Reliving the day I got injured...

Although as I try not to think as much about the day I got injured, it's tough honestly. It's like an old record player, playing in my head about the reoccurring scenes that happened that day. 

In a matter of two seconds of the car impact against the tree, I tried to get out of the car as soon as I could. That's when I noticed I physically couldn't, it did not occur to me nor think that this car accident would change my life so quickly. I thought at the moment, maybe I couldn't get out because I was in shock. 

Moments after, the police, ambulance, and firefighters arrived at the scene. Thank you to the Newton firefighters for carefully getting me out of the car. As well, safely working with the ambulance making sure that I was calm and going to be okay. As we rushed to the hospital, all I could think about was "what's going on with me, why couldn't I independently get out of the car"? 

As soon as we arrived at Mass General Hospital, I went through what felt like a gazillion machines to scan and test me. That's when a doctor told me their diagnosis. After hearing that, it felt like I was being run over by a train or as if someone threw hot water on me. I started crying and thinking to myself how calm that doctor was when she told me about my diagnosis. In order to "fix" my back, because of the impact, my spine fractured and needed surgery asap. 

I remember before going into the operating room, I prayed to God and having a father blessed me before my surgery so everything would go well. Thankfully it did. I was there at Mass General Hospital for 4 days in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) then got transferred to the Boston Spaulding Hospital for two months of rehabilitation.

During my time at Spaulding, I had a lot of occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT,) meet and learn a lot from individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Although Spaulding was a great hospital, it only taught me how to re-learn how to do everything but in a wheelchair, which I wasn't too happy about. I appreciate learning about all those important things but wanted to re-learn how to walk which was something that the therapists and doctors had no hope that I could do. Now, I completely understand why doctors have to say that I would be paralyzed which is a word, I hugely dislike. (which I'll explain some other time) Not everyone's recuperation is the same when you have an SCI, so they have to say the worst and not get sued for any false hope. 

But, thankful for my second chance at life that God has given me. God could have easily called me to be with him. I am forever in debt to him, remain thankful and will try to be as positive to serve my purpose with the world.