The Circles of Life.

15 years old is awfully young to become a C-4 quadriplegic. But sadly to say it is during these younger years of life (16-30) that most traumatic spinal cord injuries occur. The resulting condition of a cervical SCI along with the process of adjusting to your new life is almost incomprehensible to most.

For many years after my injury, when I thought about my future would be like, it was comparable to looking into a foggy crystal ball. I wasn’t able to see much. I just couldn’t seem to grasp what life had in store for me. Would I ever have a job, be able to support myself, own my own home or have a family? There was no clarity to my future or what life had in store for me.

Slowly, after I moved to Arizona and started attending graduate school, the fog that was blocking my vision of the future slowly began to lift. Through a series of unexpected and unplanned events, I happen to stumble upon a career that crystallized my view of where I was going in life.

Since then I’ve been very fortunate. I found a career I love, own a modest and comfortable home and have a fulfilling lifestyle. Having completed almost 24 years in my profession I can honestly say life has been good to me.

Now, as the aging process starts to settle in, I feel as though I am slowly losing control over what direction my life is taking. Ironically, over the past year or so, the fog seems to be creeping back, again slowly beginning to blur the vision of my future.

I’m beginning to wonder how much longer I will be able to endure the rigors of working full-time. How much longer will I be able to maintain my current independent lifestyle? Will I ever be able to afford to retire? How long will my health hold up?

Until recently I never thought seriously about the answers to these questions. Life was good. But as the inevitable tide of age moves in, I again wonder what the future holds for me.

Seems my life as a quad is coming full circle.