September 11 will be 17 years for me. I was a self employed paint contractor pulling in about $1400 profit every week with 1 full time employee. We were painting a rather nice house owned by a teacher of dentistry at University of Chicago. I was painting the first coat of paint and my employee was close behind with the second coat. I was on a 20 ft plank about 17 feet off the ground. the 2 laddres were positioned one at the very end and the other about 3 feet from the other end because of a window in the way. I got to the window end of the plank and was reaching over to get a small spot above the window. The next thing I remember was laying in the grass looking up at the sky. My wife made it there then the ambulance. I spent 3 weeks in ICU. 31 days total in the hospital. The 89 days at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. My full story is at http://www.imaquad.mysite.com/
________________________________ From: Don Smith <[email protected]> To: Greg <[email protected]> Cc: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, August 7, 2012 12:53 PM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Injury Anniversary Come Jan. 2, 2013 I well celebrate my 25th year as a c5/6 incomplete. It was Jan. 88 and my gf and a couple friends and I went snow skiing (my first trip for the season due to a job change) I knew the snow wasn't the best but went anyway, whats life without a little risk? I had a fair day on the slopes till on my last run, heading for the lodge to meet up with my friends and head home, I took a jump and cought an edge, I flew head first into a roll in which I landed on my head, heard my neck snap, I prayed it was just out of place but no such luck. I spent five months at Santa Clara Valley Med. Center, first month with pneumonia on a respirator for a month, they put a trac in so they could suction me, I had one collapsed lung which is good now. I had ice tong traction and after two months, the resp.Tech, nurses and other Dr.s got my insurance sucking Dr. to put a halo on and get me up and into rehab. Over the years I've meet a lot of good people, and done some things I might not have done other wise. I do remember the past and am thankful for it, but I can't change things now, so I look forward to tomorrows new adventure. Don c5/6 incomp at 23 I live in Calif.s central valley. --- On Mon, 8/6/12, Greg <[email protected]> wrote: >From: Greg <[email protected]> >Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Injury Anniversary >To: [email protected] >Date: Monday, August 6, 2012, 4:18 PM > > >On 11 August, I will have been permanently seated or horizontal for 25 years. >In 1987 I was 23, and 11 August was on a Tuesday. I took off work early that >day to prepare for a party we were throwing at the house later that evening. >At the time I was married and we had just a year earlier bought a home with a >swimming pool. One of the girls my wife worked with was leaving/moving the >following day to pursue a job offer in another town, so we had a get-together >for her and her husband and invited everyone in the office to our house for a >cook-out/pool party the night before they were to leave. By 9:00 PM, most of >the couples were leaving or had already left because most of us had to be at >work the next morning, but the couple we held the party for stuck around. >Someone suggested one last game of volleyball in the pool so I climbed out to >retrieve the ball, tossed it in, stepped to the edge and dove back in. >SPLASH! SNAP!! BUZZZZZZZZ.... > > >The following year on 11 August, my best friend damn near killed himself >trying to drive his car through a hackberry tree. Since then, Steve and I >attempt to get together on the night of the 11th (or the following Fri. or >Sat. night), drink a few beers, reminisce about the old days and stay up too >late watching the Perseid meteor shower. I look forward to it every year. > > >But I still can't believe I have spent more than half my life in this >wheelchair. After the accident and learning that I probably would never walk >(among many other things) again, I never imagined living even five years in >this condition much less 25 years. Had I known then that I would live this >long, I would have chosen to end my life then and there were it an option. >Looking at it from this end of the 25 years, I'm glad I didn't know just how >long I would live. Ironically, 25 years later I find myself again thinking >that surely I won't live another 10 or 15 or 20 years. Later this fall, I >will be 49 and I don't look forward to or even want to think about being 59 or >64 or 69 in this condition. My health is still fairly good, relatively >speaking, but the last eight years have been spotted with minor to >not-so-minor health issues and I don't see that trend reversing or improving >as I get older. We'll see. > > >Good luck on your anniversary, Don. You look great to be your age and to have >been injured so long ago. > > >Greg - c/5 >Tennessee > > >From: Don Price <[email protected]> > >Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2012 19:02:50 -0700 (PDT) >>To: quadlist<[email protected]> >>ReplyTo: Don Price <[email protected]> >>Subject: [QUAD-L] Injury Anniversary >> >> >>Next week will mark the 30th anniversary of my spinal cord injury. I've never >>really 'celebrated' or recognized the date each year--in fact, I had to ask >>my parents what day it happened. I'm just curious how some of you commemorate >>your accident date, or if you prefer to forget it. >> >>I'm remembering mine because it's also my 30th high school reunion. >> >>Don. >>C5-6 >>Tempe, AZ
