Good news!

[Dunckel]

So, I'm not sure where to start really. Not long ago, a friend of mine was in a bad accident. I got a call from his sister one evening. She was crying and said that Andy had been in an accident and would never walk again. He had fallen through a stairway, over 30ft before hitting the ground. He broke his wrist, ripped off most of his scalp, and broke his back in several places.

The impact of the fall shattered his spine. The chances of Pumphrey regaining the use of his legs are slim.

News video is here...http://www.ktvu.com/video/16995141/index.html



Now for the good news.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPjeTpR77sE

 

[TopSecret]

That's fricken awesome!

 

[savannahashlee]

That is soooooo wonderful!!!!

 

[gaboonviper85]

that's great!!! Looks like his movements are pretty strong too....figured he would wiggle his toes or something, but both legs move pretty well!

Bet he must feel alot better now!

 

[Dunckel]

It blew me away to see him have so much movement. The docs said originally that he might have feeling in his legs, but won't be able to use them. If any of you pray, would you please send one his way. It means a lot to him.

Also, he is in desperate need of a shower ramp, shower wheelchair, and a scissor-lift power chair. If anyone in the Oakland area knows where to get any of these things for cheap, or you know of someone that wants to get rid of one, let me know.

 

[IJ.]

I don't do the "pray" thing but my thoughts are with him

I'm firmly in the "been there done that" camp on this one just tell him to keep fighting!

 

[Dunckel]

Thanks IJ. For those of you that don't pray, a positive thought will work just fine.

 

[LilMissMkIII]

Wow mate, that is just incredible!

The power of positive thought is an awesome thing... We will definitely keep your friend in our thoughts and prayers

 

[mattsplat72]

So glad to hear the great news . I will drop a prayer for your friend ,but only if he promises to keep trying to walk and get better ok

 

[Dunckel]

I am still so blown away by his recent progression. I was afraid to talk with him after the accident, cause I had no idea what to say. What can you say in a situation like that? When I did talk to him, he sounded pretty depressed. I mean, he's been paralyzed from the chest down for the last couple months, facing the fact that he will never walk again, and had to have his vertebrate fused from his neck to the center of his back.

The landlord is ultimately responsible for the accident. The residents of the apt. had complained about the stairs for a couple years, with nothing being done to repair them. Andy lived with his sister and bro-in-law in an upstairs apt. Since Andy will no longer be able to get up and down stairs, (hopefully that will change) the family was forced to move to a new place. His sister filed a lawsuit against the landlord. They settled out of court for $25K, to cover the cost of finding a new place, and making it handicapped accessible. Andy on the other hand, is preparing to file his own lawsuit. He told me his is not going to settle.

Andy does not have health insurance, and so far his medical bills are at, or close to $500K.

 

[lewis15498]

Good to see he is recovering. I hope he continues to progress. He is a true hero and my best wishes are with him.

 

[JASONA70]

wow just unbelievable, truly amazing what he did for his niece. A hero indeed.

 

[Clueless]

my mom broke her neck some 3 or 4 years ago, she said that had she not put 110% effort in rehab, she would not have been able to do the things she does today. Basically, when in rehab, you get out what you put in.

 

[isnms]

Good to see good news!

 

[rs4rush]

:drink1: Good to hear!

I would hate to be in a hospital for that long! Cheer's for not giving up!!!

 

[ForcedTorque]

I DO pray, and I will say a prayer that within the next two months, he is using those movements to prove the doctors wrong!

 

[Slow66]

I DO pray, and I will say a prayer that within the next two months, he is using those movements to prove the doctors wrong!

You gotta realize, doctors say that stuff to cover their ass. Complications come up in surgery, patients dont all respond the same to treatments, some patients put no effort forth, etc. This man is obviously the exception to the rule.

From someone who sees this stuff on a daily basis, its really nice to see the ones of this caliber pull through and fight their way back. Mentality plays a big part in healing as far as I'm concerned.

I hope he keeps it up and ends up walking out of a rehab center in the near future. Out of the hundreds of cases a doctor may have seen of this caliber, i guarantee this guy is one of the <1% that have made it this far...

Good luck to your friend....

 

[suprahero]

I do believe what you're saying Bryan, but maybe more patients would heal or walk again if they didn't have doctors telling them they may never walk again.

My sister was hooked on methamphetamine's and said she couldn't get off of them because less than five percent of people that get on them actually can quit. Fortunately for her, she had a big brother willing to beat her eyes in if she didn't get off of them. Maybe the other 95&#37; of meth heads should have had someone that wouldn't listen to statistics and be willing to give a little hard love.