Posted on 04/13/2015 8:00:03 AM PDT by DUMBGRUNT
"The strangest aspect of being paralyzed is that nobody ever, ever asks you what it’s like. This may be from concern over not hurting your feelings. Or not wanting to bring up the issue. Or superstition that your paralysis might be contagious if discussed. It’s still odd that nobody inquires. It’s the elephant—the screaming banshee—in the room, and it’s mighty big..."
"...Q: Where do you find an invalid?
A: Where you left him.
You find yourself, unavoidably, living in the past. Happiness isn’t is, but was. You try not to contemplate the future too much. Nor the future of the person you love."
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Moving from grunt to student he is(was,I pray not) a contender, a somebody!
You may need to use google to read the article.
I believe he has been seen by the best physicians in the land, and continuous to with top therapist.
And soon, soon, there will be a cure. (Probably his own body will provide the stem cells to re-knit his spinal cord.)
He needs to stick with his therapy to keep his body strong enough for the procedure in the meanwhile.
One of the worst injuries I can imagine.
Best to you and your battle buddy.
GC,
Former Army Doc.
It shows you that society, in general, has come a long ways from where things had been in history past, where people like this would have been allowed to die, if not killed outright ... in some or many cases.
This does add a burden to society, and it does “cost” society overall, but it has been determined to be worth the cost for everyone to pay, even though you may not know anyone personally in that or similar condition.
There will come a time, in the not too distant future, when there will be none of this on earth, at the time when the Messiah of Israel returns to earth to set up his one-world government over all the nations, ruling and reigning from Jerusalem.
"When my therapist arrives to accompany me to the Crip Board, I ask about the young guy lying silently on the gurney. I learn that one night a week or so ago he drank a six pack and then thought it would be great fun to take his motorcycle out and see how fast he could go through the city streets. He ended his ride with some superficial cuts and bruises plus a fractured C2 vertebra -- the same injury actor Christopher Reeve suffered in his horse-riding accident. The guy with the halo is 20 years old and can now look forward to being paralyzed for life, baring any unforeseen medical breakthroughs. I suddenly feel not so bad..."
From "What I Saw After the Crash"
“Handicapped” is the equal opportunity minority.
Any of us can join, at a moment’s notice, at any time.
So sorry about your friend. But there is still life and hope. I knew a man who was paralyzed from the neck down due to a college sports accident, but he went on to form a very successful business, to live in a lovely home and to marry a saint, and live a long life up in his 60s. He has all kinds of technology to help him through the day, and a strong helper/driver to get him in and out of his chair, the van, etc.
He can and will still be “a somebody.” I can only imagine the shock and horror he experienced when he learned he was so seriously injured. But he will come through as a stronger person than he ever could have been had this accident not robbed him of movement. Hope he recovers use of his body…Prayers up for him and for his family and friends.
At least he wasn’t paralyzed from the neck up, like many politicians we all know too well.
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” was a book that got into paralysis of a fairly young man from a stroke.
Absolutely terrifying.
.
Thank you for this ray of hope.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/22/AR2008012202544_2.html?sid=ST2008012401739
No question, Rummerfield’s recovery remains largely a mystery. A howdunnit. About 10 percent of quads and paraplegics spontaneously recover a degree of mobility, specialists say. Others make important, less dramatic gains with therapy, such as moving fingers enough to operate an electric wheelchair or lifting an arm high enough to feed themselves. But Rummerfield’s comeback is so extreme that it’s off the charts.
Thank you for the encouragement.
Sometimes I think about his future, then this article and it looks worse to me.
He comes from a great family that is giving their “ last full measure of devotion”; they are not young.
I pray that his situation will improve.
Not me.
I'm immune to everything.
WOW. What a great article. I read about Pat in 1999 after the land speed record, but have never seen this.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.