Good afternoon all,
Viewers to Fox News know recently of the passing of Charles Krauthammer. I watched several times when he would give commentary and finally realize the man was a quadriplegic. I researched his biography and came to respect the man. We have lost a very brave man. No matter what your political affiliation, this man went on to make a life for himself. He could have given up as many of us feel like we should have, but he kept moving on, just like we do. I for one will miss them. July 10, 1966 at approximately 2 PM I embarked on a journey, not a journey of my choosing, but a long journey nonetheless. At the time I am composing this email, 52 years ago, I was on my way to the hospital with a spinal cord injury. The prior two weeks had seen temperatures close to 100° each day with many severe thunderstorms. While attending Sunday school plans were made to go on the Susquehanna River with my Sunday school teacher on a small sailboat. My mother did not like the river, thought that with the recent thunderstorms a lot of debris was being wash down the river, so she did not give me permission, instead made the statement of taking me to someplace safe. That safe place was to be a public swimming pool, lifeguard on duty, other people around and no debris. I believe she mentioned that statement one time and I don’t recall hearing it again. Shortly after reaching the pool I was swimming at the surface and someone did a cannonball on my back. The lifeguard on duty forgot something, left his post having his girlfriend sit in the stand. Apparently she went ballistic, not knowing what to do. I could not breathe and was unconscious, two teenagers that just had taken a Red Cross course tried to clear my airway by pounding on my back. Wrong! In today’s world I would never have to work again, but it was a much different world in 1966. The owner of the pool had connections with a lawyer and our family didn’t have any money to pursue legal options or put me into a rehab center. The doctor bills were paid, and we received a whopping $7500. I would spend the next 2 ½ years in a state run hospital, with no plan for rehab of spinal cord injury patients. There was very little known about surviving a spinal cord injury, this is the only good thing to come from the Vietnam War. Many soldiers were returning to the states with spinal cord injuries, so the government put billions of dollars into making life better. Yes, government has their issues, but without the Vietnam War and the soldiers returning spinal cord injuries of today with not have the options available you see today. I thank the Lord for seeing me through that time, and giving me wisdom. After being discharged from the hospital I started a small business, paid for my own home schooling, before computers there were correspondence courses. Got your book, your work, you sent your work to the company, yada yada yada! At the time the state of Pennsylvania office of vocational rehabilitation discouraged me from taking a course in electronics. I’m one of those wackos that believes God tells you what to do at times. I don’t know why loved electronics and with no use of my hands how would I ever work on electronic equipment. Well, shortly after my Congressman helped me get an associate degree in electronics, I started a small business and entered the citizens band radio world. God puts you at the right place at the right time. The gasoline shortage under Pres. Carter started and the citizens band radio craze was born. The business was in the garage of my parents home, a room approximately 10 x 20’. Well, when customers had to wait on the porch because there was no room inside, it was time to purchase property across our street and build a ranch-style building. I was able to service equipment, I remember the first radio I serviced and who owned the radio. As the business grow, my goal was investing any profits back into the business. That business survived for 30 years untill health issues with both myself and my wife facilitated selling the assets. I rented the building to the new owner and managed the business for the next eight years. I married a wonderful and beautiful lady with three children and now have nine grandchildren. I am a lucky man. At 67, my health is not real great and for the past three years I would have laid down a bet I would not see another anniversary of July 10. Well, I guess the Lord isn’t finished with me yet for here I am, 52 years post SCI. Because of the treatment I received before much was known about spinal cord injuries, my bladder is expected to give me issues that I probably would not survive. I visited a specialist in the field last October and she stated that there is no surgery that would help. Post SCI 52 years, according to the doctor, we are writing the book. There is very little knowledge available on people that have had spinal cord injuries for that many years. My goal for the next year, be who I am, be more patient with my wonderful wife and when my time comes, I pray that it comes during the night as I sleep. Over the past four years I’ve had several times, some recently concerning congenital heart failure. My doctor put me on a medication that did not get enough water out of my system. That is now corrected. Keep fighting, treasure every day like it was your last. It will someday be. May each and every one of you have wisdom given from God to handle your difficulties and to live your life to its fullest. Glenn Henry from Pennsylvania
