I just spent nine days in the hospital with an infection that spread into my tailbone (osteomyelitis, for my nerdy readers). It started as a small pressure sore that was likely caused by being in my wheelchair for too many hours. I guess that gives a new meaning to working your tail off.
As a man, I find purpose and fulfillment in providing for my family. So, like many others, I often work long hours through the week to get to the next level. I don’t subscribe to the concept of entitlement. I believe that success is achieved through hard work and that you get paid for adding value. In other words, you reap what you sow.
What I often fail to recognize is my own limitations. Most of the time this actually works in my favor because I am willing to take on big challenges. Nothing seems to motivate me more than someone telling me that I can’t do something. It strikes a nerve in the core of my being and I set out on a mission to prove critics wrong.
Sometimes this mentality pushes me out of my comfort zone and enables the accomplishment of things that I never dreamed possible. That wasn’t the case this time. This time, I was reminded that I have a disability and I have to respect the limits of my body.
The new challenge I am facing is balancing my ambition with the reality of life with a spinal cord injury. I gave my family a pretty big scare as these types of infections can turn really bad in a short period of time. This was my first encounter with a serious infection and I hope it will be the last. I have plans to be an active part of my family for a long time to come.
I’m probably going to have more free time for a few weeks to write and reflect on the healing process. I would love to receive feedback from readers. You can use our contact page or leave a comment below to tell me about a trial you are going through or one that you went through in the past. Don’t forget to share how the experience shaped and strengthened your character.