Max
07-13-2003, 04:24 PM
'It's brought us even closer together'
Publication date:
Sunday, July 13, 2003
BY KATE HOUSE
Staff Reporter
Tom Pierce is glad to be home in Alexandria.
For the last few weeks, Pierce, 48, has been in Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana in Indianapolis after suffering a spinal injury in a May 6 truck accident in Louisiana.
"He's getting stronger, he's glad to be home, that's where he wants to be," Pierce's wife Kathy, said at their home, waiting for guests to arrive for her husband's welcome home party
Pierce's accident happened when he and his father, Maurice, were driving a trailer home from Texas. A gust of wind blew the trailer over and flipped the vehicle.
"I don't remember how it really happened," Tom said. "When I woke up, I thought where's my legs and where's my arms and I passed out."
Maurice went through the windshield, but suffered a minor injury. Tom's sixth and seventh vertebrae and his spinal cord were injured. The spinal cord was not severed, but Pierce lost most of the feeling in his body from his chest down, although he can move his arms.
"We didn't know about it until the sheriff department called to tell us," Kathy, 46, said. "And we just got in the car and drove to Shreveport, La."
He underwent at least two surgeries at Louisiana State University Medical Center to stabilize his condition. He now has titanium screws in his spine. In Indianapolis, he went through physical therapy and classes to teach him skills such as how to sit up and balance himself, breathe properly, dress, eat, write and shave.
"I've seen him eat a whole meal wish his wrist," Kathy said.
Tom also played a joke on his physical therapist at the center, who was teaching him to shave with a plastic covered razor. One day, he had a nurse put bandages all over his face to trick the physical therapist into thinking he cut himself with a real razor.
"Everybody got a big laugh out of that one," Tom said.
Kathy said she will continue to work, but has cut her hours in order to be with her husband. She's also learning how to care for Pierce, and how to work a special lift to help her get him to and from his wheelchair.
"I really believe that God gave me the strength to say, hey here, we've been married a long time, we've got five children and it's my time to take care of my husband, and that's what I'm going to do," Kathy said. "And I know he's going to get better."
The couple's five sons, Jason, Jesse, Jordan, Cody and Dillon also plan to help him exercise to strengthen him. The three oldest boys, Kathy said, have been helping her lift and care for him as well as take care of household chores. Pierce said he wants to get stronger, especially in his arms, to help make him more independent.
Kathy said Pierce has some bad days, but is mostly keeping his spirits up.
"He's just a fun-loving guy, a good dad and a wonderful husband"
Tom said he has heard both good and bad news from doctors and nurses. Some have told him he should recover in a year, others have said he'll never walk again.
"I just think if I walk by May 6 next year, I walk, if I don't, I don't," Pierce said. Right now, I look at it where I probably won't walk again, that way if I do walk I won't be disappointed, I'll be glad. If I don't walk I won't be disappointed."
Kathy said she was grateful for all the support the family received both in the hospitals and from the community. People, she said have been helpful donating things such as a special shower, a ramp, money and other things.
She and the boys also said the experience has made the close knit family even closer.
"It just brings a lot of us a lot closer," Jesse said. "Every one of us, I think it's really changed all of us, just the experience of being down there. Not just dealing with my father, but just other patients."
Jesse said he and his brothers didn't think things were that bad until they arrived in Louisiana.
"I think it was all pretty much a shock to all of us," Jesse said. "We heard how bad it was, and we were thinking it'll be all right when we get there."
Jordan said he canceled a trip to Florida for a wedding when he realized the severity of his father's situation.
"It makes you kind of realize how your life can change," he said.
They remain steadfast in support of their family.
"I'm never going to say he can't walk, Jordan said.
"None of us want to say he's never going to walk again," Jesse said.
He grins in his father's direction.
"But if he doesn't we're not going to love that old fart over there any different," Jesse said. "He's the same old guy as the day he left and that's what really matters."
"He raised us, we figure we can help him out," Jordan said.
--End--
http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/cgi-bin/LiveIQue.acgi$rec=8334?hb_story
Publication date:
Sunday, July 13, 2003
BY KATE HOUSE
Staff Reporter
Tom Pierce is glad to be home in Alexandria.
For the last few weeks, Pierce, 48, has been in Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana in Indianapolis after suffering a spinal injury in a May 6 truck accident in Louisiana.
"He's getting stronger, he's glad to be home, that's where he wants to be," Pierce's wife Kathy, said at their home, waiting for guests to arrive for her husband's welcome home party
Pierce's accident happened when he and his father, Maurice, were driving a trailer home from Texas. A gust of wind blew the trailer over and flipped the vehicle.
"I don't remember how it really happened," Tom said. "When I woke up, I thought where's my legs and where's my arms and I passed out."
Maurice went through the windshield, but suffered a minor injury. Tom's sixth and seventh vertebrae and his spinal cord were injured. The spinal cord was not severed, but Pierce lost most of the feeling in his body from his chest down, although he can move his arms.
"We didn't know about it until the sheriff department called to tell us," Kathy, 46, said. "And we just got in the car and drove to Shreveport, La."
He underwent at least two surgeries at Louisiana State University Medical Center to stabilize his condition. He now has titanium screws in his spine. In Indianapolis, he went through physical therapy and classes to teach him skills such as how to sit up and balance himself, breathe properly, dress, eat, write and shave.
"I've seen him eat a whole meal wish his wrist," Kathy said.
Tom also played a joke on his physical therapist at the center, who was teaching him to shave with a plastic covered razor. One day, he had a nurse put bandages all over his face to trick the physical therapist into thinking he cut himself with a real razor.
"Everybody got a big laugh out of that one," Tom said.
Kathy said she will continue to work, but has cut her hours in order to be with her husband. She's also learning how to care for Pierce, and how to work a special lift to help her get him to and from his wheelchair.
"I really believe that God gave me the strength to say, hey here, we've been married a long time, we've got five children and it's my time to take care of my husband, and that's what I'm going to do," Kathy said. "And I know he's going to get better."
The couple's five sons, Jason, Jesse, Jordan, Cody and Dillon also plan to help him exercise to strengthen him. The three oldest boys, Kathy said, have been helping her lift and care for him as well as take care of household chores. Pierce said he wants to get stronger, especially in his arms, to help make him more independent.
Kathy said Pierce has some bad days, but is mostly keeping his spirits up.
"He's just a fun-loving guy, a good dad and a wonderful husband"
Tom said he has heard both good and bad news from doctors and nurses. Some have told him he should recover in a year, others have said he'll never walk again.
"I just think if I walk by May 6 next year, I walk, if I don't, I don't," Pierce said. Right now, I look at it where I probably won't walk again, that way if I do walk I won't be disappointed, I'll be glad. If I don't walk I won't be disappointed."
Kathy said she was grateful for all the support the family received both in the hospitals and from the community. People, she said have been helpful donating things such as a special shower, a ramp, money and other things.
She and the boys also said the experience has made the close knit family even closer.
"It just brings a lot of us a lot closer," Jesse said. "Every one of us, I think it's really changed all of us, just the experience of being down there. Not just dealing with my father, but just other patients."
Jesse said he and his brothers didn't think things were that bad until they arrived in Louisiana.
"I think it was all pretty much a shock to all of us," Jesse said. "We heard how bad it was, and we were thinking it'll be all right when we get there."
Jordan said he canceled a trip to Florida for a wedding when he realized the severity of his father's situation.
"It makes you kind of realize how your life can change," he said.
They remain steadfast in support of their family.
"I'm never going to say he can't walk, Jordan said.
"None of us want to say he's never going to walk again," Jesse said.
He grins in his father's direction.
"But if he doesn't we're not going to love that old fart over there any different," Jesse said. "He's the same old guy as the day he left and that's what really matters."
"He raised us, we figure we can help him out," Jordan said.
--End--
http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/cgi-bin/LiveIQue.acgi$rec=8334?hb_story