March 19, 2022

I was greeted by the most beautiful sunset as I pulled into the neighborhood after a very trying and emotional week. This seemed to give me some peace that even with every obstacle julian is faced at the end of the day we have each other still to navigate this together. I’ve always been considered a mama bear but there is nothing more disheartening than having to climb mountains for julian when he has been through more than anyone could possibly know unless they have witnessed first hand how hard life is for julian and the many others that have faced such circumstances. What we take for granted, SCI survivors take as a victory and privilege. I’ve been reminded today of what my friend Corrie Samples told me, he has overcome so much since the accident. (And each one is a gift that we were not sure he would have been given such as the basic skill of breathing unassisted) Julian and the many other friends that were are at Shepherd are true survivors that work day in and day out for a better life no matter how small. Our last friend from Shepherd graduated today from inpatient. It is truly amazing to see how far he has come and none of them are done putting in the work just because that chapter closed. I was listening to a song that I’ve had on repeat this week that seems to resonate with me. It talks about asking God why things happen? Why this tragedy happened to julian in a blink of an eye? It’s so hard not to question the circumstances? What is the message or lesson to be received from this. I know that we look at life in a completely new set of eyes. Things that once seemed important are not so much anymore. Life is fragile and definitely can be changed or taken in an instance. I hope we come out of this with more goodness in our lives and compassion for others. I hope that there is a reason for Julian’s story to be continued, and that these hard times will make us better and not just time passing us by. We will continue to search for new research and therapies with the help of other SCI survivors and their families. I am learning from those who have gone before us and hopefully we will be able to be someone else’s support in the future









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