| The following article was written by David and published in "A
Positive Approach," a magazine for disabled persons and their families. Jan.
1990.
|
 |
|
I am a quadriplegic. I have
muscular dystrophy. In February 1984, I suffered a respiratory arrest. I had
just completed a tough semester and was starting another. This period was very
difficult because it seemed as though, no matter how much sleep I got at night;
I was exhausted every morning. Apparently, the arrest was coming on for a
month, but I wasn't aware of how serious the sleepiness was.
One day, my mom decided to let me sleep in because I was so tired; she planned
to do some shopping while my grandmother stayed with me. Mom told me later that
just as she was closing the door, she had a feeling that something was not
quite right with me. My mom discovered me. I was blue and barely breathing so
she pushed the Medic-Alert box. The paramedics arrived about ten minutes later;
they intubated me and rushed me to the hospital.
A day or two later, I woke up. The first thing I noticed was a room full of
balloons and my family all around the bed. It was a strange but reassuring
sight. I was wondering what was I doing here and why I couldn't talk. My mouth
was incredibly dry and my nose and throat were sore from being intubated. I
became painfully aware of the importance of speech when I wasn't able to
communicate even the simplest of needs. I remained optimistic. After all, how
long could this last?
Next Page >>
|