In 1992, the year of my disabling wreck, I was in the senior year of a physics degree. My physics professors all thought I would do well in astronomy, my planned Ph.D. work.
In 1997, I E-Mailed them just to say "Hi!" The Start of it All--link not working--(I'm trying to find it since the URL changed) was in the sig file of those letters. The Dean of Physics saw them and on the Eve of 1998, I found a job offer in my E-Mail box from him! I eagerly accepted the job of computer consultant to do internet site maintenance for the physics department of Southwest Missouri State University!
My office will be my living room. I started work on Feb. 9, 1998.
But my tiny apartment had no room for me to set up a computer (needed for the work), so...I moved to a bigger apartment!
I can see my old porch from my new one--I just moved across the pool! I now have 2 bedrooms--the extra is my "space," with therapy equipment, keyboard piano, another big screen TV with surround sound (complete with sub-woofer). I put my big old desk in the bigger living room. It holds my computer.
I have gone from playing on the internet with my Web TV to, basically, the same thing with a computer for pay!
The management has made my new place like the old--with grab bars in the bathroom, thicker padding under the carpet (for falls), and a few other things. She also had my curtain rods put up and new blinds bought. They've gone all out complying with ADA!
I’ve been living here a year (almost) and found a new way to move my coffee. I GOT A POWER CHAIR!! It’s called Hoveround, and it maneuvers great in my tiny kitchen and hallway. I still have 3 jobs. I had surgery 12-98 on my wrist (broken in 1996 and set crookedly) with home therapy—I may have 2 hands soon. More to be written when more happens.
It's now August 24, 1999, and I'm writing more because something has happenned! Sue (my friend who, with Tammy, kept me out of the nursing home) found me via the internet!
She didn't really get bored and leave me. I, in my brain injured fog, asked her to move out because I thought she was taking advantage of my newfound wealth. Imagine that!
All she did was drive my van to Denver (with permission) and I got all bent out of shape that she was "just using me for my stuff." Little did I know that I was about to be pounced upon by vultures, Oh, yeah. Vultures don't pounce. They feast on the dead. Well, at the time, "D.A. the Bookkeeper" WAS dead.
I am writing this as a public apology to the fine lady who was the BEST caregiver I had (or will ever have). Her name, for posterity, is Colorado Sue Beisheim. The one who abandoned me and left my corpse to the vultures will just remain Tammy.
I still thank both her & Sue for keeping me out of a nursing home. I met a lady on the internet who is about my age, and injured just like me, who has been in one for the last 7 years--and is stuck in a wheelchair and can't even use her computer's address book!
There, but for the grace of Tammy and Sue, go I.
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