Sixteen years ago today my life and body was forever altered. While painting a 3 story condominium in West Seattle, I accidentally struck a high voltage power line with the aluminum extension pole I was using. 28,000 volts of electricity coursed over and through my body, effectively killing me. I fell over the side and hung there, shirt on fire, as I continued to burn. After a few minutes, I started breathing again, and was rescued by two kind people who pulled me to safety. Thus began a long and painful journey. I spent two and a half months in Harborview Medical Center where I had five surgeries. First to remove 42% of my burned flesh, then a series of harvesting skin from the unburned portions of my back, butt and thighs to be grafted on my now exposed burn sites. I will be forever grateful to the doctors, nurses, and the many medical professionals that cared for me there. The advances in medical, burn and pain abatement technology, some of which I consented to be tested on me, are nothing short of amazing. I got to meet the actor, Alan Alda, an extremely nice person of great empathy, for one of his episodes of Scientiffic American. They all worked in concert to literally save my life. Through all the struggles with pain and loss, I truly gained so much more. For one, sixteen more years of precious life. Sixteen more years of watching my son Joshua grow into a young man. Sixteen more years to play and create music with some of the most incredible musicians and friends I could ever hope to have. Sixteen more years to love, laugh, cry, smile, see, hear, listen, touch, feel, taste, struggle, hurt, work, swim, drive, build, run, climb, create, sing, perform, learn, meet new people, know and understand my place in this world. To meet the love of my life, Antoinette. To have grand children. To overcome many fears. The biggest one being the sum of all fears...death. I do not fear that dark night, for I personally know theres a morning after. Ive had a small taste. Its not as bitter as one might think, if your heart is right. Pure love resides there. I love you all who have been an integral part of my being. Thank you. And most of all, thank you God, Father of all, for sixteen years more.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 17:25:06 +0000
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