A Time of Self Healing, Hope and Reflection

In March of 2000, I was injured during a retail management career. Although I didn't know it at the time, this accident would change my life forever. Leaving work to go the hospital, I had lost use of my entire right side. My limbs were completely numb. What a horrifying escapade. Once there, I was not given the proper care which in turn led a spinal myelopathy at the C-2 level of my spine. Little did they nor I know that a dislocated shoulder could do this severe damage.

As time wore on, I continued to work with the subluxation. Unbeknownst to me, this was further damaging the spinal cord. After I had surgery to finally repair the dislocation 6 months later, I suffered bad after-effects, including pluerisy and stomach lining destruction from all the medications.

Eventually, they (physicians) realized that I wasn't getting any better. After numerous months of physical therapy, steroidal injections, too many anti-emflammatories, and dozens of doctor's visits, I was finally given an MRI.

The MRI showed that I had a lesion at the C-2 level. Initially, the radiologist had thought that I had suffered from one of two things: either I had a demylenating process such as Multiple Sclerosis, OR I had suffered remote trauma to the spine from an injury.

Immediately following the radiologist's opinion, my worker's compensation dropped me. They naturally assumed that all of my ailments were due to an MS diagnosis of a radiologist's opinion. Within two months following this MRI, I was critical. The same thing that happened to me the day of my shoulder subluxation was happening again. This time, I was totally paralyzed.

Church members and family rallied for me and prayed for me. There I lie, in a cold hospital bed getting Solumedrol pumped into an IV. The next morning, I was sent home in a wheelchair. Unable to walk and barely had use of my arms. I had to continue the IV treatment at home - but would it work? This, along with high doses of Prednisone, Neurontin and multiple other medications...I found myself two days later back in the Emergency Room. This time, I nearly died.I had gone into Steroidal-induced seizures. I felt like a dying roach laying on a cold slab of steel. My legs and arms were shaking and jerking uncontrollably like leaves on a tree. This was definitely not supposed to happen. Had I waited much longer to go in, I may not have made it through the morning. Disgusted, tired and filled full of anger, I wanted to die - until that day. When I saw death staring back at me. Breathing in my face and taunting me. It was at that moment, that I realized the value of life. My children looked up to me in the past. I was always the "strong one." When they needed help, it was I that they turned to. Now, these young preteens were assisting me. I took it with a grain of salt though. I knew one day I would walk again. And that day was right around the corner.My neurologist told me to "...get used to the wheelchair...this is indefinite..." At first, I believed him, but in my heart, I wanted to challenge those words. I, along with friends and family, continued to pray. To tell you the extremeness of my myelopathic lesion, it is in the exact same spot where Christopher Reeves has his.Through research, I threw myself not only into my writing, but I found a group of people on the web going through similar problems. One gentleman, in retrospect, saved my life. Through emails, he brought me up everytime I was down. He sent me arobic bands that would help me to sustain my muscles as they had already atrophied from the paralysis. Little by little, I physically forced myself to do these exercises. God must've given me the strength, as I began to regain some feeling in my legs. Miraculously, within 4 months, I was walking. Slowly, but surely, I had managed to pull myself from the trenches. Nothing short from a miracle, I am still walking today. After the publication of my inspirational book of poetry, to my physical display of prayer, I am here today - alive and mostly well. Although I do have setbacks here and there. Still have to take medications for the rest of my life. I still have residual times of paralysis and numbness, but nothing that leads me to a wheelchair. I now suffer from heart complications due to the myelopathy, and I was forced to file bankruptcy due to worker's compensation throwing in the towel on my healthcare. But today, I am still in the fight...and this time, I am going to win the battle. In a few months, I will be going to a hearing commission on behalf of injuries sustained on the job. At this time, through the admission of not one, but two highly declarated Neurologists, I am confident that workers' compensation will have to incur the medical care and loss of wages for me. Even with all that I have had to endure, I never lost my faith in God. Perhaps it is He who sustained me through all of it. I suppose the fact that I now walk should be evidence enough. And I thank Him everyday for my endurance, stamina and ability to still be able to communicate on a worldly basis.