No pain, no gain.
I have been saved from a lot in my life; I’ve been saved in more ways than one. No one enjoys pain and suffering, but is it possible that something truly great come from a horrible experience? Is it an achievable feat, or is the idea just a mechanism to help an individual recover from a traumatic experience? At one point in time, I was a cynic and never believed in hope and aspirations. I have been challenged with obstacles in my life that at the time seemed as if they were the absolute end of my life. I have overcome these obstacles with a sense of achievement and understanding that what I had experienced were all a part of chapters to a book of my life. In as much as we claim that the next person’s life is better than ours for whatever reason, as humans, none are exempt from challenging periods in our lives. I used to live a life being doubtful about my own abilities. I used to believe in giving up when the challenges became all too overwhelming. Now, I understand what it takes to recognize that these obstacles are truly meant to build my character.
Sometimes we are encountered with difficulties that require extensive amounts of support and help. For instance, during my recovery after a very bad motorcycle accident I had while I was active duty living in Spain, I found it to be a challenge to perform the simplest of duties. I was working weekends at the time. A friend had invited me to go riding with him on a pair of massively powerful Yamaha dirt bikes. It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon on January 17, 2005. As we were making our way to our destination, I for some reason, lost control of the motorcycle and rammed into the back of a parked vehicle on the side of the road. As I lay on my side on the ground behind that vehicle, I peered down towards my right leg in an entirely dazed state of mind. As a purely instinctive reaction, I attempted to lift my right leg in hopes to get myself up off of the ground. As I lifted my right leg vertically, my right foot instantaneously made a one hundred and eighty degree rotation the opposite direction of the normal position. My left wrist as skinny as they naturally are, had swollen up to the size of a large grapefruit. I immediately began to experience my body going into shock, which is an indescribable feeling. That accident left me unable to walk, even with the attempt to use crutches. My right ankle had a grueling and painful compound fracture. My left wrist was shattered into tiny fragments of bone that was after a few surgeries left in a contraption that looked like something from a Frankenstein movie. The injuries on opposing sides of my extremities left me truly immobile. I couldn’t use crutches to move around because of my left wrist being so badly damaged and my right leg being in a cast. I had never been on an operating table before. By the time I left the hospital I had undergone five different surgeries, I was left in complete utter desperation for help. The medication that I was receiving was a concoction of everything from antibiotics, anticoagulants, pain medication and the ever so soothing catheter that was the highlight of my entire stay. I knew that I had to keep exercising my body and mind. I would make it a point that to have the nurses wheel me out to the courtyard for some sun and fresh air; I was not giving up.
My home in Spain had marble floors that made the house 10 degrees colder. It was an icebox and at times would leave me shivering from the cold. My house was two stories, which made it all the more difficult to sleep upstairs in my bed. I slept on the couch for the first week or so when finally, I couldn’t tolerate it any longer. The drive to get into my bed for some better rest left me with the only option of climbing the stairs on my behind, very painfully, and very slowly, one stair at a time. I wanted to be saved from this horrible nightmare. I wanted to wake up from the reality.. My recovery was very slow and the pain medication made me nauseous and moody.
After three months of being absent from my duties in the U.S. Navy, I returned back to my work. It was not a pleasant return though. The tasks I was expected to perform were no longer performed with ease because of the pain in my ankle and wrist. I was put on limited duty, which in the military is and can be abused by some personnel as if they are taking advantage of their lack of required performance. That also took a toll on my self-esteem and over all morale. The psychological effects took control as well. I began to worry about being medically discharged and how would I provide for my family. I was worried and suffered from an emotional pain that at times was almost impossible to shake.
Almost a year after my accident, I was stationed at a military confinement facility for Air Force, Navy/Marine and Army prisoners. The charges against the prisoners ranged from rape to violent assaults, to theft and fraud. I was assigned to a wood working shop which I knew nothing about. Routers, jointers, miter saws, dove tails, I was completely clueless, but, I learned and with a passion! My experience with some (if not all) of the prisoners was that there was and is hope. The men I met and worked along side of were and inspiration to me. Some of them had made some stupid mistakes and well…..just got caught. Some prisoners were incarcerated for doing what they were told by their superiors and where used as scapegoats.
I have recognized in life that we are challenged at times with some of the most difficult situations. When you are forced to confront a troublesome situation head on, it may seem to be the easier option to give up. I use to believe that. I have learned that when we make choices, they all have repercussions and we are accountable for them/. My positive attitude towards life grew stronger since my accident. I have never felt better spiritually and physically despite my frequent reminder of pain of my ankle.
Even with that pain there everyday, I never take my health for granted. Although this major change in my life has caused major disruptions, it has become a sense of freedom and most importantly, my driving motivation in all that I do.
Sometimes we are encountered with difficulties that require extensive amounts of support and help. For instance, during my recovery after a very bad motorcycle accident I had while I was active duty living in Spain, I found it to be a challenge to perform the simplest of duties. I was working weekends at the time. A friend had invited me to go riding with him on a pair of massively powerful Yamaha dirt bikes. It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon on January 17, 2005. As we were making our way to our destination, I for some reason, lost control of the motorcycle and rammed into the back of a parked vehicle on the side of the road. As I lay on my side on the ground behind that vehicle, I peered down towards my right leg in an entirely dazed state of mind. As a purely instinctive reaction, I attempted to lift my right leg in hopes to get myself up off of the ground. As I lifted my right leg vertically, my right foot instantaneously made a one hundred and eighty degree rotation the opposite direction of the normal position. My left wrist as skinny as they naturally are, had swollen up to the size of a large grapefruit. I immediately began to experience my body going into shock, which is an indescribable feeling. That accident left me unable to walk, even with the attempt to use crutches. My right ankle had a grueling and painful compound fracture. My left wrist was shattered into tiny fragments of bone that was after a few surgeries left in a contraption that looked like something from a Frankenstein movie. The injuries on opposing sides of my extremities left me truly immobile. I couldn’t use crutches to move around because of my left wrist being so badly damaged and my right leg being in a cast. I had never been on an operating table before. By the time I left the hospital I had undergone five different surgeries, I was left in complete utter desperation for help. The medication that I was receiving was a concoction of everything from antibiotics, anticoagulants, pain medication and the ever so soothing catheter that was the highlight of my entire stay. I knew that I had to keep exercising my body and mind. I would make it a point that to have the nurses wheel me out to the courtyard for some sun and fresh air; I was not giving up.
My home in Spain had marble floors that made the house 10 degrees colder. It was an icebox and at times would leave me shivering from the cold. My house was two stories, which made it all the more difficult to sleep upstairs in my bed. I slept on the couch for the first week or so when finally, I couldn’t tolerate it any longer. The drive to get into my bed for some better rest left me with the only option of climbing the stairs on my behind, very painfully, and very slowly, one stair at a time. I wanted to be saved from this horrible nightmare. I wanted to wake up from the reality.. My recovery was very slow and the pain medication made me nauseous and moody.
After three months of being absent from my duties in the U.S. Navy, I returned back to my work. It was not a pleasant return though. The tasks I was expected to perform were no longer performed with ease because of the pain in my ankle and wrist. I was put on limited duty, which in the military is and can be abused by some personnel as if they are taking advantage of their lack of required performance. That also took a toll on my self-esteem and over all morale. The psychological effects took control as well. I began to worry about being medically discharged and how would I provide for my family. I was worried and suffered from an emotional pain that at times was almost impossible to shake.
Almost a year after my accident, I was stationed at a military confinement facility for Air Force, Navy/Marine and Army prisoners. The charges against the prisoners ranged from rape to violent assaults, to theft and fraud. I was assigned to a wood working shop which I knew nothing about. Routers, jointers, miter saws, dove tails, I was completely clueless, but, I learned and with a passion! My experience with some (if not all) of the prisoners was that there was and is hope. The men I met and worked along side of were and inspiration to me. Some of them had made some stupid mistakes and well…..just got caught. Some prisoners were incarcerated for doing what they were told by their superiors and where used as scapegoats.
I have recognized in life that we are challenged at times with some of the most difficult situations. When you are forced to confront a troublesome situation head on, it may seem to be the easier option to give up. I use to believe that. I have learned that when we make choices, they all have repercussions and we are accountable for them/. My positive attitude towards life grew stronger since my accident. I have never felt better spiritually and physically despite my frequent reminder of pain of my ankle.
Even with that pain there everyday, I never take my health for granted. Although this major change in my life has caused major disruptions, it has become a sense of freedom and most importantly, my driving motivation in all that I do.