my first thought was wow how many near death experiences can one person have? You are amazing and very strong person. I hope you have a very successful recovery! Praying for your healing!
My son has watched you since his parachute accident in October. You have taught him so much. His wife is taking care of him but he is trying to do for himself. He got down on the floor to play with his son and back in his chair and I think you inspired him to try and succeed.
They did that to me after a major op. While I was asleep I was ok when they woke me all the pain come back. It’s so rude. I wish they waited till I woke to give them to me. 😡🤬. ⬅️. I did this a lot
You’ve made my first year in a wheelchair SUPER EASY and actually fun and enjoyable!!!! THANK YOU!! FEEL BETTER SOON. Love from Scotland 🏴- I’m doing wheelchair AMA over here soon and I’ve even found people who offered to help out with filming etc. Also your vlog sounds so much like my every day- sorry you’re having to experience all that.
Happy to see that you're home, sad to see you're in pain... As a former ER nurse I can see how much trauma you received from that accident. You are a blessed man! May your recovery go well and get your butt back in the gym soon.
Oh man, seeing those bruises on the back of your thighs hurts me so much. I’ve been paralyzed for 14 years now, L3 complete injury.... a few years ago I broke my own femur (thanks paralysis for giving me the softest most brittle bones now! I was literally just stretching and then THUD it cracked in half) and had to have a rod put in it to stabilize it and holy shit was that hard to bounce back from. My whole leg, hip to toes was so hugely swollen for honestly a few months and transferring anywhere was such a task. I remember crying on the toilet in the hospital (Lololol) because I couldn’t transfer back into my chair on my own and I hadn’t experienced that since right after my spinal cord injury. It was miserable for longer than I thought it would be. I can’t imagine how rough healing and bouncing back from all your injuries has been!
That happened to me too. I was literally stretching in the morning and leaned over and my femur broke. The swelling was crazy, it took a while before I could get back into my own chair. Felt weird having people doing everything for me again. I so enjoy my independence. Feels good to go back to my normal again.
Whats awesome and wonderful is that he has such an amazing family. His brother, mom, gf, and others. The book with all the messages is so touching. That he took the time to put this together to keep forever. The thing that makes it so hard for some is they dont have a support system, they dont have anyone to lift them up, care for them. I had back surgery and no one came to see me at home afterward...no one. Not my mom, not my brother, not even my adult kids. And they live close. When u go through things u find out real quick how much u mean to others. They're here when they need something though. Ok, done with my crybaby griping lol.
I'm still in the hospital. Been here a month. Paralyzed from the waist down. Your vids are inspiring man! I can't wait to get back to living a life. Take it easy dude!
Entire right leg burnt like a chicken nugget going through the same feelings as u 3rd degree burnt to a crisp watching this at 4 am cant get any sleep for the last 3 weeks your an absolute unit and helping me through this
Richard , I am so sorrycause I couldn't figure out how to send a message to you and be a part in your book of community messages! Well, I just want to thank you for giving me hope. Hope to someday getting used to this life in my wheelchair! I am not brave. I am scared to drive fast. I am scared to fall out of it. I am scared of almost everything at the moment, although I am a wheelchair user for about two years now. Thanks for never letting me feel alone or left behind. Our society is not made for disabled people. You make it worth living! Thanks so much and wishing you a fast recovery! Best regards from Germany. Britta
I cried when you opened the present, it’s so true ! You really are so meaningfull to us! I’m in a wheelchair since 6 months now and I’m so happy that I found your videos! Your story really helps me accepting my new life. Thanks a lot! ❤️ Really hope you recover well after the accident! I really love to see you here on youtube! (ps; I’m from Belgium 🇧🇪, your videos reach far over the world! That’s so awesome!)
So glad to see you making progress. You have helped me accept my chair and know I don’t have to fight through all the pain and fatigue for every step using my walking frame, it’s okay to use my chair and conserve that energy and save myself the pain. I had this idea that because I CAN walk a little I HAVE to walk every possible step I can. You showed me another way. Thank you.
Richard, I can't imagine how the accident has impacted things for you. In 2014, I was confined to a wheelchair due to severe leg tremmors. I hated being in a wheelchair. I wanted to walk again so bad. I tried very hard to walk again. There are many circumstances that have made this a non reality. Thank you for being a major inspiration to never give up.
Glad to see you’re home. You’re very lucky that you have a great support system. My right leg was amputated below the knee 18 months ago. I find your videos inspirational.
At 30:09 I know exactly what you are talking about! 😬 After my 2nd of 3 full spinal fusions, I was in the hospital for about one week, then transferred to a nursing home for a month. Although I did all the things and spoke to people while I was in the hospital, they had to have me on SO much IV pain medicine and Fentanyl patches that I remember nothing. That is until they “woke me up” right before the ambulance was about to get me, told me I’d be going to a nursing home (I’m sure I’d been told, but obviously don’t recall), and that I’d not be able to receive any IV meds there. 😳 She said she’d wait until I was on the gurney about to go out the door before she’d give me my last dose of IV pain meds (I still had 150 mcg of Fentanyl on) before pulling my IV out. That 5 minute ride felt like a lifetime and every bump felt like we drove into a ditch. I just found your channel and I have lots of respect for how you’re handling this! Although I don’t use a wheelchair, I do have several chronic illness and chronic pain from said illnesses and my back surgeries, so I’d love to continue watching your channel and soak in some of your positive attitude about living life despite shitty things. I pretty much live in my bed with my cat, but I wish I could do more without excruciating pain. Started in the 6th grade and I’m 32 now. I also loved the part about paperwork! I can totally relate! When you have to go to multiple Dr appts a month and often times fill out pages and pages of current and past medical history (lots!), you just wish every Dr had the same exact paperwork so you could just bring in photocopies! 😂 Anyways, sorry for the short novel, but I get on a roll. Hope you are healing up quick and can continue to get back to normal life!
I just watched your pain management video and I just wanted to say that I had been on A LOT of narcotics for almost 15 years (including Fentanyl about 10 years, which we started because I wasn’t absorbing the pain pills due to my Crohn’s disease) up until this September when I became aware that I was starting to feel more than just dependent, but actually addicted. I’m currently only on Suboxone for my pain and it’s been rough. Going from Fentanyl to almost nothing basically has made it even harder to want to get up and do things, but you are such an inspiration and I hope I can find the same strength and try to get some of my life back. I can’t use weed because I have Canibanoidal Hyperemesis (basically it makes me throw up). I have been hearing good things about Kratem, so I might look into that and see if it might help. I’d love to get off of the Suboxone too, but I need to find something that can help this pain before I can do that. Hopefully starting to walk more will help. 🤞🏽
Good to see you home. I hope you can recover from this. The pain I feel throughout all my joints and muscles are caused from a different reason, but in a small way I can kind of relate to what you’re going through. Thank you for posting your videos.
Glad to see that you are doing good! Never thought our messages would make it to a video like this. That’s so awesome of Andrew to help make all that happen.
Thanks for sharing such intimate moments. I think you are coping unbelievable well!! It was such a horrific accident, you need to accept that your body needs time to heal. But your positive attitude will help. And you have a great support team around you. Best wishes!
So good to see you home back in your creature comforts so you can really rest and recover. I know how frustrating and annoying being on bed duty is but your body is working super hard healing. So happy that you’ve got a fantastic support circle around you. Keep resting and healing well Richard! 🤗🤗🤗
God is with you and so am I. I am finally getting used to my chair nearly 4 years after being misdiagnosed as Gillian Barre Syndrome. It was actually a Spinal Stroke.
The messages from Andrew and your girlfriend (can’t remember how to spell her name at the moment) made me cry. I’m so happy you appear to be mending so quickly. I agree with other sentiments, I think you’ve had your fill of near death experiences. I didn’t get a chance to sit and say what you mean to me but I will say that you gave me the confidence to leave the house in my wheelchair. It was a very hard transition and your videos really helped me. I hope you continue to heal and I wish you the best.
I’m so sorry for what you are going through!! You are in my thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery and please let your precious family look after you because if the shoe was on the other foot you would be doing the same thing for them if not more 🙏🏻✝️❤️❤️🌹🌹💗💗🌷🌷
It’s great to see you dude, so glad you’re getting yourself back together and feeling better. Do not feel you need to do more than you want, no one is sitting here expecting anything. The whole community will just be so excited to have you back when you’re ready! Everyone is 100% behind you, keep going Richard we love you.
I’m so glad you’re home. I have had partial foot amputation on both feet and I know the struggle. You are so independent and it’s hard. Praying for a fast and painless recovery
I'm a nurse, nearly 30 yrs into my career, and I agree... being in the hospital sucks. It's no place to get peace and rest. We nurses make sure of that!! LOL. I'm sorry that I don't know what happened to you. Your leg looks so terribly painful. The book of the 400 responses idea was so thoughtful. It appears u have a wonderful story and u def have an awesome personality. May God bless you during ur recovery, dear.
@@1purplerose My mom is a nurse too, and I used to visit her when she worked night shifts in the CCU. So much beeping and testing going on in that place, even overnight! And in answer to your question about his legs: He was pinned between a car and a median while checking on the scene of an accident. 😭
I'm so glad to see that you're out of the hospital again! 15:04 Glad to see her for a second or two. 19:20 Hey! We get to see Jalila again. :-) 29:36 He did put that in...if severely blurred.
Praying for ur speedy recovery. Had lumbar surgery 2 days ago so I can keep walking. Waking up to pain really sucks, swelling is terrible and asking for help is the hardest. I feel ur pain. Your videos have helped me feel like it’s all going to be ok. I can have a happy life despite a failing body.
I’m like just out of words... To see how strong you are, I know part of your pain from my knee surgery. And then adding the arm the ribs.. jeez. Dude respect, be careful please, and let your friends an family help you for this time around. Everybody needs a little help sometimes, so please keep it easy and don’t ask to much from your body. You’re so strong. Happy new year, may it be your best year ever.
Thank you for teaching me how to live with my disabilities. I hit a van at 35 mph when an old man pulled in front of me. Most stuff never got treated. Like you a lot hurts and doctors only focused on the big stuff. I asked for 5 referrals to specialists. The first one was dermatology lol instead of orthopedic. I hate all the paperwork. I rush hope fatigued from the paperwork lol. So happy you are getting better. You changed my life. I never realized how my limits were affecting me. Thank you
I recently lost my dad, he worked with the state we lived in to help train people with life changing injuries be trained for new jobs and then would help them find those jobs, this is exactly the kind of story that he would just get all kinds of inspiration from! Thank you for sharing so much of you with all of us!
Sometimes we have to slow down and take care of ourselves. I know it's hard. You'll soon feel better. It's a slow process you'll get there. I will keep you in my prayers and lots of good thoughts for you. I just ran across you on RU-vid. I have wat o fall as hidden disability you can't see them but they are there. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Good luck.
You are so strong! To see how smoothly you can transfer even with the amount of injuries you have...amazing. Take time...you will do everything on your own again soon.
Nice to see you, Richard! Sorry that you are having to go through another round of recovery after another traumatising accident. Know that we are here for you and want to support you as best we all can whilst you recover. Thank you for this video and for recording and explaining your injuries and recovery around this accident.
Glad to see you up and about. I understand the not wanting to sit still feeling like a mooch but your body is fighting the good fight and the best way to heal is to let your body do it's thing. Happy New Year and keep up the good work
So gutted that you got in such a bad accident whilst doing such a good deed. Lots of people wouldnt even try to help let alone whilst on a crutch! I hope you make a speedy recovery. I know you've been through hard times and have gained so much independence but sometimes you have to enable your body to heal and accept the help, even if its hard
Man your honesty with the pain meds is just on canning most people would say none of your business and it just so happens that you struggled with it before and now or in a position where hey it's completely ethical to take it no matter what I'm glad that you're going at your pace don't listen to anybody else's BULLSHIT and you'll get there man. Emagine getting out helping somebody and ending up in the position you were in that's a truly good spirit you have.
Stay strong and keep moving forward!! Glad to see you can decrease your Pain meds!! You are very strong individual and encouraging so many of those whom are learning to deal with life in a wheelchair and after an accident!! Thank you!! I too have a SCI and also EDS so you have helped me to keep trying and attempting new things!! Once again Thank you!! Hope things keep improving and you feel more like your usual self soon!! Take care!!!
I can imagine the bruising will take a long time to go as I whacked my knee New Year’s Eve and it’s still purple and sore when anything knocks against it. Good to see you’re finally able to get up and about in the chair. Look forward to the next update.take care of yourself. Get well soon.
I really love watching your videos. They have helped me a lot in that I don't have to be so self conscious, about the lifestyle that I now am forced into by unfortunate circumstances. I went through several stages of spinal stenosis. It started after an accident on my way home from a dog show. The driver fell asleep at the wheel of a motorhome. And I basically slid along the asphalt until the vehicle came to a stop, and hit my tailbone causing an L2 compression fracture. Along with a nasty road rashed head, back, rear, and legs. Walking was hard to say the least, and everything hurt after this. Me being stubborn and wanting to follow my dream so much, I think I continued to work myself to death. Up until a few months ago, where now I am in the worst state I have ever been, and absolutely have to have surgery. I still do physical therapy at home to keep pushing myself, but no I understand that some great things just take time, and I should always be hopeful. If not, I still have a pretty good life, and make myself work, and be active.
I also can see how it gets so boring and frustrating in those hospital beds. I'm sure it drives you crazy, and happens often. It does to me all the time. I like to get out and move, and exercise. I'm a girl who grew up riding horses, dirtbikes, 4 wheelers, and doing extreme rock crawling with Jeeps, Humvees, Toyotas, you name it. Now obviously I can't do everything still. But I can still out drive a lot off people off road. Haha. Any ways. I was going to say that my amazing dad surprised me just recently with an awesome electronic chair. And now I can go all over the rough terrain around with minimal effort. It is actually fun! Mind you I still use a manual chair as well. But when life gives you lemons!! Mess around and take the lemonade!! 🤣🤣❤❤
i’m glad you’re getting better from what happened. its not everyday things like this happen and i know how its like being trapped on a bed and feeling like you cant do anything about it. I just turned 16 and 3 times already i’ve gotten surgery to close a skin sore from being in the chair too long. each time, i was stuck in bed for about 1.5 months not allowed to get up or go outside at all, i couldnt even sit up for a minute. we only learn from our setbacks and even though i hate having to constantly recover from surgeries, i’m still super grateful to be able to continue playing adaptive sports today. best wishes to a full recovery -Ailin
I don't think I'll be able to eat a rotisserie chicken anymore. I'll hear the crunching sound and that will be it. Thank you Richard for the comparison! :) I pray you have a speedy recovery and get back to your pre-accident condition fast! Your videos have been so helpful to hundreds of people, keep up the good work!
I glad you liked reading all our messages. Hopefully it brought your spirits up a bit after being in bed for so long. Take all the time you need to make more videos, we will be here when you're ready.😊
Glad your home and feeling better. As far as doctor office paperwork, I keep a couple of spreadsheets up to date and print them out before going to a new doctor and then on the doctors paperwork I just write see attached. I have one for all my medication separated by prescribed and over the counter, I have one for all my surgeries and procedures (printed double sided), and I have one with all my doctors listed separated out by current and former (but I usually only print the current doctors as the former doctors are more for my records). For emergencies my wife and I also keep our medications listed in an App on our phones. This happened after my wife had an emergency medical issue in which she was unconscious and the emergency room doctor needed to now what medications she was taking and I had no idea. With the app my wife, my daughter and I can all access the information. Unfortunately, we’ve had to use it with my wife 2 times since we uploaded the information. Fortunately, when my wife is having issues I’ve been ok and when I’m having issues my wife has been ok, but we put our daughter on just in case.
Dude, I'm so glad you're doing better, even if it's a little bit. I was watching the video and every time you tried to move, I cringed about how much pain you were in.
33:13 those steri-strips are great! When I was like 12 they saved me from getting stitches from a boomerang hitting me on my right ear. (turns out they DO come back! 😅)
Same week that I was in the hospital like you. I had pneumonia and infection. I was in ICU. I went to the hospital on December 27th till January 9th. Also I fell down on my right knee and had v bad bruise as it was hematoma. The bruises went away for one year and half. The nerve pain took me 4 years to go away. I’m glad you are doing well.
