Excellent The fourth in a series High Speed, High Impact Part 4 by dejohnsrld (Debbie)

High Speed, High Impact Part 4 In Part 1: I told about events that preceded my accident in which I was hit head-on by a semi. In Part 2: I described the first six weeks after my accident when I had five surgeries to my femur (upper leg bone) and had also developed a bone infection. I was released and taught how to use IV antibiotics at home. . In Part 3: Describes the next year and a half of repeated surgeries and trying to get rid of the infection. Part 4: How did I get from where I was to where I am today? After two years of having surgery after unsuccessful surgery, I was so weak that it was a major undertaking to open a can of soup and heat it up. It took about two years for my strength to return to normal. I still fall ill more often than I used to and I take longer to heal. After all of the stress my body underwent, I developed Fibromyalgia and have pain from that as well as post amputation pain. The best therapy I have found is not get too tired but to keep as busy as I can as that takes my mind off of the pain. I tried using a prosthetic (artificial) leg, but it had been so long since I had walked that my balance was impaired and I was having so many falls, that it was not safe to continue. I did give it a determined try for a year and a half. Getting used to not having enough money was hard. I got my first disability check seventeen months after my accident and one day before foreclosure papers were to be filed on my mortgage. I still only get about one fourth of what I had been earning. I have learned to do without many things I used to think were essential. Not being able to work was difficult. I had worked since I was sixteen and had worked very hard to put myself through college. Once I was no longer able to work, I started volunteering at an Adult Daycare Center two days a week, and thus feel like I do make a difference. After my surgeries ended I had a lot of anger and resentment over being disabled. I went through all the stages of grief. As I slowly worked through all of the problems I encountered, the anger and resentment lessened. I also found a support group for people with disabilities which has been a tremendous help. Probably the hardest change was to develop a routine in my life after being so sick. I had completely lost any type of stability. It didn't matter when I slept, when I ate, when or if I got dressed. The only thing I actually needed to do was to take care of my beagle. It took a long time to get a routine back, but at this point I go somewhere each day of the week. Being around others is the best medicine of all. When I was sick I would go for days without seeing another person and spend week after week never getting out of the house. Some comments on my life now: I'm usually pretty happy and if not I am happy, I am content. This is never what I planned my life to be like but there are some good things about it. I have time for crafts, hobbies, reading, and writing. I am so much more empathetic. I understand a lot more about others after having gone through what I have. I try to focus on gratitude, what I do have, rather than what I don't have. Every day is a new day and a new adventure. I've developed a spiritual life that I didn't have before.

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