Jeanne,

I would like to thank you for your support for " Bikers Accident Survivor Forum " and including such a moving story as is " Broken Wings ". This story Jeanne caused me hold every sense through out my mind and in my heart, very moving indeed.

Sister Jeanne, don't be a stranger here, our welcoming embrace will always be here for you....

With greatest respect

Garry Van Kirk

I saw so many familiarities in your story about your accident and your injuries, rehab etc in my husbands story. He bought a 1942 harley kr750 race back last year with the plans of racing in the vintage races. The 2nd time out on this bike, he got too high in a turn, ran out of turn & crashed over the top on the high side of the track. He landed face first (luckily he was wearing a race helmet) but as he landed on his face, it pushed his head backwards and damaged his C3-C7. It didn't sever the cord, but like you, it squished it. He was careflighted from the track to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Oh. His accident was Sept 27, 2006 (so it's been over a year now). On Oct 4, 2006 he had surgery to relieve the pressure from his spine. He had a laminectomy and his surgeon said he couldn't tell us how much (if any) of his functions would come back. Oh, get this, 2 days after his surgery, and while he was in ICU, they managed to drop him on his head while they were transferring him back to the bed from a stretcher chair!! Talk about mass hysteria! He was in their Rehab unit for 3 months and when he left the hospital Dec 20, 06, he could move one finger on his right hand. He has no control over his bladder or bowels, so he has a foley cath in. He has the same problem with the hypostatic problem and has had several autonomic dysreflexia episodes. It's strange how an accident like this can reverse illnesses that one has had all their lives. He's had high blood pressure for 40 years, now he has low blodd pressure! So, anyway, we were bringing him home before Christmas. So I had a lot of hustling around to get ready. I had to have the bathroom gutted to have a roll in shower put in for him (which he has never been able to use since he passes out & can't tolerate the shower chair), buy a ramp van (a $50K investment!), have a ramp built so we could get him in & out of our house and have a wall knocked out in 2 rooms. I quit my job that I had been for 18 years so I could stay home & take care of him. Fortunately, we are ok financially to be able to do that. He has sold a couple of his harleys since the accident, but they have decided to keep the kr750 and his buddy is going to take it to N Carolina in the spring to try to beat the land speed record. We have discussed putting a side car on his Street Glide, but no decision has been made on that yet. He has been able to stand up a couple of times (with a gait belt) and assistance - for about 5 minutes. He still has no use of his arms or hands. Like you, he requires someone to do everything for him, dress him, bathe him, feed him, scratch his nose! He has said that he can live with not being able to walk, so if he had to chose getting something back, he wants his hands, so at least he can do things for himself. His surgeon said it would be 18-24 months before we would know if that is all that he will get back. So we're just taking one day at a time and working hard in therapy. He still has a physical therapist & occupational therapist that comes to the house 4 times a week and he has 4 buddies that come help too. Good luck to you.