What a difference five years makes

[FightingIrish]

Five years ago this month my son was beaten, robbed and left for dead in San Francisco. Because of a severe spinal cord injury, the doctors and therapists said this former soccer star would never walk again. He spent two years in a wheelchair learning that your identity is often defined by your visible disabilities. After years of therapy, he progressed to a walker, then crutches and finally to walking on his own. He often returns to the spinal cord rehab center where was treated just to let young patients know that, for many of them, the limits of their recovery is not what their doctors tell them it is.

He called last night and told us that he had climbed Cone Peak in the Los Padres National Forest. That mountain, the highest coastal peak in the lower 48, is not what people think of when they talk about mountain climbing, but for our son it may as well have been Everest or K2. He said it was tough but my guess is that this won’t be the last summit he reaches.

[omega minimo]

1. What a difference an inspiring story makes

:toast: :applause:

[calimary]

16. Now there's a hero!

:patriot:

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story - and triumph!

[InfiniteThoughts]

39. +1

Your son is an every day hero

[Number23]

18. Could not agree more. This site is festering is so much bullshit right now it's oozing

out of my damn speakers.

The occasional uplifting story is going to be the only thing to get DU out of this pissy, stupid mood it's been in for the past few days. Happy to rec this one.

[omega minimo]

54. Well, come on by, Number23

:hug: how is .463756 doing?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6763024

[liberal N proud]

2. Incredible

You must be proud

[Glorfindel]

3. Fantastic - thank you for sharing this story

Your son is an inspiration! :hi:

[AllentownJake]

4. K&R

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

5. truly awesome.

Thanks for sharing that.

[lumberjack_jeff]

6. Outstanding. Thank you for sharing. n/t

[bigwillq]

7. Wow. Amazing!

:bounce:

Thanks for sharing.

[raccoon]

8. That's great he's come so far. Recd. nt

[TuxedoKat]

9. Wow!!!

What an inspiring story -- you must undoubtedly be so proud of your son. Thank you for sharing.

[Leftist Agitator]

10. Did the cops ever catch the piece of shit who did this to him?

[FightingIrish]

13. They didn't make much of an effort.

They didn't follow up on some solid leads. We were told that the people they suspected were "untouchable". Five years later, the likely assailant is rotting in a jail cell awaiting trial on a murder charge. There is some justice.

[renate]

11. what wonderful news!

I can't imagine the pain and despair you must all have felt after an attack like that. It would have broken my heart for my child to be hurt like that and I'm sure it broke yours, too. What a brave and determined man he is. I'm SO glad that he's recovered so beautifully.

:hug: to you and your family.

[K8-EEE]

12. Hurray for you and your son

Thanks for the uplifting story!

[asdjrocky]

14. What a long hard road your family has been on.

You deserve everything good that may come your way.

[blm]

15. Salute to your son and his family - recovery like that cannot be done alone.

.

[Stargazer09]

17. Thank you for sharing your son's victory with us!

I loved reading about it, and I'm so glad your son is doing so well now.

:patriot:

[TygrBright]

19. Thank you for sharing. This reminds me of a close friend...

...a guy I think of as the brother I never had. Five years ago he was in a bad auto accident and went head-first through the windshield. Traumatic brain injury.

First: He'll never wake up from his coma.

Then: He'll never speak again.

Then: He'll never breathe on his own, or eat again.

Then: He'll never regain control of his movements.

Then: He'll never get enough memory back to function normally.

Then: He'll never be able to work as a gemstone artist and stone cutter again.

Then: He'll never live independently again.

Today he is living on his own, cutting stones, has recovered most of his memory (still has lacunae and short/intermediate term memory problems sometimes,) communicates regularly with friends and family, and is re-discovering a world of music and words and beauty with wonder and joy.

I am in awe of the resilience of the human spirit.

mazel tov to your son...

amazedly,
Bright

[SeattleGirl]

20. What a fantastic story!

I am so very glad that your son has recovered so well, and was able to make that climb!

A friend of mine's father was in a horrible motorcycle accident 3 weeks ago. They said he was brain dead, and asked his wife to consider "pulling the plug." He already had a Do Not Resusitate order.

Well, my friend said, no, I want someone else to look at him, so another neurologist was brought in, and this one said, he is NOT brain dead. He has a severe head trauma, but he has brain function. He was essentially in a coma for awhile, then gradually started coming out of it. Saturday, my friend went to see her dad, and he was able to walk about 10 feet on his own. He has a lot of therapy ahead of him, and he still has a lot of problems, but going from "he's brain dead" to walking in 3 weeks is amazing and wonderful.

You or someone speaking for you, has to be able to speak up and ask for another opinion. That second opinion might be the same as the first, but I think the body can do "miraculous" things sometimes.

Again, that is fantastic news about your son. May he climb many more peaks!

[FightingIrish]

31. When our son was injured they were looking at a pretty limited surgical procedure

They implanted pedical screws from the rear connecting the vertebrae above and below the damaged one. They said that for someone who wouldn't be walking again that was all that was needed. He started moving toes on one foot. Because of that, the neurosurgeon in charge decided to go for what he called the "definitive procedure", installing a titanium cage that would carry the weight for the damaged vertebra. We sat in the surgery waiting room watching John Kerry's election defeat while our son was undergoing the most critical of his five surgeries.

When he was in the spinal cord unit, the nursing staff had decided that he would never be capable of controlling his bodily functions. An angel from the brain trauma unit on the floor above was filling in one night. She thought otherwise and his catheter was pulled. That was one of many leaps of faith that got him to where he is today.

He enrolled for spring quarter from his hospital bed and went back to school before anyone thought he was ready. My wife and I hid behind a tree in a rain storm to watch him wheel himself to his first class. In December he will graduate with a degree in physics.

[FirstLight]

50. that is so awesome!

Back in school and now graduating...He sounds like a real Fighting Irish two! ;) What a go getter...and smart too? ...so how old is he and is he single?

[FightingIrish]

53. He's 23 and single.

He would have graduated last spring but he changed majors from engineering to physics. Now he wants to teach.

[FirstLight]

55. a few years too young for the likes of THIS old broad...

...and I bet he is too focused to be distracted by those 'silly' girl types...lol...He'll no doubt bring home a smart one! ;)

[handmade34]

21. your (son's) story is delightful

...a wonderful progression of support and hard work. As a mother, a hiker and a mother of hikers, I applaud your son.

[MissDeeds]

22. Thanks for sharing this remarkable story with us

What a strong, determined young man he is!

[horseshoecrab]

23. A lot of people needed to read this today...

and I'm one of them.

Thank you for posting this inspiring story. Thank you and your incredibly brave and persistent son so much.

:hug:

horseshoecrab

[Mira]

24. An inspiration and cause for neverending gratitude. What an ordeal

to come through and triumph.
How wonderful..K&R

[defendandprotect]

25. Good news and best wishes to you all!!!

[Martin Eden]

26. Joyful News ....

... is an Elixer. Thank you for sharing, and as an avid hiker/backpacker myself I wish your son Happy Trails:bounce:

[grantcart]

27. Thank you for sharing this good news

[skygazer]

28. I'm so glad to hear of your son's recovery

And how cool that he climbed Cone! My husband and I camp every year in the Los Padres, in that general area - we got married there, as a matter of fact.

Your son sounds like a pretty amazing person.

[BrklynLiberal]

29. You must be justifiably proud and happy.

Great for you and your son!!!

[Stuart G]

30. Thank you for sharing this story.

[Gamey]

32. That makes it the 2nd mountain he has climbed!

Thanks for sharing.

[Brigid]

33. Bravo!

Apparently he should be the one called "Fighting Irish." :)

[billh58]

34. What a welcome

and inspiring story. Thanks for posting this, and all the best to your very special son.

[midnight]

35. Boy what a story... What a heart warming story....

So happy to hear that your son is walking again, and climbing mountains.

[AllyCat]

36. Thank you! What a wonderful story to share with us.

So glad to hear of your son's strength and continued success at defeating SCI and those who tried to define him.

[nvme]

37. Thanks so much

I sometimes find myself so worn down by the vitriol thats swirls around during most of the discourse I encounter. Your story is a breath in a suffocating environment.

[Blue_In_AK]

38. Your son sounds very brave.

You've raised him well.

[nadinbrzezinski]

40. Good for your son

and also a lot of that recovering depends on the first 24 hours of care.

He got good care, I can tell. Oh and he also got the kind of spirit that also goes against any average recovery. (Which is what doctors base their ideas many a times)

[ClayZ]

41. Yay!

K and R

[ljm2002]

42. Wonderful story...

...thanks for sharing it with us. It is good to remember that doctors aren't infallible, and also that the human body and spirit can be amazingly resilient, as evidenced by your son's story.

And good on him, too, for sharing his story with others in the spinal cord rehab center. He sounds like a wonderful person and you must be both grateful and proud.

[DFW]

43. When I first heard of DU

It must have been 3 or 4 years ago. I used to see a lot of posts end with "ngu." I didn't know
what it meant, and when I asked, I was told it meant "never give up."

I never see it any more, but it's good to hear that some people haven't forgotten to keep it as
a guiding motto.

[Fumesucker]

44. Glad to hear that..

Congratulations to your son.

:grouphug:

[lillypaddle]

45. Your son is a real hero

how wonderful.

[swilton]

46. Your Son Is a Real Hero

:applause:

[NJCher]

47. I was reading a book last night

That concluded that how our reality is constructed depends on how we see the world. This story sounds like your son had his own vision of how he was going to recover. He prevailed, not the "vision" of others.

Wonderful story; thank you for posting it.


Cher

[FirstLight]

48. Right on!

Hell Yeah, and W0oT!

Thanks for sharing his inspiration.
I am sure he is more than just a wonderful story, but a good human being as well, so thank him for me, will ya?

I needed this today, it's been a rough week already - you reminded me not only that others climb bigger things than me every day & I am not so bad myself for climbing my own mountains.

Onward & Upward! ;)
:grouphug:

(ps, wouldn't it be nice if we humans could all be more positive & caring, more often?...ya, I know, dream on ...)

[kentuck]

49. Very inspiring!

k & r

[madmom]

51. Congratulations to your son and his achievements. Truly inspiring : )

[Arugula Latte]

52. That's incredible!

Having a spinal cord injury is one of my biggest fears (being paralyzed, etc.) It's wonderful to hear about people overcoming major injuries. :toast:

[malaise]

56. How inspiring

Hug him for me - that took guts and determination. :grouphug: