The fact is none of us know when we may be the victim of a debilitating crisis or injury. One moment we could be going straight through our daily disposition as happy as we can be and the next moment we could be struck down with a spinal cord injury or stroke and come to be disabled for life. One thing we all need to remember is to never say never. It is not all the time the other person, sometimes it hits close to home.
A real life story about triumph over disabilities!
Georgia High School Football
The following story is true and should be an inspiration to all of us. This story deals with a young 21 year old woman. She had been extremely beloved in high school having participated in lots of extra curricular activities along with being a member of the Girls basketball team to performing as a Majorette at football games and being a member of several clubs and organizations.
She was attractive,bright and exciting and very personable and had the whole world ahead of her.
Her passion was riding and training her horses. In other words, she was a horse woman. She owned several horses along with a Tennessee Walker. After high school she went to Cosmetology school and became a beautician at a local salon. This turned out to be the perfect work for her as she was very personable and population seemed to just flock to her because of her magnetic personality.
Yes, she had the world on a string, that is until one afternoon in May 1970 .
It seems she had been swimming with a group and was riding back to her parents home on the back of a bike driven by one of her friends. In a split second man ran a yield sign and ran into the motorcycle. The resulting impact threw her off the back of the bike and she was thrown about 60 feet . This tragic crisis resulted in her back being broken resulting in her spinal cord being badly bruised and severely injured.
The ambulance rushed her to a local hospital where she underwent several hours of surgical operation in an exertion to treat her numerous injuries and save her life. After the surgical operation she was told she was lucky to be alive and would probably never walk again under any conditions.
As it turned out she had suffered what is known as a T-5 injury to her spinal cord which left her with paralysis in her lower body and prevented her from walking again.
This type of serious injury almost all the time leads to Paraplegia and is caused by an injury to the spinal cord at the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral levels that results in paralysis of the lower extremities. Paraplegia is not reversible as a rule. As technology continues to progress in the area of spinal cord injuries we can only hope a cure will be found soon.
After surgical operation she spent 90 days in a circle bed at the hospital and required 24 hour monitoring. Her mom spent almost every night there at the hospital with her and each morning would go to her teaching job a the local elementary school.
Catastrophic spinal cord injuries will convert your whole life in a split second. When she was strong adequate she was transferred to the Georgia recovery Foundation placed at Warm Springs, Ga. This is the same center that President Franklin Roosevelt received therapy for his Polio while his presidency while World War 11. This is of policy where the "Little White House" was located.
She spent 12 months there receiving recovery therapy for her disability and began the training to prepare her for life after this tragedy. With the great therapy and medicine she received at the Georgia recovery center she was able to learn how to walk with the aid of leg braces and crutches.
This was a major accomplishment in itself and close to a miracle.
Upon discharge from the rehab center, being one not to let her disabilities and circumstances hold her back she went back home and enrolled in a local college to further her education.
Shortly after this she met a young man straight through a mutual friend and got married not too long after that.
Over the years she has been very active in her church. Among the many activities she volunteered for contain Vacation Bible School Director, Cub Scout Den mom and Sunday School teacher all while battling constant pain and frequent hospital visits
She has been an inspiration to everyone she comes in perceive with due to her tenacious and dedicated desire not to give up and let the disability defeat her. With her exciting smile and contagious personality she all the time makes others feel better. It has been said she has never met a stranger.
Over the years she has endured at least 19 surgeries along with knee and hip replacements and a 11 1/2 hour back surgical operation to acquire her spinal cord.
Throughout all of this tragedy and suffering she has endured. She is quick to give glory to God for her life despite all the trials and tribulations.
I almost forgot, while facing all these struggles with her Paraplegia with all its linked condition problems she managed to raise two boys who are now grown and doing well.
And...she did all this from a wheelchair.
As you may have guessed, yes, I am her husband.
agree with We All Have Disabilities, You Can Just See Mine
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