There are so many people I have not been able to tell, and too many I have not updated enough. Colin (my husband) was involved in a bad car accident yesterday morning, and he has a significant injury to his spine and neck.
He is currently undergoing a lengthy surgery to perform a 360 degree stabilisation on his C5 vertebra. Depending how it goes, they may only do the front half and not the full neck.
The prognosis doesn’t look good at this stage, but we have to wait for the result of the surgery.
With this in mind, and with a need to stay positive for everyone, I have started a gratitude journal, and will post here. My challenge is to post every day about something for which I am grateful, and something which pleases me and brings me joy.
Today, I am so happy for Colin. My funny, silly, positive, loving, kind, gentle, strong, grumpy, farty, well-mannered, friendly, and always there for me – soul mate.
I love you more than anything, and want you to be here for a long time still. We will walk this path together, making inappropriate jokes, laughing at drunk people falling down, and facing everything together.
I love you and every day I love you more. I am the luckiest person in the world because I have found you and you chose me.
Let’s do this a day at a time. Mwah. <3
Dear Janis, I’ve read most of your posts about your husband, Colin, and shed a few tears because I can relate to so much of what you write. You have a long, tough journey ahead of you. But, as long as there’s life, there’s hope. I can assure you that there is life after a spinal-cord injury and it can be of the finest quality depending on your attitudes, circumstances and support. I know this because I am paralysed from the neck down (C4). Don’t reinvent the wheel. If you need something – anything – advice, information or just an understanding ear, PLEASE feel free to contact me. Keep fighting. Be brave. Stay strong. You and Colin can do this. Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers. Love, Tracy.
Thank you Tracy – I will get hold of you for sure.