Becoming paralyzed transformed my life. From day one, I had no handbook to follow, and I learned everything as I went along. Every day brought a new challenge. Usually, I love challenges. I have always felt driven to inspire others and make the most out of every moment. But the experience of paralysis brought an all-encompassing challenge level.
Following my accident, I spent almost a month in rehab, digesting what happened. I gave myself one day to cry and mourn my past 33 years as a walker. Waking up after the surgery and finding out that I was paralyzed from the waist down was devastating. I felt afraid that my husband would leave me. When I told him that, he placed his hand on my heart and said, “This is why I’m with you. We’ll get through this.” I started to perk up and look forward to physical and occupational therapy, and I devoured the guidance that I got. Towards the end of rehab, I feared that I wouldn’t survive outside the comfort and structure that rehab provided. But I couldn’t dwell on my losses. I needed to push forward and embrace this new adventure.
I faced difficulties upon returning home, and I couldn’t imagine going through this journey without the constant support of my husband. He committed himself to taking care of me and helping me with daily tasks, even with his own health issues. One day, I said to him, “Can you please leave my clothes for me, and I will try and dress myself?” I woke up that morning knowing that I wanted more of my independence back. It felt good to successfully accomplish this task. From there, I kept trying more tasks independently. I realized that being paralyzed doesn’t mean that I can’t feel empowered.