TODAY IS THE DAY....

Birde · 07-29-2001, 10:10 AM

As far as anniversaries go this one is not worth celebrating - let alone remembering! Not like anyone has sent a card like most anniversaries, no one has even said anything-probably for the best, I might start to blubber uncontrolably! Yeappers, today is the day.... ONE YEAR! In reality, it seems no differant than any other day since the accident. Same sh*t. Am I sadder today than most days? I guess, if I stop to think about it, but I try not to think about that too much. That chapter of my life. Let me just ask you guys, does it ever get easier? Are you ever REALLY able to be happy, I mean REALLY HAPPY again? Oh, sure, I am happy about little stuff, I laugh once in a while, but deep down to my real exsistance, I am SAD, all the time. Is it just me? CRIPES!! I take "happy pills", but they don't bring back that zest for life I once had. I think it was lost the night of the accident...perhaps it was located in the lower part of the my body and it was paralyzed too! Ya think?!! I think that is what happened, paralyzed hopes and dreams and happiness as well as legs. HMMM, I may be on to something. Oh well life goes on, just thought I would let ya know that I have hit the one year mark today. I can now say I am 1 year post!

[This message was edited by Birde on July 29, 2001 at 01:21 PM.]

Curt Leatherbee · 07-29-2001, 10:59 AM

I would say it does get easier. You get to point after a few years where it becomes more like second nature, you are also less consumed with always thinking about what happened as time passes by. You will also find many new interests and ways of doing things you never thought possible with being Disabled.

One thing I find useful, is I try and get out of the Wheelchair wherever possible. When I watch TV I transfer out of the Chair onto the couch, when I go to the beach, I throw a large towel down and lay down on the beach. Riding a hand cycle is great because it gets you out of the chair. Lifting weights is good because I jump around out of the chair to the individual machines and hop on the floor to the mats to stretch. For Quads, I would suggest having someone lift them out of the chair when Possible. Nothing like having a picnic and sitting on the ground on a blanket rather than in the wheelchair. If need be, put you're cushion down first and sit on that, I just sit on the ground and move around a lot, have not had any problems.

There is still a lot of stuff for you to do out there that is still enjoyable, its just a question of being open to it.

Scorpion · 07-29-2001, 05:55 PM

I say look at it as one year you lived where you could have been dead. At least for me, that's true. I broke my neck surfing and I wasn't breathing when they pulled me out. You can be happy (without pills in my case), but that doesn't mean the pain of missing your life before SCI goes away. It just means it gets easier with time. I'm generally a happy, upbeat person as long as I don't focus on what I can't do. My personal feeling is, forget 'happy pills.' Focus on what you still have that makes you happy.

~Rus

Wise Young · 07-30-2001, 12:17 AM

This is why we have to beat this thing, not only so that the people who are injured now don't have to look forward to more years of loss but so that all people in the future do not go through this. We can and therefore we must. Wise.o

Scorpion · 07-30-2001, 01:31 AM

Well said, Wise! While part of me has a hard time believing I'll see much of a 'cure' in my lifetime, another part of me believes it can happen, and I'll be hitting the waves again, in some manner--maybe not exactly like before--in the future. But paralysis die to SCI needs to be abolished so the kids of today don't have to live a life like this simply because they landed wrong doing something they loved. Hopefully, some of us 'chronics' will benefit too!

~Rus

smokey · 07-30-2001, 11:12 AM

Hey Birde, Voyeur guy here, I been injured 24 years, half my life now. Fear not, it got easier for me as time went on, but it all depends on your brain NOT your body. Life can suck in OR out of a wheelchair, it is a mental thing 100%. You know there is always another bump in the road whether you are paralyzed or not, there are good times ahead also.

[This message was edited by smokey on July 30, 2001 at 02:26 PM.]

racinsc · 07-30-2001, 02:10 PM

hi birdie i see you are from wisconsin what part.i live in door county wisconsin.i have been in my chair 9 years now i was a truck driver before seen all of the united states from my rig but i really didnt look at people or places very close back then .now i enjoy life more than ever god let me live so i could enjoy my grand kids take camping trips go to badger football games and alot more life is so short dont let it pass you by.that is not to say i dont wake up some days an cry because i do that is part of life god lets me greive my loss of of my legs an arms but he gives me the stength to look for the sun shine also.so if you would ever want to talk to someone just let me know ok.

Shaun · 07-30-2001, 03:28 PM

Im just a few days short of my third year,and i find it's just another day.I dont think about it nobody mentions it,i would like to forget aug 4 98 altogether without a dought the worst day of my life..
.........\/PEACE
~Shaun~

Max · 07-30-2001, 03:33 PM

Hey Birdie,

you are still sophomore

Im six years post...July 28 was aniversary

The best of the best in our club

Take it easy...But take it!!!

Max

max bench · 07-30-2001, 04:50 PM

I will be coming up on my 4th in September,,, it is begining to become just like my wedding anniversay and other dates I am suppose to remember, if somebody doesn't remind me I forget.

At least I don't get in trouble for forgeting my injury anniversary.

07-29-2001, 10:10 AM	#1
Birde Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 131	TODAY IS THE DAY.... As far as anniversaries go this one is not worth celebrating - let alone remembering! Not like anyone has sent a card like most anniversaries, no one has even said anything-probably for the best, I might start to blubber uncontrolably! Yeappers, today is the day.... ONE YEAR! In reality, it seems no differant than any other day since the accident. Same sh*t. Am I sadder today than most days? I guess, if I stop to think about it, but I try not to think about that too much. That chapter of my life. Let me just ask you guys, does it ever get easier? Are you ever REALLY able to be happy, I mean REALLY HAPPY again? Oh, sure, I am happy about little stuff, I laugh once in a while, but deep down to my real exsistance, I am SAD, all the time. Is it just me? CRIPES!! I take "happy pills", but they don't bring back that zest for life I once had. I think it was lost the night of the accident...perhaps it was located in the lower part of the my body and it was paralyzed too! Ya think?!! I think that is what happened, paralyzed hopes and dreams and happiness as well as legs. HMMM, I may be on to something. Oh well life goes on, just thought I would let ya know that I have hit the one year mark today. I can now say I am 1 year post! [This message was edited by Birde on July 29, 2001 at 01:21 PM.]

07-29-2001, 10:59 AM	#2
Curt Leatherbee Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 9,326	Birde I would say it does get easier. You get to point after a few years where it becomes more like second nature, you are also less consumed with always thinking about what happened as time passes by. You will also find many new interests and ways of doing things you never thought possible with being Disabled. One thing I find useful, is I try and get out of the Wheelchair wherever possible. When I watch TV I transfer out of the Chair onto the couch, when I go to the beach, I throw a large towel down and lay down on the beach. Riding a hand cycle is great because it gets you out of the chair. Lifting weights is good because I jump around out of the chair to the individual machines and hop on the floor to the mats to stretch. For Quads, I would suggest having someone lift them out of the chair when Possible. Nothing like having a picnic and sitting on the ground on a blanket rather than in the wheelchair. If need be, put you're cushion down first and sit on that, I just sit on the ground and move around a lot, have not had any problems. There is still a lot of stuff for you to do out there that is still enjoyable, its just a question of being open to it.

07-30-2001, 12:17 AM	#4
Wise Young Administrator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: New Brunswick, NJ, USA Posts: 37,975	Birde This is why we have to beat this thing, not only so that the people who are injured now don't have to look forward to more years of loss but so that all people in the future do not go through this. We can and therefore we must. Wise.o

07-30-2001, 11:12 AM	#6
smokey Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 1,865	It's "voyeur guy" Hey Birde, Voyeur guy here, I been injured 24 years, half my life now. Fear not, it got easier for me as time went on, but it all depends on your brain NOT your body. Life can suck in OR out of a wheelchair, it is a mental thing 100%. You know there is always another bump in the road whether you are paralyzed or not, there are good times ahead also. [This message was edited by smokey on July 30, 2001 at 02:26 PM.]

07-30-2001, 02:10 PM	#7
racinsc Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: brussels,wi Posts: 1	smile hi birdie i see you are from wisconsin what part.i live in door county wisconsin.i have been in my chair 9 years now i was a truck driver before seen all of the united states from my rig but i really didnt look at people or places very close back then .now i enjoy life more than ever god let me live so i could enjoy my grand kids take camping trips go to badger football games and alot more life is so short dont let it pass you by.that is not to say i dont wake up some days an cry because i do that is part of life god lets me greive my loss of of my legs an arms but he gives me the stength to look for the sun shine also.so if you would ever want to talk to someone just let me know ok.

07-29-2001, 05:55 PM	#3
Scorpion Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 5,598	I say look at it as one year you lived where you could have been dead. At least for me, that's true. I broke my neck surfing and I wasn't breathing when they pulled me out. You can be happy (without pills in my case), but that doesn't mean the pain of missing your life before SCI goes away. It just means it gets easier with time. I'm generally a happy, upbeat person as long as I don't focus on what I can't do. My personal feeling is, forget 'happy pills.' Focus on what you still have that makes you happy. ~Rus

07-30-2001, 01:31 AM	#5
Scorpion Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 5,598	Well said, Wise! While part of me has a hard time believing I'll see much of a 'cure' in my lifetime, another part of me believes it can happen, and I'll be hitting the waves again, in some manner--maybe not exactly like before--in the future. But paralysis die to SCI needs to be abolished so the kids of today don't have to live a life like this simply because they landed wrong doing something they loved. Hopefully, some of us 'chronics' will benefit too! ~Rus

07-30-2001, 03:28 PM	#8
Shaun Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Canada Posts: 7,790	Im just a few days short of my third year,and i find it's just another day.I dont think about it nobody mentions it,i would like to forget aug 4 98 altogether without a dought the worst day of my life.. .........\/PEACE ~Shaun~

07-30-2001, 03:33 PM	#9
Max Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Montreal,Province of Quebec, CANADA Posts: 15,036	Hey Birdie, you are still sophomore Im six years post...July 28 was aniversary The best of the best in our club Take it easy...But take it!!! Max

07-30-2001, 04:50 PM	#10
max bench Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Meridian, TX. USA Posts: 23	Anniversaries I will be coming up on my 4th in September,,, it is begining to become just like my wedding anniversay and other dates I am suppose to remember, if somebody doesn't remind me I forget. At least I don't get in trouble for forgeting my injury anniversary.

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