The Beginning

Ok, to start this off I figured I'd tell "My story" so everyone would understand a few things about me.

When I was growing up my family moved to 4ish diffrent cities so I never really got the chance to establish the childhood friends most people had. This ment i spet alot of time with my brother, as my sister was still to young to hang around with us. Being bohemians at heart, we didn't spend alot of time indoors. Our days consisted of going outside at 8a.m., riding our bikes until we found trouble to get into, then showing up at dark covered in dirt. With my dad pushing the both of us, we also became very active in sports, which eventually overran our world. When we finally settled down in El Campo, I was involved in Baseball, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Track, Swimming and of course using any spare time i had to hit the weightroom. The point is my life was sports.

 July 29, 2006- a life changing day.

As the summer was quickly coming to a end, I was staying at a friends house trying to get all the fun out of it we could. That morning we woke up to a game of basketball and proceeded to just jack around. Then around lunch we decided to pass time with our new found thrill, Jumping from a trampoline into an above-ground swimming pool.(I know what your thinking, "how stupid can they get." believe me, i think the exact same thing) It was my turn to see who can jump farthest across the pool.

Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. Jump. My eyes open. I can't swim. What's wrong? Why can't i swim?  Will someone save me? Will I die? I scream help, but wait im under water, noone can hear me. Think, TK, think what to do. Suddenly I was pulled out of the pool and on the deck by my two friends. They ask whats wrong and I have no answer. One runs for help, while the other holds my head still. Then my mind takes over. Whats wrong with me? Everything fades out. I see water sprinkling through the trees and tears rolling out of my eyes. I stare and wonder what life hold for me. I fade back in. Dad is here. He asks me "can you lift your foot out of the water?" My answer changes their facial expressions "my foots in the water?" The EMT arrives and they put me on the strecher and carry me to the ambulance. Once the needle went in and the morphine flew through me, my memorys gone.

The diagnosis- C5 complete Quadriplegic

This is me medically. There are 7 bones in your neck C1-7. 1 being the closest to your head and 7 closest to your back. C5 is where my break was. Complete- Complete means thats its pretty much the same as it's been since day one. Quadriplegic means there is an impairment in 4 of my limbs.

When most people hear "paralyzed" they automatically assume oh they just can't move thier legs. This may be true for some, but is completely wrong for others. I can't move my legs, have no muscles in my trunk for balance, it even goes as far up as not being able to use the backside of my arms and my hands at all.

The point-

The idea behind me posting all of this is not to get your sympathy or make you feel sorry for me. It's for you to understand me in a better way. Also, sorry if "my story" was a bit graphic but I've never shared it in its entirety and well everyone asks so, there you go. I hope you've learned something about me and if you have any further questions FB me.  :)