Friends and family,
I have procrastinated making a full effort to put an update here for a while and know this is long overdue.
As most of you know, I broke my neck in a diving accident on Lake Lanier on July 4th. My injury is at the C5 vertebrae and was incomplete, which means it allows for some recovery, the extent which may not be known for some time. The injury impacted my upper and lower extremities, which classifies me as a quadriplegic.
Spinal cord recovery is extremely unpredictable and definite prognosis is non existent.
Following the injury I spent eight days in the ICU at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville Georgia. During that time I had slight movement of my arms, specifically my biceps and shoulder movement. I was on a ventilator to help me to breathe for 3 days. I spent the next 3 weeks trying to get the lake water out of my lungs and it was a good day when that finally ended.
I moved to Shepherd Center in Atlanta to continue treatment and therapy and stayed there until the 20th of last week. While I was there I worked on balance and some movement and worked out a lot of muscle soreness in my biceps in my shoulders as well as work to strengthen the muscles that I have available. in the middle of August I was able to switch the muscle in my right hamstring. In the month since I have been able to sense movement in other muscles of my right thigh including my quadriceps and glutes as well as my calf. Visually I I'm now able to see the toes on both of my feet wiggle slightly and can push my foot down just barely on both feet. Last week I was able to feel my left calf muscle which is exciting because my left leg is lagging well behind my right.
In my upper body my triceps maybe starting to kick in but they are barely perceptible. My hands still do not function and in therapy they continue to use Electro stimulation to get them to kick in. I I am able to Twitch my left thumb as well as small movement in my right ring finger.
I am now at the VA Medical Center in Augusta Georgia where I will continue therapy for at least the next 4 to 6 weeks.
I would like everyone to know how much their thoughts, good vibes and prayers have meant to me. So many people have reached out and offered to help in so many ways. I don't know how I can ever show enough gratitude for everything that has been done for me. Please know that I am not giving up and I appreciate every everybody. Many of you have reached out and I have not been able to respond to all of you, but know how much it has meant to me and that I will get back to you in the days ahead.
Too many people I need to thank personally, but there are a couple people I need to single out sooner rather than later. My sister [redacted] is renovating her house so that I have a place to come to when I finally leave the hospital to continue outpatient therapy. She has done a great deal for me and I don't know how I could get through without her support.
I met a woman in 2015 that quickly became my world and I don't know what I would do without her today. We are both not much for sentimentality, even if we do tend to cry more than we should, so I will just leave it at that. Thank you [redacted].
Thanks to all!
"I'm not dead"
Flunkout
