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URGENT-
Hey everyone. I
need all you prayer warriors to add another of my buddies to your list.
Herbert Shaw Jr. My cabin mate from Camp Sunshine. He had surgery on
the 16th of December to remove tumors pressing on his spine. He had
relapsed previously. He has a long road ahead as he is about to begin
radiation. He has created a caringbridge site. Please drop a note by
and check on him from time to time. He is a great writer just like I
am, so enjoy. It is:
http://caringbridge.org/visit/herbertshawjr
Please
keep up with him. If your keeping score, both my best cabinmates,
Austin and Herbert have relapsed in the last few months. Both were
going to West Georgia, then you have me who is the one legged gimp of
the group haha. I have my own long road to recovery.
-Tyler
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Sorry
for the lag in updating. This will be semi-short as it has been a long
few days. We had a great Christmas. I got a GPS for my car so I can
find my way around :-)...
My mom's parents came to stay on their
way back down to Florida. That allowed my mom and Dad to go out for
their 21st anniversary. They had a good time. Little did they know that
they left where they went on my GPS haha.
Anyways I was in
alot of pain last night. I fell asleep, but when my parents came home I
woke up and was in terrible pain. I don't remember much, but it was the
worse pain I have ever been in...period!!! And I have been thru alot,
so that speaks of how bad it was. My quad which is tied down to my bone
on my amputated leg, was grinding up and down my femur. Then it felt
like it was dislocating to the side, and my scar was torn open.I think
I was just thrashing around and I hit my head on the wall a couple of
times I think. I don't think my mom could have handled me because my
leg couldn't touch anything, and i kept falling over because my good
leg was cramping up. So super mom did what she could! I think she was
running out of super power though...Anyways after my mom gave me all
the pain meds she could and it wasn't helping we got in the car to go
to Scottish Rite ER. I somehow was subdued in the car, but I guess I
had no choice. Finally we got there, and the doc came in and wanted
blood drawn for blood tests of infection which where clear. Then I
got a x-ray, to make sure the bone wasn't broken or for bone spurs i
guess. Finally I just got some IV morphine, and eventually just wanted
to get in the car to pass out. Woke up this morning really sore, and my
throat was killing me because of all the screaming I did last night...I
went to physical therapy, and then went shopping afterwards. It seems
to be alot better but I don't want to take of my liner incase it does
hurt when I take it off...I told my mom Happy Anniversary, and my gift
was a trip to the ER and leg pain. I finally drew a smile out of her!!!
She couldn't help but laugh!
We will try to update more often. I
start college on January 7th, also the date of the nat'l championship
football game starring my Ohio State Buckeyes haha!
Happy New Years everyone!
-Tyler
Quick Update
Monday, December 3, 2007, 07:19 AM [General]
This will be a short update just to let you know that I am doing very well. I am going to physical therapy about three times a week and working in the Mild to Moderate (MIMO, think Downs Syndrome or Autism) special ed. class at Harrison HS (where I graduated from) twice a week. I am going to major in Special Education, so that I can teach a class similar to a MIMO class, and coach volleyball on the high school level.
I went
to my first Christmas party last night (Air Force sqaudron) and I had a really good time. I sure am ready for my
'off at college' friends to come home for Christmas so that I can
visit with them.
If you would, please keep my friend
Austin in your prayers. He is still in PICU at CHOA. I believe that he
is improving a bit everyday- but it is a long process to go through for
him and his family. You can check his progress and leave him a message
at www.carepages.com His site is Austinmassey. I am sure that his
family would appreciate your prayers.
I am really pumped up that my Ohio State Buckeyes made it to the national title game!!!
-Tyler
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My Views on Life/ Veterans' Day
Monday, November 12, 2007, 07:35 PM [General]
First off, I am normally a very humble person, but put me in a crisis situation, and I am a whole other person...I am not your run of the mill amputee. I never feel sorry for myself. I KNOW I am better off than I was before. I haven't had the worst thing in the world. This brings me to my next point…
We are very privileged to live in the USA and all the healthcare it provides. As an Air Force brat, I've seen war and its effects personally, and I know what it truly feels like to be American. I am not talking about "oh, I live in Anywhere USA, work at a white collar job, driving a $50k car, so I must be 'American'". I am talking about the men and women that keep this country running by defending our freedom "USA".
I lived in Germany, during the Bosnian War in the 90's, and my dad flew missions every night to drop humanitarian aid, getting shot at by the very people who were eating the food. One of the most interesting stories involved a guy that got shot down and became the face of the USA's involvement in the Bosnian region. Please, look up "Scott O'Grady" on Google and take a few minutes to read his story. He is a survivor, in a different way, but a survivor just like us...I have seen my dad deployed to the "beaches of the middle east (aka desert)" I know for a fact that being a soldier for the USA is one of the most honorable, and most humbling jobs in the world. I am a true believer in the statement of "If you can't stand behind them, then you should stand in front of them!"
IN NO WAY SHOULD YOU TAKE THIS AS POLITICAL!!! I respect whatever your beliefs are whether its religion, politics, government, or sports teams (Go Red Sox! HAHA)...
I just want you to get a feel of who I am as a person. I tend to get carried away, but you get my point...there are far more important things in this world than missing 5/9 of a leg...
I have a strong will to survive, and refuse to back down from any challenge whether its small or something like cancer or gaining the experience of an amputation. I didn't lose my leg...I hate when people say that. I gained God given experience and maturity. A leg should be seen as a materialistic commodity that can be taken away from you at any moment...
Sorry, I am a very political but friendly and outgoing person, and my personality traits tend to make a loud statement. I have no doubts that if I wasn't as stubborn as I am at times, I wouldn't be alive. If you tell me I am going to die, I am going to find a way to shove the words back into your mouth, just to prove you wrong.
Not trying to be egotistical, but I am probably one of the most motivated people you will meet or know. My main goal is to do a half Ironman qualifier triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 6.5 mile run) by July 31st of 2008 (a year after amputation). I have been swimming every day since I got home from the hospital practically. I am back up to where I am able to swim 1.5 miles when I push myself. Unfortunately the C-Leg has been holding me back doing any running so far.
In the mean time I am going to go to college in the spring. I am also a temporary-intern for a Dept. of Defense sub-company (Excalibur Research & Development, Google it!!!) I probably can't be in the middle of a battlefield, but I can do good for my country in other ways and so can you. So on this day that we celebrated Veterans' Day, remember those who are fighting for your freedom...I leave you with this...
"Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country." -John F. Kennedy
God Bless America!
-Tyler
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My Story in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tuesday, November 6, 2007, 03:19 PM [General]
Hey everyone! I just got back from the Smokey Mountains and had a blast. We arrived home today to find that my AJC article was run 5 days earlier than expected. Anyways, here is the link:
http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2007/11/06/tyler_1106.html-Tyler
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How to Questions
Thursday, October 25, 2007, 10:09 AM [General]
I am still fairly new to this so I have a couple of questions that need to be answered.
1. It is starting to get colder here in GA and I just went shopping for pants. I typically wear athletic type pants. I am a left AKA that is 7cm above the knee. The BIG problem I have that I can't figure out is...
How do you keep the pant leg up from dragging along when you don't wear your prosthesis?
2. Is there something that helps your socket from rubbing your groin area raw?
3. There is a muscle that is over my bone. It always scrapes back and forth on the bone. Is there anyone else that has expirenced this?
4. I am applying to colleges...
Are there special accomidations that may help you get to and from classes, such as early registration, special campus transportation, etc.? Should I list that I am an amputee on applications?
5. I just became a member of the Amputee Coalition of America or something like that. Are there really more 18-25 year olds out there that I think there are? Does anyone else belong to this? Are there 18-25 year olds that are on Less Than Four? If so please contact me!
6. Lastly, do you find it easier to just slip your prosthesis off when you drive?
THANKS!
-Tyler
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