My Summer

It was Summer of 2011. I was free! Graduating from high school was amazing. No more english, math, civics, or biology. I spent my Summer at the beach, rivers, and lakes. It was so much fun.  My Summer was going to be amazing and I was given a challenge like no other after only one month of freedom.  
 

On July 18, 2011, I wrecked my car because I was driving too fast. I have absolutely no memory of how it happened but I was told I lost control, over corrected it, and hit a tree. One of my best friends was also in the car and only had a small fracture in his foot. He was the first to be launched out of the car and I thank God that’s all he had to endure. I suffered several injuries from the  wreck: broken tooth, fractured ribs, bruised/swollen shoulder, dislocated jaw, and a broken neck. When my neck broke it partially severed my spinal cord at the C4-C5 level. This instantly paralyzed my body from my nipple line to my toes. I stayed in the car a bit longer than my friend and when the car hit the tree head-on, four feet off the ground, it crumbled up and I was ejected out of the rear windshield.  When I woke up about a week later, I was connected to all kinds of machines. I had a trach in my throat connected to a respirator to help me breath, a chest tube to inflate my collapsed lung, a feeding tube in my stomach so I didn’t get mal-nutritioned, and several IV’s to keep me medicated and hydrated. When they removed my chest tube the first time, I coded (my heart stopped) and they had to revive me. I was dead for two minutes. Being dead is so peaceful. Those were the most peaceful two minutes of my entire life. It was so easy. I knew I was getting ready to meet God, then I was revived back into Hell, (UAB Hospital). 

I spent five months of my life in hospital rooms, eating hospital food, and drinking nothing but water, (except for the Mt. Dew Reagan snuck in for me). Through all the struggle and the pain, I’ve come further than anyone, including every doctor I ever had, had expected and I plan on continuing to move forward. According to doctors, I would have lived the rest of my life on a respirator. I now breathe completely on my own. I don’t have any tubes or IV’s anymore, and I can move both arms and hands. I’m still working in therapy to get as much back and get as strong as possible.
 
I know one day I’m going to meet Him and thank Him for the life He’s given me. I’m going make everyone wonder, “How is he able to…?”. I’m going to conquer this challenge and live the life I am deserved. 
 
1/08/2012
Justin Brasher