My accident happened on September 9, 1996.  It was dusk and my husband and I went outside the house to talk.  We were separated at the time, in fact, we had signed divorce papers.  He was at my house to visit our son.  After going outside, I jumped up on a ledge to sit.  The ledge wasn’t high.  However, I fell backward off the ledge, landing on my head.  Thinking the ledge wasn’t that high, my husband grabbed me up into his arms, not realizing my sixth vertebrae had fractured.  The fractured bone poked into my spinal cord and that is how I was paralyzed.  I have a C-6 spinal cord injury.  I was diagnosed as a complete injury at Hershey Med.  However, in March of 1998, I underwent another surgery called an untethering procedure in Englewood, CO, at Craig Hospital.  After that surgery, I was re-diagnosed as an incomplete injury, as I regained sensation throughout my body, although, I have yet to regain my ability to walk.  After my accident, my husband and I reconciled.  We remained married and in December of 1997 I gave birth to twin girls.    

Yes, the twins!  They are a miracle.  They are a gift from God.  My pregnancy with the twins was not bad.  I had already give birth to my son, so I knew what to expect in general.  The interesting thing was that most people who did not know me thought I was using a wheelchair because I was pregnant.  That was different because I was treated differently from one circumstance to another.  Anyway, I moved around, pretty much as normal until my eighth month.  I went to weekly exams.  However, by the end of November, one twin began to take more food.  The Dr.’s decided December 4 would be the date for the C-section.  The surgery went well and the girls spent about two weeks in the NICU at Harrisburg, Hospital. 
     I do have to say that my husband helped with transferring and weigh shifts during the latter half of my pregnancy.  He even lifted me in and out of the tub!

 

The Birth

     As discussed above, the birth went well.  I must admit that I feel there has been divine intervention in my life.  I was not a Christian prior to my accident.  Shortly after being injured, I had a personal experience in which Jesus promised to care for me, if I chose to trust in him.  I have trusted in him since.  One great concern of mine after suffering such a serious, life-changing injury so young was my ability to have children.  It was here that God answered my prayers first.  I became pregnant and me and my perfect little girls were kept save and health.

 

Advice for future SCI mommies... 

 A hint I would like to share with future mommies is to simply be yourself, be a mommy, despite how others might treat you differently or react to your disability.  I would like to tell all future moms who live with any type of physical challenge that they can do it and to follow their instincts and take charge.  I loved sharing the care of my girls with others.  Many peopled helped me and I was grateful for the help.  However, sometimes I needed help being the mommy, not for someone to take over and do my job.  There is a fine line and disabled moms need to be assertive.   

Also, I was lucky to have my son.  He was a great helper and a great distraction.  During down times we played games, cuddled, and watched movies.  At seventeen, he is still a great source of support and pure love.