[working_woman1966]

My Husband and I were off to a great start we had formed a buisiness and enoyed success with it and bought a nice home in the burbs complete with a shop for him to store and restore cars in as that was his main hobby he and I enjoyed traveling around to car shows and we rode bikes and jogged and many other things together. Then one morning in october 2004 we were headed out for a bike ride. As we were exiting our driveway he somehow lost control of his bycycle on some rocks and he fell into the ditch landing on his head sideways. He was concious but could not move at all I raced to call the paramedics I didnt have time to think that his neck had been broken. Not too long later the dr told me his neck had been comepletly severed at C4 his neck was pinned together in surgery and they told me that his break was severe and that he was paralyzed from the neck down for the rest of his life I was in tears. They informed us then that he would be liveing a much different life. He would never again drive a car or even feed himself. He was in halo traction and was weened off the ventilator and then out of halo traction. Then he went to a rehab clinic 2 hours away so he could be trained to use a wheelchair and I could get some care training as well as other issues. He was wearing a soft cervial collar now They told me most C4 quadriplegics could use their chin and head movements to maneuver a chair but his neck would never be quite strong enough or enough muscle movement so they set him up with a sipp puff operated chair. The ultimate outcome is he has no movement below the lower neck and lost all sensation and movement of his arms and hands with no chance of regaining any movement. Several weeks later I got him back home A nurse come by twice a day to help with his care. For 3 months he didnt want to leave the house and was uncompfortable to be seen by any friends or family and the fact that he could never again do the things he enjoyed so much. He said he looked so helpless by being in a wheelchair that he can only control by blowing into a tube. I finally told him that we couln't keep liveing like this and that he would have to face the world sooner or later. It made it hard on me as I had to have someone come in to stay with him whenever I wanted to go anywhere. We got him on some depression and anxiety medication and things begain to turn around. We went out several times a week and his spirits picked up alot. A few months later we had an auction to sell our home and his car collection it was hard for him but we both new we couldnt do anything with them anymore and we needed to put the money into a better equiped home. We moved back to the city to an easier location to get to and from the office. He has learned to use a voice activated computer and is now back at work in our office. We have our good and bad days and always will. Life goes on.

[mr.mansview]

sounds like life has been rough the last 3 years, but love and strength in each other can accomplish much..good for you on insisting that he needs to get out of the house, it was obviously exactly what he needed..good luck on your future..(p.s. there are many amazing women on this site who give very sensible and caring advice, certaining much better than i could..if you have any problems or questions don't hesitate to ask..) welcome

[working_woman1966]

Thanks!!! Yes looks like many great members here.

[Little]

Kudos for standing by him. It takes real strength, and strength of love, to get through hard times like that. It sounds like you have everything under control. You should be quite proud of yourself, as he should be proud of himself.

[working_woman1966]

Kudos for standing by him. It takes real strength, and strength of love, to get through hard times like that. It sounds like you have everything under control. You should be quite proud of yourself, as he should be proud of himself.

Thanks!! Yes he is a much different person now and his sense of humor has returned. Of course he has to stay in the office all day unless I take him out so he does most of the computer work. Sometimes me and the woman that works with us tease him and tell him thats what he gets for all those times he run off and left us with all the office work

[sourpuss]

You are an angel.

[Gia]

Dear Working Woman 1966,

You and your husband should be commended for all of the progress you have both accomplished as a result from his accident. Your approach towards Life is very optomistic. If I were in your shoes, I would probably contact the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for more resources, such as exercise and travel programs for your husband as well as new scientific, medical and surgical breakthroughs for his challenges. I am a research scientist. I read and observe many medical breakthroughs from time to time in my area of research (cancer and Pharmaceutical research).

Good Luck and G-D Bless!

[working_woman1966]

Thanks for all the kind words guys!! Yes I have looked at that site and its great. One thing that we both get comfort from is that there are worse things out there a person can go through. That sheds a different light on it and is a help.

[LoverofSEX]

This is truly "In sickness and in health til death do us part" I admire you and all the care givers like those special partes with the handicapped kids, this is "Sacrificial love"