My name is Andy.

I live in Atoka, TN. Friends have suggested for years. That I should start a GoFundMe. I personally dont think I'm deserving of such things. But I decided to try.

Here is my story;

I have a great wife. I started dating her at 16 years old. So I guess, we've been together for 41 years total. She has been extremely supportive of me and my recovery. She went, so far as to get a loan to buy me a used Viking chair. It cost $5000. No one seemed to know its age. Anyone who has bought a used powerchair. Has heard that statement. We had to drive to MO to pick it up.

It gave me new freedom for the 6 months when it worked. I could finally get in the grass. It kept me seated straight. The seat tilted automatically going up and down hills. Something important to a spinal patient. I could even go up and down stairs. I could drive down a hill to fish next to my grandchildren.

Sadly, it started breaking down. It seemed every time I tried to use it, we had to pay to get the green boards repaired. I know we can't afford to replace it. And it is un repairable. That is why, I decided to try to raise the money using Go Fund Me. I could join her on narrow walking trails again.

But of course, our car broke down. It needs a very costly repair. I just get $1400 monthly for disability, It is very surprisingly expensive to be disabled. I had a foster mother who had MS. But I never realized. It seems you need a different chair for different things. I also didn't realized that insurance. Only pays for one very basic chair every 5 years. I was told if I take it out of our home. It voided the warranty. I thought powerchair were to allow people like myself out of the house. I also didn't realized you had to pay 60 bucks a month for the first two years.

I'm supposed to tell people about myself, so I figure I should. I was raised in the system as a foster child. I bounced from place to place till the age of 16. I wasnt afforded a good education. As you can tell by my grammar. One year I went to 6 elementary schools. Everything I learned I taught my self. At 21 I sold my car and went to truck driving school. My last trucking job was a trucker that hauled US Mail. A job I loved and it paid great. I drove roughly 2 million miles safely. Ive never hurt anyone with that 18-wheeler. Something Im proud of.

But after seeing people getting hurt in car accidents all over the country, I felt the need to help. I always stopped if help. If EMS hadn't arrived yet. I decided to study to become an EMR to skillfully give medical aid to people. I became a member of the national response team as a volunteer. I was called active 2 or 3 times. I even helped with the annual Boy Scout jamboree for two years doing security and medical.

I studied the C.E.R.T program. Then I became an instructor. So I could teach people. How to prepare for a natural disaster and basic wound care. I never charged or got paid for it.

I kept telling people during the course. Perhaps they should study and become a ham radio operator. So practed what I preached. I studied and became a licensed ham radio operator.

We later moved to what was a pretty small town at the time. I was friends with the Constable. He introduced me to the fire chief. He said he was in bad need of people. Especially, people who had any medical training. I finished the 100 hours of firefighter training becoming firefighter one later firefighter two. It's a small department, and my job of driving big trucks allowed for it. Though I seldom drove the engine. I let the young guns do that. I mostly drove the medic brush truck. Because of my height and size, I paid for my own bunker gear. I even paid for my black helmet. It's a prized possession for firefighters.

I guess, this is the point I speak about my injuries and why I'm here.

On the way to work after leaving the fire station, I myself, was in an accident or MVC. It was dark on an unlite hiway. Someone broke down in the left lane. Their instead of coasting to the right lane. They stayed in the left. Their lights were so dim. I didnt see them till just before impact. So So it was pretty much at hiway speed. I hit the roof of my truck. With my head so hard. You could see the hump. I thought, I saw a guy run and jump off the bridge. So after my SUV came to rest, I grabbed my medic bag. Without thinking, I ran over to see if he needed help. Suddenly, I fell from the bridge. A pretty good fall. My medical report from the doctor say 30 feet. I landed on a 4 inch branch that went across my lower back, shattering it and blew out my spinal cord out. Don't ever do that. It's an indescribable pain that never really stops. I suffered many broken bones. Including foot from hitting the break so hard. Multiple ribs, shattered sternum, shattered back with several broken vertebrae. You get the idea. I was rushed to the Memphis Trauma 1 at the Med. A highly acclaimed trauma center. I stayed there a while. Then to ICU. Lastly I went to a rehab to learn how to function as a paraplegic. I kept being told. Just accept the wheelchair because, you will never walk again. I never accepted that. I wore a torso cast for about a year. It went from my chin to my crotch. Mostly, I was in bed at home for that year. Just looking at the ceiling contemplating life. I was determined to move my toes. After nonstop trying. I moved my big toe on my right foot. So I figured if I could do that, I could move the rest. I eventually did. Soon after, I was able to move my right leg But I sure had to think hard. My left leg was way behind. One day, I finally moved it as well. But still unable to really feel them. I felt nonstop numbing pain. It was like your arm when your spouse falls asleep on it. But way worse. I can actually hear it even today. Eventually, I stood up using a walker at first, then crutches, canes, but eventually hands-free. I did it with sight and sound. I also felt a different pain. It's hard to describe. A doctor said, I was a para-perdic. Meaning that I had no real feeling. They tested that by putting electric shocks on my spine. But I could still walk. But I used pain, it was in my back and stomach. Shortly after, I went to turn and I broke my shin. It was a spiral break in both bones. I had developed soft bone syndrome. The doctor gave me the choice of rods and screws. Being back on my feet in a two week period.

Or a cast that may take up to 6 months to a year to heal. I took the rods and screws. I didn't want to go backwards. That leg never really healed.

One day, I was goofing off in the garage. I had apparently stepped on an art razor blade or something very sharp. I removed a huge portion of the heel and ball of my foot. They were huge cuts. Unable to feel my feet I didn't know. I came in and my wife noticed, that I was bleeding badly. Though I'm not diabetic, they turned into diabetic sores. They wouldn't heal and one became worse with time. My bone actually became exposed. I smelled as if i was rotting. I guess I was. After dealing with it for about 12 years, I started getting blood infections. Eventually, even bone infections. So the doctors and I decided to remove it. It was removed in the joint, leaving my femur and kneecap.

When I first got my prosthetic, I was on crutches for a couple of weeks. I took to it like a duck to water. I decided I was using my crutches. Literally as a crutch. So I set them down. I started walking on my prosthetic with no aid. With a few falls. We believe I took to it so well. Because, I didn't feel the leg that they removed anyway. I went to see the doctor who removed my leg. When I walked into the office, then to the patient room. The doctor smiled, laughed, and shook head. Saying, this is when I normally send people to physical therapy. But I think youve got it.

Its be a constant up and down life since. Right now I'm recovering from a fall at a restaurant. I wasn't wearing my prosthetic due to blisters. I went to a restaurant. I went to check out the salad bar. As Im on a never ending diet. As soon as my crutches touched the tile. They shot out from under me. The floor was very greasy. I hit so hard. The whole restaurant gasped. I hurt both elbows my hip and my back. I tore muscles in my elbow basically causing tennis elbow. I hit my one knee first. Its bruised, but okay. I also hurt my back. Im going to see a spinal specialist next week. To see if I damaged my cage or my spine. Oh insurance doesn't pay for chair lifts. Mine was broken at the time. It was also bought used from Facebook market place. That's why I was on my crutches. I promise Im actually a very cautious guy. But sadly somethings are simply out of our control. My plan is to just ask the restaurant to pay for the extra doctors visits and xrays. But they've not contacted me about it.