The Accident
On September 19th, 2010 I was injured in a car accident. I lost control of my Chevy s10, the ground was slick that day send the little pick-up fishtailing. It spun completely around facing the opposite direction before getting to the ditch and flipping up hitting a tree. My side of the vehicle was crushed but luckily my passenger only had a few scratches. I on the other hand was trapped, they had to use the jaws of life to get me out. Then I was loaded in an ambulance to ride over to life flight who was in a hay field across the road, where I was taken to the hospital.
I went through many tests, they found out I had broken many ribs, both my scapula’s, and my back, paralyzing me at the T10-T11 level (Spinal Cord Injury). I then went through a 10-hour surgery to fix my back where they put in the first of two rods, and a week later they put in the second rod as well as tried to rebuild my vertebrae it lasted about 8 hours. I spent long 64 days in the hospital. I remember being told had I been driving the speed limit or faster that day I would have died. I can tell you that this was difficult time for me I missed two whole months of my senior year of high school while I healed. The one thing I am thankful for is that I did take a few classes in the hospital and managed to get back to school in December, and that spring I was able to graduate with my class. I went through major times of depression. I had to relearn how to live life from a wheelchair and being told I would never walk again took its toll on me mentally. I took years before I felt that it was alright for me to really live and to try and get out there and do things.
Now
Now 6 years later, I am licensed to drive with hand controls, I am taking online college courses (hoping to take some on campus this spring), I am getting the opportunity to test the ReWalk this month, and I am looking for a horse so I can begin riding again. I have ridden maybe a total of 6 times since my accident so with the help of my horse trainer we are looking for my perfect match so hopefully soon I will be back in the saddle.
This experience has taught me to never give up, there is always another day to try again.
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