Hi Doctors,

I watch your show everyday. may I say that I am deeply touched by your visit to Haiti. It puts so much in perspective for me.

Well, I am 50 years old, and I was born with Cerebral palsy. Three years ago I underwent a cervical spine fusion from c2-c6. (I had a very sucsessful l4 l5 fusion in 2005.

But my doctor found a severe deformity in my neck and so I had surgery on February of 2007. We thought all would be fine, but three days later I spiked a fever. My esophagus had been torn by one of the screws in my neck. I really don't recall much after that other than they had to go back and re-open the incision and clean out the infection.

A few days later, I found that I could not sit up, open my hands, and I wasn't able to eat since I had a feeding tube placed in. Then I developed aspiration pneumonia. My veins were shot so they inserted a central line. Three weeks later I was transferred to a Rehab hospital where I was put in isolation.

I could do nothing. I had no abilities other than to speak. I had one infection after another, and my family was told not much could be done for me. They weren't sure if I would even live. 

My first day of therapy was very daunting. I just could not stand. They were ready to give up.

They had placed me in a harness to get me up-right but the therapist had to move my legs. I started to progress, and in late March I was using parallel bars and a leg brace. People were amazed as I began to make progress. And then one day in April out of no where I found my legs again. I was doing laps around the PT room. Boy did I cry that day.

After that I found myself getting stronger, but still had a feeding tube  so I had to pass a swallow test before I could eat again. After the third test, I passed and was no longer aspirating and they put me on a semi- soft diet

I was released on May 8th from the hospital, and my feeding tube was removed in June of 07.

While I may never get to where I was before, I am able to walk again. The mere fact I am alive is a wonder.

I think I really beat the odds.