little story about me

[jcampos]

Thank you sir for sharing. I am so sorry something like this happened to you, no one should ever have to go through what you did. I do a little community supervision on the side for DWI and Obstruction charges, and if I could, may I share this with some of the defendants that I supervise? They range from old to young. Your story is sad, yet inspiring and is why I would like to share it with some of these hard-headed individuals that have never witnessed an tragedy such as this. To hopefully clarify what dangers lay ahead if they do not change their bad habits, but not only for them but others whom may be victims to their selfish ways.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by flyinglow57

I lost my fab password years ago and just don't go on anymore so I'm unable to read the story...,

Seems it's public enough for anyone to read. I've never had a facebook account and I could read the story and see almost 30 pictures.

Do give it a try.


Curtis - you're about the same age as my kids, meaning that it's their kids who are starting to drive and who are still on the steep part of learning how to become responsible adults. I will find a way to pass your experience on to them. Not just to read the words, but to try to imagine being you.

P.S. I think I saw your post in the Firearms section.


Norm

[jos3ywales]

Thx for the kind words guy, please share the story to everyone you can thats why I wrote it, for those that can't see it let me try to post it here just wont have any pics.


24 years ago on November 1st I made the greatest mistake of my life. I was a young kid who thought I was bullet Proof. I had strayed from my raising from Church and Christian Values and had became a Mean Teenager and involved Drinking and Drugs in my life. I wasn’t raised to be this way but had made a wrong turn in the Road of Life.In high School I played Basketball and Baseball and was very popular.I had just been out of school about 4 months when all of this came to happen. I fell into a life of drinking underage sneaking it from my parents and running around getting into things I shouldn’t be doing at the age of 18. I stepped into a car with Drinking involved and had been on several occasions over that last few months. My self and 5 other teenagers were out drinking and driving having what we thought was just another party night. We stopped at a little road side store up above Larrel Grove in Frost Bottom where I my self bought some more Beer underage. We climbed back in the car and off we went. We were in my friends new Mustang Gt he got from his mom and dad. We had been flying all the evening trying to impress the Girls we had with us as young dumb Teenagers do, burning tires cutting doughnuts flying up back roads at breakneck speeds. The last thing I remember after that was looking down and seeing the speedometer around a 100 mph on Dutch Valley Road going by Marlow Fire Dept. The next thing I new was three days later waking up out of a coma. I had no Idea what had happened I thought I had gotten real sick because I had the flu the week before. I had a pretty bad head injury so my brain just wasn’t working right I couldn’t put the pieces together on what was going on. I felt this pulling on my head and reached up and there was 2 bolts coming out of my head with a big piece of medal around it with weights hanging of it to keep my neck straight in traction. I was cut all to pieces all over with gashes from head to toe. Then I proceeded to look down and seen Staples running all the way down my chest. I still couldn’t wrap my head on what was going on. About this time I went to pull my legs up and nothing they wouldn’t move period and I realized I could not feel them either, I had tubes running in and out of everything I had. I burst into tears crying and screaming, The nurses came in running trying to calm me down I punched one of them because I thought in my mind at the time they were trying to hurt me more. they immediately gave me a shot that knocked me back out. over the next few days I was in and out of consciousness had no idea who I was were I was what was going on everything felt like I was dreaming and floating around. I really thought I had died my head was so messed up I didn’t know anything or anybody. I finally got to where I could stay conscious with out passing out and the Doctor came in and said they were about to put a Halo on me. I had no idea what that was but he said prepare your self this will be the worst pain you have ever been through. He then informed me I could have no pain meds because of my life Threatening Situation. A few minutes later a group of Doctors and Nurses came in my room with this monster looking body cast with all medal at the top in a circle. Two nurses had leather straps they strapped my hands down to the side of the bed. They then proceed to put the body part on all around me. They put some bolts together to hold the Halo up in place while they got it ready. Then the Doctor looked at me and said I’m sorry and stuck a large Tongue Suppressor wrapped with tape to my mouth and said bite on this. When I heard the drill start I started Crying I knew what was coming, The doctor started Drilling 4 holes in my head one at a time, I have never felt pain like that in my life nor screamed as loud as I did at that time. The pain was simply unbearable and my eyes were stinging from what I thought was tears but later found out was from blood dripping in them. After they were done everyday they came in with a allen wrench and tightened the by hand not only did that hurt so bad but as the screw turned it would only turn so far twisting your skin until you skin ripped and popped back.The Doctor came in and said Curtis I am sorry but you will never walk again and turned and walked out, I layed in my bed a cried like a baby for what seemed like days. I was in the hospital for a long time and my head injury took a long time to heal. I refuse to eat and got down to under 100 lbs. They had me on a feeding tube. When I broke my neck and then laid in bed for so long I lost all my Equilibrium so my body though that laying down was standing up. So anytime they tried to raise my head I passed out immediately. So they put me on a table that raised a inch at a time everyday for 4 hours and they would raise me a inch and I would pass out then stick smelling salts in my nose to wake me up, as soon as I woke up they would raise it another inch I would pass out this process was repeated daily. There is nothing worse than the feeling you know your gonna pass out but there is nothing you can do about it. I would scream just give me a minute to get my breathe but without due they keep at it said it had to be done that way to get my Equilibrium lined back out. it was a complete Immortal living hell. After 4 months I was sent to Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center which I hated. I hated the world at the time and really just wanted to die. they came in made me get up each morning at 6 am and try to teach me to dress my self and do rehab telling me to do this do that meanwhile my head injury still hadn't healed so I got violent a lot one guy kept picking and picking pushing and pushing which was for my own good but then I wanted nothing to do with it finally he pushed one to many times and I caught him with a left hook and left him laying on the floor. The next day I was kick out of PNR . I was sent home were I lay and felt sorry for my self for 2 months. Finally I decided I wanted to try to help my self and my head was starting to get back together. surprisingly PNR let me go back on the deal I would not punch anyone. there I spent three months learning to live by myself in my own lil world at PNR. I also learn to drive with hand controls in rush hour traffic for the first time. I have had to fight to stay live my whole life over being a stupid kid. I have almost died more times than I can count on both hands and once this year. I have been told by 3 different Doctors 3 times I had 3 or 4 months to live. The reason I am writing this is for anyone Child, Teenager, Adult stay awy from drinking and drugs much less combining them with driving. your life is so precious don’t ruin it doing something stupid. I will and have spend my life trying to show others how easy your life could change in the blink of a eye. I will fight to live everyday to live just so maybe I can make a difference in a child, teenager, or and Adults life not to make the same choices I did. It’s simply not worth it put the beer and drugs down live a life God wants he will reward you with riches beyond your imagination if you left him in. 21 tears of blood sweat and many many tears from you and your family watching you hurt isn’t worth any of it.Thanks for taking the time to read this if you have children or teenagers plz read it to them share with them talk about drinking drugs and everything else just don't talk at them talk with them and listen to THEM be there for them a loving parent could be the difference that keeps them from making the wrong turn like I did With that being said I have the greatest parents in the world who have helped me and been there all my life and I owe my life to them and love them both with all my heart Thank you and God bless

[Scalded Dog]

I can also testify that legally drunk may not feel like it: A few years ago, a buddy and I were drinking at a bar. We are the same height and weight. We each had ONE 32 oz. beer, and neither of us felt even remotely buzzed. We got into our separate cars, and headed home. He was unfortunate, and got pulled over. He subsequently blew a 0.11 BAC.

This taught me... I got off easy. I learned that it doesn't take much, and I might not even feel the slightest bit intoxicated... but I could still be legally drunk, and I certainly have a measure of impairment that is not fair to any other person in the path of my vehicle.

[Moto-Mojo]

I can attest to the near indifference that people have to even a story like this. It's an odd juxtaposition in a society that bombards you with beer commercials that glorify drinking and also has bars with parking lots - for parking your CAR that you arrived in, to presumably leave in!

The utter stupid stuff I did as a teenager was no different than the things you did. And a million others did and will do. But as your story illustrates, it can all be gone in the "blink of an eye." It won't help all but I hope it touches someone young who just might avoid a life of pain.

All I can say is, "But for the grace of God, go I." They say you're given only what you can handle. You Curtis, must have a great capacity to handle a lot! Thank you for sharing your story.

[mlee]

WoW... very powerful message here. Thanks for sharing.

I came into this thread to move it to off topic, but after reading I see it's in the right place.

[Kodexo]

My god dude, I have a heavy stomach but reading that part about the halo and drilling into your own damn head, I'd rather die than go through that, it really got to me. Being young myself, it really makes me want to be more careful than I already am. Thank you for sharing your story. I know for a fact I couldn't go through what you did.

[swagner]

I really do avoid driving drunk. But I do rember one time after our fantasy football draft deciding to drive for some idiotic drunk reason. I remember the entire drive somehow. But all I remember was seeing lines everywhere. Like I couldn't really see the road but everything on the side of the streets or on the streets was just lines flying by like star trek when they go into hyper speed. I made it home completely safe somehow but looking back on it that was one of the most embarrassing and shameful nights of my life and I was lucky. Excuse me if this Is an inappropriate question but did all of your friends make it? I haven't seen anything about it

[jos3ywales]

Originally Posted by swagner

I really do avoid driving drunk. But I do rember one time after our fantasy football draft deciding to drive for some idiotic drunk reason. I remember the entire drive somehow. But all I remember was seeing lines everywhere. Like I couldn't really see the road but everything on the side of the streets or on the streets was just lines flying by like star trek when they go into hyper speed. I made it home completely safe somehow but looking back on it that was one of the most embarrassing and shameful nights of my life and I was lucky. Excuse me if this Is an inappropriate question but did all of your friends make it? I haven't seen anything about it

was 6 of of us in the car 3 boys and 3 girls, 1 girl ha d a broke arm, 1 a broke wrist and the guy in back with me and another girl has a broke pelvis. Driver had no injuries and 1 girl had no injuries. The guy that was driving never stopped drinking he got mutiple DUI's in a 5 year period after that became a drunkered and was hit by a train and killed a few years later while drunk again. It was sad story as well.

[swagner]

Geez well that sounds awful but yet after seeing that car very lucky that no one lost their life. You're strong my friend. Not sure how I would hold up going through all that.

[CapeCruisin]

Originally Posted by mlee

WoW... very powerful message here. Thanks for sharing.

I came into this thread to move it to off topic, but after reading I see it's in the right place.

quoted for emphasis