While the pictures take a moment or two to load, Please read about my "lil accident" and what happened and why I use a chair now. If you are not turned/scared off and interested in knowing more then please feel free to contact me to ask questions, get to know me or whatever.

It happened at 11:29PM, December 31, 1991. New Years Eve. I was 20 at the time. A few close buddies, my then girlfriend "Jane", now one of my best friends, and I were having ourselves a little get-together, party. You may be saying was there alcohol? Yes there was but I never got to do any drinking. It all started with me sticking my finger in the potato chip dip, which made "Jane" fly off the handle about it and we started arguing. It escalated to an all out yelling match, so she soon left and went home. I was the most angry I had ever been, as this was the worst fight we had ever had. So I for some reason got in the car and headed off in the opposite direction. (The car was a big OLE tank of a car. A 1966 Lincoln continental) (see pic below) I left the driveway and made it about 1 minute or a 1/4 mile from the house.

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I hit a tree head on at 69mph (speed calculated by police), with no seat-belt on or touching the brakes. I think what caused me to crash was that my blood pressure went wacky. It either went to high or low and resulted in me blacking out at the wheel. Needless to say the indestructible tank of a car was demolished. (see next pic) The car hit so hard I bent the drive shaft, pushed the engine back, which in turn pushed in the firewall and the dashboard. I blew out a tire, Crimped the rear end and trunk area of the car.

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I was thrown into the back seat passenger side. I broke my right thighbone, chip fractured the right shin. I broke my right wrist & pinkie. I fractured my skull in 3 places around the right eye and a concusion. BUT the major damage was done to the heart. I ruptured or tore my AORTA, (the major artery coming out of heart to lower extremities). Through all the obvious pain and shock I must have been in, I managed to put on the lap belt seatbelt with a broken wrist even. LOL (I guess in that situation, it was an Internal self-defense mechanism, saying, "put your seat belt on, you don't want a ticket for no seat-belt"...duh, I know.) Nevermind the fact that I had a (98% of the time), life threatening injury to my heart.
To make a long story short, when I was on the operating table at the Univ. Of PA Med. Center in Phila., to fix the rupture, they obviously had to clamp off the tear so it wouldn't keep pumping out blood. So it was lack of blood or a stroke to the spine.

I have what they call a partial spinal cord injury or an incomplete injury. I have 97% normal sensation from my "level of injury" on down, which is about mid chest level. I can feel the slightest touch of a hand, or any other touch. For Example: To pinch my leg wouldn't hurt, but to punch me hard in the thigh would. Also, Scalding hot water in the shower would burn to the touch on the hands ...but on my legs, it wouldn't hurt me in the least bit. I can move my legs, I can walk with braces and crutches, but the chair is quicker to get around in and more practical for daily living and work. I am VERY able bodied. I visit friends who have 3rd floor apartments and I am by NO MEANS confined to the chair. I am very independant and rely on no one for any help in any form. Getting on the floor and back up again is not a problem.
I lead a very normal life, (Love life too), a full time job that I enjoy, a nice car I drive, I enjoy going out to the mall, the movies, the shore where ever I please really. I learned to look at the bright side of life. I get the best parking spots wherever I go, which is nice at the malls. I always have a place to sit when I go out. No more cutting the grass, shoveling snow(which I still do) or raking leaves. lol I can always offer my lap as a place to sit for the seatless. People often go out of their way to get out of my way in malls. Comes in handy during Christmas shopping season. lol
To sum it up, My life is good and I don't think I would change a thing. All in all it was a good experience, educational, interesting & fun too. It made me a better person over all, who's thankful to be alive.
I now try to enjoy everyday life and make the best of all situations. Not getting upset over the little things in life, not complaining often, because I know there are so many others who have life worse then I might. I realize how lucky I am to be alive, knowing it could have been much worse for me. I guess that's it in a large nutshell. So don't be afraid to ask questions.

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