129 replies to this topic

[Allie]

I was injured when I was 15. I am T-12 incomplete. It has been 7 years (Feb. 11) now. I was very athletic I played volleyball, basketball, softball and I ran track. Volleyball & Basketball were my favorite sports and i was good. Basketball was my life then I averaged 16 points a night I had a few colleges looking at me already and I was only a Freshman. I took my life away by my own hand. I was very depressed my Freshman year one of my best friends was in a car accident she had tramatic brain injury she couldn't talk, walk, eat, nothing. She was going to be a senior that year and already had a basketball scholarship. It hit me really hard. I got really depressed started hanging out with the wrong crowd, started drinking, grades started slipping. The depression med they put me on I found out later it can make kids under 18 really suicidal. One night I got sick of everything and committed suicide I was lowering the gun cuz i decide not to do it as I was lowering the gun about half way down it went off. It turned into one big nightmare. I found out later the gun was old and touchy. I was in the hospital for 3 months. I got out in time to celebrate my 16th birthday that may. Early June my family, my sister and her now husband and his family and some of there friends all went to Vegas for my sisters Wedding. I was the Maid of Honor it was an awesome wedding it was like we had an outside wedding back home. I was happy i got to see my sister walk down the eisle with my dad and watch them get married. I still have the bullet in my spine. The rest of my high school years were hard. I did go to my Junior prom with my boyfriend at the time and stand for pictures thanks to my leg braces and walker. It is still hard to deal with being in a wheelchair and that I put myself in it but in some ways I'm happy cuz it saved my life at the same time cuz i was heading down a bad road. But Now I'm 22 and a Freelance Graphic Designer and Newly engaged and getting married June 12, 2010. I still feel like i'm a burden to my parents and my fiance cuz all they have to do with all my health stuff but my fiance says it does not matter as long as he is with me and my parents say they a just happy that I'm still here with them and alive.

Edited by Allie, 24 February 2009 - 06:20 PM.

[Slowlegs]

I had mine just over a month after my 18th birthday. I was lucky to have it at that age as the doctors said I was super fit and wouldn't have survived it otherwise. I was released a week after my 19th birthday.

Edited by Slowlegs, 27 February 2009 - 11:04 AM.

[DesolateOnPaper]

i was diagnosed at 4 mo. of age. my entire life has been a struggle for every ability i have. school was never easy, kids always made fun of me. as much as i lement on my short comings in life, i wouldn't have it any other way. i love having to work hard for what i have, i know that i can do anything i put my mind to. the doctors said i would be a complete vegitable, that i would never walk. i can walk and although i love my veggi's, i am certainly not one. having an SCI is devistating no matter your age. although, we have a unique oppertunity that no one else has in life. we can inspire by simply being ourselves. never give up hope!

[DesolateOnPaper]

p.s. don't forget to smile!

Edited by DesolateOnPaper, 28 February 2009 - 07:16 PM.

[love&hate]

I was 18 when my acc happened...23 now and going strong. God, its 5years already. I'm getting old.

[keidra]

my fiance was 16 years old and had his wreck on july 4th !!! It will be 15 years this year !!!

[Slowlegs]

love&hate, on Feb 28 2009, 11:07 PM, said:

I was 18 when my acc happened...23 now and going strong. God, its 5years already. I'm getting old.

Sheesh, If you're old at 23, what does that make me at 41. Actually, I have noticed I am able to give the right change when buying things these days and even find myself driving at or under the speed limit occasionally, OMG I must be ancient!

[arna]

I was 16 at the time it was December 30th 2006... so no happy new years for me that year...
I'm t-7 complete..

[Sandra62]

I turned 15 and now I am 29. Wow how far away was that

[pikey]

I was 10 when a botched operation left me a complete T4, I am now 39!

[lune14]

I was 16 yrs old ... this is my 28th para-fest! lol

[Bob C]

Hey, "J"
I was sweet sixteen when I had a miscue on a trampoline in gym class. That was 55 bears ago.

[crazylegs420]

lil jo, on Feb 20 2009, 03:22 PM, said:

My wreck was a week after my 18th birthday.

same here..exactly a week after

[joan Verstegen]

I was 17, 6weeks before i turned 18... nice birthdayparty in rehab.
I'm 22 years old now, so olmost 5years ago.
times fly's when yu having fun right?!

[Quad65]

I was 17, the summer between my Junior and Senior year of high school, playing guitar in my band and working on my '52 Mercury. That was 1965. I'm 61 now. Time flies when you're having fun.

[wheels1974]

I was 13 when I had my accident which left me a C4 Quad with no movement from the neck down and that was 21 years ago. BLOODY HELL time fly's. Best advice I can give you IF any. Don't let the disability stop you from doing what you want to in life, make goals and chase them.

The worst thing I see and hear is when some people just wait and wait for a cure to happen.
I TOTALLY understand each individual needs there own time to accept their injury but the sooner the better. When that cure for SCI eventuates don't worry if we are alive when it happens then we will ALL know about it but in the mean time ENJOY life and do as much as you can.

P.s. HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GREAT EASTER AND ABOVE ALL A SAFE ONE.

Cheers

[jules]

I was 15 and my accident was 17 years ago.

[Texas Angel Ang]

I had just turned 14, just got released from the surgeon after having scoliosis surgery, was down the entire summer... not even a month of being "able" to do whatever I wanted physically... car accident and broke my neck. Just my luck... always been accident prone LOL. Evidently still am, learned a lot about my body after all the x-rays and ultrasounds... I only have one kidney and never knew it!

[mikeC5/6]

Hey,
I'm 17 now I broke my neck a little over a year ago snowboarding haha
Feel free to PM me

[Mac67]

I Was 12 or 13 I forget?? I'm Now 42... Scary stuff when I think about it...

I became a c5 c6 Quad after a failed scoliosis operation. It was to cut off curving as I aged - Otherwise I Was Excelled in All Sports & was strong as an ox for my age...

Matt

[steve penguin]

im now 17 1/2 my injury happened a year and a bit ago, i spent my 17th bday in hospital and all of what should have been my final year at school, im now a vent dependent quad for life, bit of a bummer.

[RollinSince95]

I was 16 when i got shot

[Joewee13]

15 years of age. 2003

[Wheelz 16]

17 1/2

[sassymiss]

i had mine 2 months after my 13 birthday

[Kodie]

My accident happened June 11, 2002. It was a month after my 15th birthday. Diving accident left me C5 complete...

[scott pruett]

I was 18... accident happened the night before my 2nd semester of college. Downhill skiing, hit a patch of dirt, took a nasty tumble, C6 SCI. That was 1999.

[DarkAgdistis]

I was 15 when the butcher ... ooops, surgeon ... took my spinal cord for some sausage ...

[jayslx1]

I was 17, thrown out the back of a Ford EXP on March 1, 1991 . A senior in high school & turned 18 while in Spain Rehab. I'm now 36. Time does fly, just hope oneday we can all get back on our feet.

Edited by jayslx1, 20 May 2009 - 06:24 PM.

[Open Borders]

I was born quad. But I was in the hospital having a spinal fusion done for my 18th birthday - what a great present Lol.