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