3 replies to this topic

[logansmom]

Hi! My name is Kristy and I just found this site today! I'm truely amazed at all of this information. My husband and I have been looking for something like this for 2 years now.

This is our story. On Valentine's Day 2006 me, my husband,and our 2 kids were going to meet my parents for dinner at our favorite Itailian resturant...to celebrate my moms birthday. We went by to pick up my dad and my mom was going to meet us there. Less than 2 miles from my parents house something happened. We still aren't sure if something went wrong with our car or if my husband was distracted by something and just missed the curve. Either way, we didn't curve when the road did and ended up goin down and embankment and hitting 3 trees. The first was small and not important, the second was a rather large pine tree that we hit head on and broke into three pieces, and the third was the tree that the car rested on once it stopped spinning...its the tree that kept us from flipping.

The last thing me and my husband remember is leaving my parents house. We both suffered head injuries...my husband had a bleed. He was air lifted to Grady Hospital in Atlanta, GA where they found that he had not only the head injury and bleed, but also a break at C1 & C2, 5 broken ribs, a cracked sturnam, and his left foot was broken in 2 places. He was in the hopital for a week, in a neck brace for 6 weeks, and is now perfectly fine and has returned to work as a firefighter full time.

I had a broken pelvis on the left side, dislocated my right hip and was not allowed to walk for 6 weeks. My dad broke one foot and the other ankle. My daughter walked away with a bruise and a scratch.

My son wasn't as lucky as the rest of us. He was diagnosised with T3 spinal cord injury...he had breaks at t3 -t6. He stayed in the hopital for 7 weeks and is of course paralyzed from the chest down. He is such an amazing little guy. He is now playing wheelchair sports and loving it!

As as parent, I struggle on a daily basis. Just not knowing if Im doing the right things for Logan or if work is even an option at this point. After the wreck, I left the job I had for 11 years and went to work for the school system so I would have the same schedule as Logan. This school year has been rough. Logan has missed probably 7 or 8 weeks of school due to sickness.

But thank goodness I now feel like I have a place to vent and get advice!! Im so happy to have found you guys!!

Thanks!

[kewlcatkez]

Hi Kristy,

Nice to meet you, although I wish that it wasn't under such circumstances. You have all been through a lot. I am not sure how old your son is, but from what I have seen, kids are very resilient and tend to tackle things and win a lot more than we adults can and do. Logan sounds like he is doing well, aside from missing school due to illness...I am guessing that they may be respiratory infections etc, as kids are susceptible to them anyway and the SCI is going to make things more difficult due to the degree of paralysis his chest and therefore Diaphragm has. It must have been very difficult for you all to recover from your own injuries and tend to each other. You are my heroes! As a mother, I can not imagine how things have been.

As for your work situation, I think as parents its always a juggling act and sacrifices Career wise are often made. It sounds like you know about that one though. What I will say is that here, Parents are legally able/entitled to access "Parental Leave" (If you've worked for the same employer for a year you can take:
13 weeks off work TOTAL over 5 years, for each child, up to their fifth birthday and/or
18 weeks for each disabled child, up to the child's 18th birthday. This is in the UK ( england and wales), not sure if there is similar in the State you are in in the USA. I do know that here employers seem to be ignorant of this and have known people who have had to educate them! Hopefully, you will find the right job for you all if/when you seek change..

Just for introduction purposes, I am paralysed (chair user for around about 3 years) with neuropathy and have severe dislocating EDS ( means I dislocated multiple joints, multiple times daily - which although were present before, were not every day..now they are as a result of hormonal influence, an accident and the fact that it usually progresses due to the trauma of the proceeding dislocations etc etc.- has gotten worse over last few years). I also have the other stuff which goes with all of this ( pain, POTS, Autonomic dysfunction -like AD, etc). I am a Mother to 2 beautiful children ( 5 and under) and wife to some bloke, lol...I am also a qualified RN who is no longer working in a clinical setting. I now bug the hell out of this forum, lol

Ok, Sorry for the waffle, I hope to see you around here,

Take care,

K

Edited by kewlcatkez, 07 March 2008 - 12:17 AM.

[firemaiden]

Hi Kristy and welcome

I'm new to the site as well and have gained so much from just reading the posts on here. My boyfriend is a T6 complete and currently studying to be a sports coach. Before his accident he played basketball and did running and cycling. Since his accident he plays wheelchair basketball, competes in marathons using a racing chair and has just recently got himself a hand cycle (I'm a sports widow lol!). I think if your son is enjoying sports, then just encourge him to continue with what he likes. As parents we can only try to do the best for our children and you sound like you're doing a good job!

[Motor]

firemaiden, on Mar 6 2008, 05:49 PM, said:

Hi Kristy and welcome

I'm new to the site as well and have gained so much from just reading the posts on here. My boyfriend is a T6 complete and currently studying to be a sports coach. Before his accident he played basketball and did running and cycling. Since his accident he plays wheelchair basketball, competes in marathons using a racing chair and has just recently got himself a hand cycle (I'm a sports widow lol!). I think if your son is enjoying sports, then just encourge him to continue with what he likes. As parents we can only try to do the best for our children and you sound like you're doing a good job!

Hey to all the newbies. I found this site not long ago. I love it and the people are great. I turn to my friend K or kewlkatz. I get great advice from her. However you can ask anybody anything you want. I truly believe finding this site helped save my life! Good Luck and ask..ask.....aka...


Richie aka Motor













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