I cried tears of joy that day and my family cried along with me. Finally, the day arrived when I was discharged from the hospital and I walked out of there on my own two legs, certain that I could face the road ahead without fear, but with courage and strength. The breakthroughs became more frequent and so did the other surgeries. I have had seven more surgeries since then and have gone into each one with a positive attitude and have come out of each one with incredible determination. I have had to learn to adjust the way I live. I look at everything from different angles now and create new ways of making things work for me I , but I survived. I am a survivor! I am now a Shamballa (Reiki) MDH Practitioner and have my own page on Facebook called A Place of Hands, Hearts and healing
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