Fisiolucion
Cuahutemoc 325 38047 Celaya, Guanajuato, Mexico

I’ve struggled with the idea of posting this for a while now because I’ve wanted to keep my injury and recovery process private. Truth be told, I still do. Howe...ver, I’ve learned over the last few months that an incredible amount of people have donated, prayed, visited, asked how I’m doing, and simply followed along with me. So, because of that, I’ve decided to share a little of my story. A friend and I were driving home to Baton Rouge from Lafayette when our car crashed on the interstate. I woke up in the hospital, unable to move and communicating only by blinking my right eye. My family was told that I would be a quadriplegic whose quality of life would be grim at the very best. Soon after, I wiggled a toe and the prognosis looked a little brighter. A few incredible doctors, lengthy surgeries, and 210 staples later, I was headed to my fourth and final hospital for intense inpatient rehab. The Touro Infirmary was where all of the haziness of the hardcore medication I was on started to wear off. When I finally began to think clearly, I realized the full extent of my injuries and reality set in. 2 broken legs, 1 incredibly messed up (the word I want to use is not appropriate) knee, 4 broken ribs, 1 broken jaw/a few broken teeth, a lacerated liver, a cracked pelvis/broken tailbone, 3rd cranial nerve damage of the left eye, and Atlanto-occipital dislocation -meaning I was internally decapitated. What gave me the most trouble at first was my spinal cord injury, central cord syndrome. This meant that I lost all function in my body from the neck down, but would slowly gain it back. Function would come back starting with my feet, then it would work its way up the rest of my body. While still taking care of my hospital needs, the Touro team helped me start to get my life back. Because of the extent of my injuries, I worked with three different therapists to learn how to walk, bathe, and even swallow -being tube fed was exactly as fun as it sounds. All of the simple things we often take for granted I had to re-learn. I was the youngest patient on the SCI floor (by a lot), but my therapists still let me blare Fergie in the gym, no matter who was around. Although, I’m sure the older patients loved watching me learn how to walk again while strutting my stuff to London Bridge. I even made a few patient friends along the way (shoutout Mr. Alfred). I owe my life to my care team at Touro. Not only did they help me recover physically, but mentally as well. I almost never felt like a patient, but like a friend. Friends buy you coffee, get manicures with you, and sneak you pieces of pizza when no ones looking -so did my therapists (kept the secret until now, sorry Maggie )! My team at Touro made it easier to stay strong. While I was there, I learned that I was only the second person my neurosurgeon had seen survive this injury. And just a few weeks ago, my orthopedic surgeon said that she hadn’t before seen people with scans like mine make it. Does that make me bad ass? Nah. What makes me bad ass is that I didn’t simply survive my car accident, but that I never let it break me. When I first heard what happened, I immediately knew that this wasn’t anything I could not handle. That’s not to say that my story is all sunshine and rainbows, but I had this overwhelming feeling that I would be okay. And I am. After 3 months I got to go home, after 7 long months my halo brace was removed, and after 8 months I’ll finally have some answers about fixing my eye. I still go to physical and occupational therapy 3 days a week and will for a while. But I am finally feeling like myself again. Reality is that I should not have survived this accident and I definitely should not be making an almost full recovery. However, I’m not sure if my recovery would’ve come as quickly if I hadn’t been so determined. But that’s what happens when when you’re faced with a do or die situation. I now know why people let traumas like this defeat them, it’s perfectly understandable and easy to let that happen. But it’s just as easy to choose the opposite. You either sink or swim. Finally I’d like to say thank you. Given the high volume of well wishes I received, there is no way I could possibly thank everyone individually. Coincidentally this is a wonderful, wonderful problem to have. From the visits to the fundraisers to the cards and letters...I am truly at a loss for words. You find out who your friends are, right? PS. Feel free to share this so it reaches everyone who’s been following my story. Thank you!

Verdad absoluta y un poquito más!