A broken neck for Christmas

There's no perfect time to choose, to be suddenly paralyzed for life. But having it happen at Christmas is especially terrible. Particularly when it was very likely the result of mis-diagnosis.

An acquaintance of ours from a local church, not far shy of retirement age, was up a tree cutting branches. This is admittedly a really dumb thing to do, so no need to belabor that point. He fell thirty feet to the ground, and was taken to a medical center in the western greater metro area. He couldn't move, but he was in serious pain. They x-rayed him, didn't see anything, and told him it was just a scratch and to go home. They literally stuffed him into the passenger seat of his car. His agony continued, so the family called back, and were told to keep an eye on him for a few days, work his limbs to keep them from stiffening up, and come back later. And that's exactly what they did. By the time his broken neck vertebra was discovered and he was finally admitted into an ICU elsewhere in the area, it was too late. Profound, irreversible spinal damage. Paralyzed for life. In his early 60s, just in time for Christmas. Please keep this suffering--and under-insured--family in mind this season. And consider making a donation to a rehab center or something. Unlike other minorities, the minority of the disabled is one that any of us could wind up joining at any time. Thanks for reading, and be careful out there....