11/17 Remembered

Well, today is November 17, or as I like to call it, my "second birthday" since it's the day my old life ended and my new life began. It's hard to believe that another year has come and gone since that day eight years ago that will forever live in infamy in the hearts and minds of my family and friends. Although it was a physically traumatic day for me, I had it pretty easy compared to everyone else since I missed out on all of the emotional trauma since I was unconscious and off in my own little world. I'm sure the emotional trauma that my family and friends endured was absolutely heart-wrenching as they waited to find out if I would live or die and what my fate would be if I survived, Would I be doomed to a life of paralysis?

At the time of my accident my life was so averagely normal. I'd never even broken a bone or had stitches, let alone had any accidents or major health problems. I was a teenager and I, like most teens naturally assumed that that would always be the case with my life. I never dreamed that I would become one of "those" people – you know, the kind of person that everyone looks at with at least a small measure of pity and thinks, "thank goodness that's not my life." Ironically, I used to be that kind of person who would thank God for being normal when I saw someone who was either mentally or physically handicapped.

Who would've ever thought that this would happen to me?! Sometimes I'm just in awe that this is my life. I can't move and I can't even breathe on my own. I have to rely on my diaphragm pacemaker to make my diaphragm contract so that I can inhale. (Speaking of my diaphragm pacemaker, today also happens to be the anniversary of the surgery where electrodes were implanted on my diaphragm.) That was in 2006 – three years after my accident – and it's been one of the best things to happen since my accident so that I don't have to be on a ventilator any more. Ditching the ventilator is something I never thought I would be able to do, and it's been a huge blessing.. Sure, I still can't breathe on my own without the assistance of some sort of machine/device, but the diaphragm pacer is much more healthy, portable and convenient than being tied to a ventilator.

Try to take the time to truly enjoy life, to not take things for granted and to look for the positive in all situations, even in challenging ones. Life is too short to waste not being joyful! (I love getting comments, so if you want to make my anniversary extra special, leave me a comment!)