[PPRAANet] PPRAA helped save my life WV7T

[wv7t at aol.com]

Today is theone year anniversary since I fell on to the sidewalk and messed myself up goodDecember 16, 2021. I had no idea how bad I was injured. I broken 8 ribs, puncturedlung and spleen (removed later), had to have right hip replaced, messed up myinternal organs which I still have to deal with. After I came out of sedation Iinventoried my situation. It was so bad I asked the nurses 3 times and Rhodaonce to kill me, and I meant it. I died twice in surgery and was not expectedto survive the night. Rhoda could have pulled the plug on me but didn’t. Ireally put a burden on her. The 6 weeks in the ICU were horrifying. I could notmove, speak, eat or drink. This is why I asked to be killed. I could not sleep,I was deeply depressed. Rhoda could visit and did. She tried to cheer me up butthat was an uphill battle. It cost the government $995,000 for my 6 week stayin the ICU. I am truly the Million Dollar Man. 
I give autographs for free.


After theICU I was transferred to Parkmoor Village rehabilitation center. I arrived inFebruary 2021. I was angry for the first month. Again I could not move, eat,drink, or talk. The not being able to talk was the worst; I could not tell thenurses what was happening to me. The physical therapist said he would get me towalk out of the center….I called him a liar but in 3 months later with a walkerI walked to the car I went home.
 So many miracles happened to me there, thingsI could not rationalize. They used a lift to get me in to the wheelchair so I could movearound the building. One day I went to my room and worked at getting out of mybed, get in to my wheelchair, and actually did it! I was able to get from thewheelchair back into bed. I sat stunned.
 I felt a power in my room that I hadnever felt such a presence before. For five days, one accomplishment afteranother. My breathing improved so much they took me off the ventilator and Icould breathe on my own. It is fun watching food commercials while you are ontube feeding. Finally they took out the tracheostomy tube, now I could eat anddrink. Oh the joy of drinking and eating.


All this isgood but I was still depressed and not very hopeful. Rhoda brought in a laptop andI sent an e-mail to PPRAA reflector asking for visitors, Rhoda had days shecould not visit. And the club responded with many folks stopping by andbringing “contraband goodies.” This really perked me up. People brought Sodas,cookies, many things that made the days more endurable. It is to the hams whostarted helping me in rehab and when I returned home I owe so much. Jim BishopKDØKQL and Dave Molter ADØQD were dedicated to getting my butt back home. Jimtaught me and Rhoda how to text, we could leave messages day or night. Dave gotme a fishing vest I call a Man Purse to take all the stuff I needed with mewhen I was out of my room. Phillip KFØDX was the engineer of the group. The daybefore my fall we had that tremendous wind and a large limb came down on mylarge workshop and broke the skylight. Phillip made a cover over the brokenskylight which has kept the weather out of the workshop for a year now andlooks to last for a long time to come.
 I am much better now but nowhere nearwhat I was, but I am thankful to be walking, driving, talking, eating, and drinking.Still a long process to go but I know I will get better. Many things I cannot do but Ilook for the things I can do and ways to do what I did before in a differentway.

A BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED MEIN REHAB AND AT HOME!

I owe muchof my progress to the hams of the PPRAA.


Mike andRhoda Anderson


WV7T   KB2BZY