Kathryn's Therapy Fund
Donation protected
My name is Kathryn. I could start on July 4th, 2005, but then you would miss out on some pretty good parts. So I guess I'll start at the beginning.
I was born in November to a loving and wonderful family. I was born healthy but most importantly happy, and life continued in this manner for quite some time. I played just about every sport that I could; and when I wasn’t playing with an actual team, I was playing in the backyard with my brother. I attribute many of my characteristics to him and sports. They taught me how to work with a team, they taught me how to cooperate, motivate, and never give up. Most importantly though, they taught me to know my body, to anticipate movements, and trust my intuition. I believe that it is these concepts that made me capable of facing the next phase of my life.
On July 4th, 2005 at the age of twelve, I dove into a pool and sustained a life altering injury- a C4-C5 spinal cord injury. At that age, however, the severity of the injury was completely lost on me. What the hell is a spinal cord, anyway? I lost all feeling and movement in everything below my neck, including the ability to breath (which ultimately lead to a trach). Those first few months were hard as I was working to regain any small movement- especially the ability to itch my own nose. After four months of not much progress at the initial hospital, they were ready to let me go home and begin my new life as a quadriplegic. My parents, however, were not satisfied with that life for me, so they made the decision to take me to Kennedy Krieger Institute in Maryland.
It was then that my injury truly started to turn around (although at that point, you could have fooled me). My parents’ brilliant and daring decision to take me away from everything and everyone I knew was the true catalyst to my recovery. I succeeded in this daunting place only through my mother’s will and my father’s stability. It was there that my trach was removed and I regained my first lower extremity movement.
After almost a year since my injury, I was finally able to move back home and began the oh-so-fun process of balancing therapy, school, and homework. For nine more years I have continued with both school and therapy, which has led to some great gains. But these gains have not come without hard work and some even harder working people. Without the complete dedication of my therapists to help me regain any movement, I would be nowhere. I truly owe them my life. Not once have they given me the “you’re crazy for wanting this” look (which would be completely justified). They have become a second family and insanely important to me. I look up to them in more ways than they know.
But my journey isn’t over- in fact, it feels like it has just begun. It has been ten years since I dove into that pool, and it has forever changed me. It has made me into a stronger person. It has made me want to become better. It has taught me that there are no limits to the human spirit. For we are guided by the one who has created all and He has no limits.
As I am now graduating college and yet again some new phase is beginning, there is also a feeling of restlessness. Something is stirring deep inside that I can no longer quiet. There is a voice telling me that now is my time- my time for me. My time to stop putting everyone else’s needs before my own. My time to grow not only physically stronger but stronger as a human being.
And although this whole thing is far out of my comfort zone (for feelings, to me, are the devil :), that voice is also saying that it is okay to ask for help (again, something that is even more foreign to me than feelings). So it is with that thought that I am asking for help to fund this next phase. I have found a place that my soul is being drawn to. A place where I am convinced will allow for the growth that I need. I plan to invest my entire being into this. I will be attending an intensive physical program in Michigan. The therapy alone (not including living costs) will cost more than $5000/month. I am asking for your help to fund what I believe is the most important phase in my life. I am asking you to help me walk again.
Kathryn
I was born in November to a loving and wonderful family. I was born healthy but most importantly happy, and life continued in this manner for quite some time. I played just about every sport that I could; and when I wasn’t playing with an actual team, I was playing in the backyard with my brother. I attribute many of my characteristics to him and sports. They taught me how to work with a team, they taught me how to cooperate, motivate, and never give up. Most importantly though, they taught me to know my body, to anticipate movements, and trust my intuition. I believe that it is these concepts that made me capable of facing the next phase of my life.
On July 4th, 2005 at the age of twelve, I dove into a pool and sustained a life altering injury- a C4-C5 spinal cord injury. At that age, however, the severity of the injury was completely lost on me. What the hell is a spinal cord, anyway? I lost all feeling and movement in everything below my neck, including the ability to breath (which ultimately lead to a trach). Those first few months were hard as I was working to regain any small movement- especially the ability to itch my own nose. After four months of not much progress at the initial hospital, they were ready to let me go home and begin my new life as a quadriplegic. My parents, however, were not satisfied with that life for me, so they made the decision to take me to Kennedy Krieger Institute in Maryland.
It was then that my injury truly started to turn around (although at that point, you could have fooled me). My parents’ brilliant and daring decision to take me away from everything and everyone I knew was the true catalyst to my recovery. I succeeded in this daunting place only through my mother’s will and my father’s stability. It was there that my trach was removed and I regained my first lower extremity movement.
After almost a year since my injury, I was finally able to move back home and began the oh-so-fun process of balancing therapy, school, and homework. For nine more years I have continued with both school and therapy, which has led to some great gains. But these gains have not come without hard work and some even harder working people. Without the complete dedication of my therapists to help me regain any movement, I would be nowhere. I truly owe them my life. Not once have they given me the “you’re crazy for wanting this” look (which would be completely justified). They have become a second family and insanely important to me. I look up to them in more ways than they know.
But my journey isn’t over- in fact, it feels like it has just begun. It has been ten years since I dove into that pool, and it has forever changed me. It has made me into a stronger person. It has made me want to become better. It has taught me that there are no limits to the human spirit. For we are guided by the one who has created all and He has no limits.
As I am now graduating college and yet again some new phase is beginning, there is also a feeling of restlessness. Something is stirring deep inside that I can no longer quiet. There is a voice telling me that now is my time- my time for me. My time to stop putting everyone else’s needs before my own. My time to grow not only physically stronger but stronger as a human being.
And although this whole thing is far out of my comfort zone (for feelings, to me, are the devil :), that voice is also saying that it is okay to ask for help (again, something that is even more foreign to me than feelings). So it is with that thought that I am asking for help to fund this next phase. I have found a place that my soul is being drawn to. A place where I am convinced will allow for the growth that I need. I plan to invest my entire being into this. I will be attending an intensive physical program in Michigan. The therapy alone (not including living costs) will cost more than $5000/month. I am asking for your help to fund what I believe is the most important phase in my life. I am asking you to help me walk again.
Kathryn
Organizer
Kathryn Curley
Organizer
Lakeside Park, KY
