I had traveled to the lake on Friday night to spend the weekend with my family. My mom & dad have a trailer at Lake Eufaula & we had been going to the lake about every weekend. I woke up on Saturday, June 27, 1998 with a terrible sinus headache! (breaking my neck was not the way to get rid of it!) My dad went to the store & got me some medicine & I went back to bed. That afternoon we loaded everything to take out to the island & went to mom & dad's favorite spot. The shoreline was sand & the water was shallow for a few feet then dropped off. We had gone to this place every weekend this year & years before & I was very familiar with the water (or so I thought).
That afternoon was spent sunbathing, swimming, jet skiing, & last but not least water skiing. I hadn't water skied in three years. My Uncle Joe & Aunt Debbie had bought a new ski boat & were going to go skiing & I was thrilled at the opportunity to water ski! So off we went to see if I still had it in me at age 29. It took three trys to get up but it was exhilarating when I finally did it! I slalomed until my legs gave out! I had no idea this would be the last time I would ski or be able to feel my tired thighs! My cousins took their turns skiing & it was time to head back in.
As we were pulling back into shore I decided to dive off of the boat. I thought that the water was deep - after all I knew this area quite well - but the boat was still moving toward shore & by the time I stood up & dove the water depth was actually only about 2 to 3 feet deep. I was not knocked unconcious so I remember it all well. I tried to swim to the surface but realized something was very wrong! My body felt like it was humming or vibrating. I prayed "God don't let me die I have two children to raise". I knew I had to hold my breath. I could hear my Aunt screaming "Nicki, Nicki" & could see arms in front of me. I thought they were her arms reaching for me & I tried so hard to reach for them but nothing happened. It was actually my arms floating lifelessly away from my body. Daddy got to me & turned me over & asked "Are you okay?" I took a deep breath & replied "I'm breathing". He & my brother pulled me up to the shoreline trying to secure my neck. In the meantime a friend of mom & dad's went to get a paramedic & nurse who were just around the island. Everyone was pretty calm - my son was extremely upset. I asked if my hands were on my stomach or floating in the water & that is when everyone started pinching me asking "can you feel this?" The only feeling I could feel was a tingling on my shoulders. The paramedic & nurse arrived & started securing my neck. They said I may have shocked the spinal cord. Mom had sent my son & his dad to call for help. They got a kneeboard under me & took a foam noodle (flourescent foam sticks that kids play with in the water) & broke it off. They placed it on one side of my head over the top to the other side. They took black electrical tape & wrapped it over my chin around the board & over my forehead around the board. Next they loaded me on front of the pontoon boat to get me across the lake where the ambulance could reach us. I told mom to call our pastor Brother Tim & my close friend Betty whose faith always amazed me. Prayers were started immediately!
The ambulance arrived & I was transported to Muskogee Hospital which was about a 45 minute drive. Mom came with me, dad drove his pickup & my children stayed with my brother & my Aunt Debbie & Uncle Joe. Upon arrival at Muskogee they did an x-ray which showed I had broken my neck at the 5th cervical vertebrae. Many questions were asked including "Have you been drinking or doing drugs?" I proudly was able to reply "No". I had a wild period in 1992 to 1994 which resulted in me becoming addicted to methamphetamine - I checked myself into Valley Hope & overcame my addiction by looking to God again & by attending Alcholics Anonymous / Narcotics Anonymous. Drugs nor alcohol played any part in my accident. I was asked this question what seemed a hundred times! After determining my neck was broken they gave us the option of staying there or transferring to Tulsa - we decided to transfer to Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Muskogee administered a steroid to keep the swelling down while waiting for the helicopter. It made me sick & they had to insert a tube up my nose into my stomach to pump out stomach contents. That was a horrible experience! Our pastor arrived along with Gene & Cheryl Dukes (mom & dad's friends) & was able to pray with me & my mom & dad before the transport to Tulsa.
The helicopter arrived & daddy was allowed to fly with me. Gene offered to drive daddy's pickup & Cheryl drove mom. The flight was so loud & only took about 15 minutes. Upon arrival to Tulsa I guess they gave me something because I only remember bits& pieces. I remember being very cold & the sliding of x-ray films. I woke up while they were doing the MRI - I didn't know where I was - I was very scared - I was completely disoriented! I remember someone pulling on my rings as I was being rolled down the hallway. The next thing I remember is staring into my best friend Shanda's eyes thinking "something was really wrong". She says I just stared into her eyes so deeply as if I wanted her to tell me what was going on. This was after surgery while I was in recovery. I still had no idea how severe my injury was.
The doctor's had consulted with mom & dad & recommended decompression & stabilization surgery. I had a C5 burst fracture with bone fragments retropulsed into the spinal cord. They agreed to the surgery & were told that even though I had been breathing on my own I would be on a ventilator after the surgery for several days. They were told I was paralyzed from the neck down & would be a quadriplegic for the rest of my life. The doctors fused C4 thru C6 & placed a plate on the anterior side of these vertebrae. The surgery went well & I was placed in ICU. The doctors were wrong about the ventilator! I went to recovery without it - Thank you God!
I was in & out of a morphine induced sleep until Tuesday, June 30, 1998. I remember people from church coming by & other visitors but don't recall any conversations with them. I do remember on Tuesday the doctor came in to put on a halo. He said they were going to give me morphine & I told him "no". I realized then why I had been out of it! They shaved my hair off behind my ears to prep my scalp for the pins. The doctor got a huge needle & told me I would feel several bee stings - they were going to deaden the areas where the pins would go. They were no bee stings like I had ever gotten! I told everyone that the bee must have been a foot long! They placed the halo & screwed in the pins. It was horrible. The doctor said I would have to wear it for 12 weeks. I did.
On Wednesday, July 1, 1998 I was moved to a regular room. My dad had spent every night with me so my brother & son stayed to give him a break. My mom had been there daily & was taking care of my daughter at night. It was on this day I realized the extent of my injury. I wasn't upset - I had an overwhelming sense of calm & reassured everyone I was going to be okay. I prayed alot.
Each day brought new strength - on Monday, July 6, 1998 I was transferred to Jim Thorpe Rehabilitation in Oklahoma City, OK. I remember barely being able to move my arms. The physical therapist told me I would pass out the first time they sat me up. I prayed I wouldn't and I didn't - thanks again God. I had some return of sensation on my arms & hands but I didn't feel hot or cold or pain. It was long & hard work. I was there for eight weeks. I came home for three weeks until the halo came off & then went back for five more weeks. I currently have good movement & strength in both arms & both wrist entensors. I don't have any movement in my fingers. I have some back muscles. I haven't had any new return since the beginning.
I had a few problems with low blood pressure right after coming home but for the most part I haven't had any major problems. I feel an electrical current type sensation in my legs & feet most of the time with strong pulsations in my toes & fingertips. I haven't had much pain - a little in my shoulders & that's it. I have super sensitive areas on my arms at times that drive me crazy!
I feed myself using a utensil holder that straps to my hand. I turn the TV & stereo on /off using my knuckles. I do my own makeup (except mascara). *Update - Dec 99 - I am doing my own mascara - very carefully! lol! I drink from a cup with a handle using my thumb to hold it.. I operate my Gateway computer using a regular mouse & keyboard. I type with my pinky knuckle. I use a cordless phone & dial with my tongue. I also have a speaker phone. *Update - Feb 2002 - I have been washing my own face, cooking things in the microwave, paying my bills using my computer and printing checks, filling out forms, etc.. These are all things I didn't know if I would be able to do again but slowly I have accomplished these tasks. I am still learning I can do things myself and it's been over 3 1/2 years since my accident..
My most difficult issue is not being able to care for my daughter. I am able to hug her which is something I didn't think I would be able to do. She rides on the back of my chair or on my lap. I can't physically take care of her but I am still here for her & my son. I am very thankful for that. *Update Feb 2002 - Now that she is older I deal with this issue much better. She is able to do things for herself and helps me a lot.
It's been a long road. I am here for a purpose and I am still learning what it is. Please don't forget to leave a message on my message board!
I have realized that thru my accident my faith has become much stronger.
*Update - Feb 2002 - I am now involved as a leader for my church's AWANA program and absolutely love it. I do our point and attendance records on the computer and get a lot of fullfillment by just doing whatever I can do - which is much more than I expected. I now get to be the stay at home mom I could never be and have a much closer relationship with my son. Thru tragedy great things have happened and I know great things will continue to happen as long as I keep asking for God's will in my life.