Hi everyone, I had a 34 yr anniversary in May. I understand how everyone feels.
I feel for all of us. Joan's positive attitude always picks me up and helps me
remember the good in all this. Thank you all for sharing and may the good days
be more frequent as we get older.
Best,
Shirley Bell
www.ShirleyBellDesigns.com
----- Original Message -----
From: lwillis...@yahoo.com
To: quad-list@eskimo.com
Sent: Monday, August 06, 2012 5:49 PM
Subject: Fwd: [QUAD-L] Injury Anniversary
Well said, Greg. I think your third paragraph reflects the feelings of many
of us. It certainly describes me. My head hit the sand 41 yrs. ago tomorrow.
The last ten years have been rough, and now my shoulders are wearing out with
nearly constant pain. I am 60 and hard-pressed to think about 70. But then I
thought that about 50 when I was 40. I do know that the days when I actually
feel good are not nearly as frequent as they used to be. It is very hard to be
optimistic. Anyway, one day at a time. Carpe diem.
Sent from my iPad
Begin forwarded message:
Resent-From: quad-list@eskimo.com
From: Greg <mongrelti...@gmail.com>
Date: August 6, 2012 12:18:39 PM EDT
To: quad-list@eskimo.com
Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] Injury Anniversary
On 11 August, I will have been permanently seated or horizontal for 25
years. In 1987 I was 23, and 11 August was on a Tuesday. I took off work
early that day to prepare for a party we were throwing at the house later that
evening. At the time I was married and we had just a year earlier bought a
home with a swimming pool. One of the girls my wife worked with was
leaving/moving the following day to pursue a job offer in another town, so we
had a get-together for her and her husband and invited everyone in the office
to our house for a cook-out/pool party the night before they were to leave. By
9:00 PM, most of the couples were leaving or had already left because most of
us had to be at work the next morning, but the couple we held the party for
stuck around. Someone suggested one last game of volleyball in the pool so I
climbed out to retrieve the ball, tossed it in, stepped to the edge and dove
back in. SPLASH! SNAP!! BUZZZZZZZZ....
The following year on 11 August, my best friend damn near killed himself
trying to drive his car through a hackberry tree. Since then, Steve and I
attempt to get together on the night of the 11th (or the following Fri. or Sat.
night), drink a few beers, reminisce about the old days and stay up too late
watching the Perseid meteor shower. I look forward to it every year.
But I still can't believe I have spent more than half my life in this
wheelchair. After the accident and learning that I probably would never walk
(among many other things) again, I never imagined living even five years in
this condition much less 25 years. Had I known then that I would live this
long, I would have chosen to end my life then and there were it an option.
Looking at it from this end of the 25 years, I'm glad I didn't know just how
long I would live. Ironically, 25 years later I find myself again thinking
that surely I won't live another 10 or 15 or 20 years. Later this fall, I will
be 49 and I don't look forward to or even want to think about being 59 or 64 or
69 in this condition. My health is still fairly good, relatively speaking, but
the last eight years have been spotted with minor to not-so-minor health issues
and I don't see that trend reversing or improving as I get older. We'll see.
Good luck on your anniversary, Don. You look great to be your age and to
have been injured so long ago.
Greg - c/5
Tennessee
From: Don Price <donpric...@yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 5 Aug 2012 19:02:50 -0700 (PDT)
To: quadlist<quad-list@eskimo.com>
ReplyTo: Don Price <donpric...@yahoo.com>
Subject: [QUAD-L] Injury Anniversary
Next week will mark the 30th anniversary of my spinal cord injury. I've
never really 'celebrated' or recognized the date each year--in fact, I had to
ask my parents what day it happened. I'm just curious how some of you
commemorate your accident date, or if you prefer to forget it.
I'm remembering mine because it's also my 30th high school reunion.
Don.
C5-6
Tempe, AZ
