The wreck happened 4 years ago tonight.  Time flies.  One night you’re working late and minutes later your life is changed.  I’ll never forget the fear I had during the first year… would I ever recover?  Would I ever be able to run long distances again?  My orthopedic told me it was over while also reminding me that I was 42 years old at the time.  I wondered if my life would ever be normal again.  Would I ever be pain free?  The first year was the worst.  The original prognosis was a “3 month” injury which turned into 30 full months.  In addition to the injury rehab, I also had to navigate through a civil lawsuit (to barely cover doctor bills) while making several court appearances for the driver’s criminal case.  It was a hectic and stressful year. 

I’ll never forget the day when I decided it was time to quit feeling sorry for myself.  I realized I was allowing anxiety take me down with the injuries.  The next steps of my recovery plan were birthed that day:  my doctor was pushing me towards epidural shots and if that didn’t work, I would go all in with cryotherapy and DDP Yoga.  Guess what?  The shots were expensive and didn’t work.  My orthopedic said my only hope would be invasive surgery.  Weeks later, I crafted an Excel spreadsheet detailing my daily workouts for the remainder of the year.  This has continued through each year since.  My goal was no longer to just “feel better” and live “pain free”.  I needed to create bigger goals for myself with a bigger payoff, knowing it would keep me motivated.  I wanted to recover stronger than I was before the accident and do things I’ve never done before.  I wrote down several goals, including running in ultra-marathons, running 1,000 consecutive days, and qualifying for the Boston Marathon.  The foundation of my recovery plan included 5 hours of DDP Yoga and 4 sessions of cryotherapy per week.  As I began to feel better, I began telling everyone under the sun to try cryotherapy and DDP Yoga.

Do I wish the wreck would have never happened?  I don’t like to think about that because

I’m blessed to be where I’m at today.  You see, without the wreck, I lose the 30-month recovery journey.  God had his hand on me, and I put in a lot of work.  I grew closer to God during that time and grew as an individual.  I don’t really see the negative aspects of the accident anymore, but I fondly embrace the journey.

I’m not bitter with the guy who hit me either.  I let that go years ago.  He didn’t do anything I haven’t done by driving drunk.  I never got caught back in the day, but luckily realized I should never do it again before something bad ever happened.  I’m embarrassed to admit this, but its long in the past.  He hit me before he had that realization, but I hope he gets it now. 

The reality is, I can’t imagine not having the growth that came from the accident.  You grow when you fight through the storms of life without giving up.  You grow closer to God when you put your trust in Him and learn life lessons.  The car accident opened some doors that did not exist 4 years ago.  Before the injury, I didn’t know anything about cryotherapy, nor would I have ever wanted to become a DDPY instructor.  God has given me the opportunity to shift directions during the second half of my “career years” help others manage pain without surgeries and pills. 

Praise God, I did make that recovery.  There was a lot of prayer along the way; I’m forever grateful for friends and family for their support.  I’m blessed to have the opportunity to take something negative and use it to help others. 

Go get it