Keep on chooglin' Glenn! You really are an inspiration, my friend. Better not slow down though. Bobbie and I are right behind you at 45 years post!
Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: > Resent-From: [email protected] > From: Bobbie Humphreys <[email protected]> > Date: July 8, 2016 at 6:34:00 PM EDT > To: Eric Olson <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] 50 years > > We're all standing on your shoulders > Thank you > Bobbie > > Smile Everyday > >> On Jul 8, 2016, at 2:14 PM, Eric Olson <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Nicely done. What level are you? >> >>> On 7/8/2016 12:29 PM, [email protected] wrote: >>> On Sunday, July 10, I will have reached a milestone. I have not known many >>> people with severe spinal cord injuries reaching this milestone. On July 10 >>> it will be 50 years post spinal cord injury. In the past, those on the >>> world of quadriplegics were not expected to reach this milestone. In fact, >>> in 1968 after 2 ½ years post injury, my parents made the decision to bring >>> me home from the Elizabethtown Cripple Children’s Hospital. The head nurse >>> took my father aside and gave him some advice. Her advice, take him home, >>> buy him a television and wait for him to die. It sounds cruel, but the >>> thinking in the 1960s was quadriplegics do not survive a long life. >>> >>> There are several reasons I have reached this milestone, the first is by >>> the grace of God and second is the Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War the >>> MASH units were advanced resulting in many soldiers returning home severely >>> wounded with many spinal cord injuries and our government pushed research >>> on how to better their lives. >>> >>> Throughout the years after 1966, many trials, tragedies, blessings and >>> lessons were learned. The 2 ½ years I spent in Elizabethtown Hospital >>> helped prepare me for these 50 years. Being exposed to all kinds of >>> children with illnesses, injuries and birth defects helped prepare me for a >>> life much different than I would’ve ever dreamed. >>> >>> Starting a small business in the early 1970s seem to reinforce the fact >>> that with God’s help I could do anything. I believe that physical issues or >>> injuries to a person when they are young gives them the stamina and drive >>> to succeed. >>> >>> I wanted to work in electronics, but was encouraged by OVR (Office of >>> vocational rehabilitation) not to go into this field. I always was >>> interested in electronics and enjoyed making things spark. I told my OVR >>> counselor, if you were not helping me to take a correspondence course, I >>> would pay for it myself. The Lord put the need on people’s hearts and I >>> would take money sent to me in get well cards and put that toward a >>> correspondence course. After I had completed three quarters of the course, >>> the counselor realized I was serious and OVR paid the last part of my >>> education. >>> >>> >>> The Lord always put you in the right place at exactly the right time. In >>> the 1970s and early 1980s our country had a gas crisis. One of the things >>> jumping in popularity was the citizens band radio. This was the start of my >>> journey into the electronics field. The Lord guided me to treat my >>> customers with respect and honesty. I definitely followed his lead. We >>> migrated from consumer electronics into business communications, then into >>> the public service. In 1998, when we sold the business, we had serviced >>> fire equipment through our mail in division to 49 >>> States. >>> >>> Throughout the years I learned many lessons, some hard and some easy, but I >>> learned that God was guiding my life. In the mid-1990s my wife had a hip >>> replacement surgery go bad and as she was my main caregiver, outside people >>> were hired taking pretty much everything we had saved. No bitterness, this >>> is God’s plan, suck it up and follow him. That has been pretty much what I >>> have done all my life. >>> >>> The last two years have been quite a roller coaster ride. There were days >>> that I did not believe I would make it through, other days I felt like I >>> could lick the world. Things are still happening physically, but we keep >>> our focus on Him and we take each day as it comes. >>> >>> I’ve been on the quadlist, probably over 20 years and many times found >>> information from others helpful. >>> >>> I’m going to “ suck it up”, 51 is only 365 days away. >>> >>> Glenn Henry >> >> >> >> >> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. >> www.avast.com >> >>
