Finding my direction

was like a lot of people when I was younger.  I didn’t know what I wanted to do, or even more importantly; how to go about finding out what I could do.  It was a little different for me because I grew up with physical disabilities.  I was injured when I was a child (13 months old) due to a car running over my body and dragging me down a dirt road.  Even as a child, I wouldn’t give up.  The accident should have killed me but it didn't.  I spent much of my childhood living and growing up in hospitals.  In a way I was raised by doctors, nurses and caregivers.  I guess it is only natural that I would wind up working in healthcare.

My time in high school was uneventful at best.  I had a small group of friends, one of which I still talk to on a regular basis.  After high school I spent some time traveling and trying to find myself.  

A series of nonproductive jobs eventually brought me to work at a good paying, but somewhat uninspiring job at a polyester factory in North Carolina.  I worked there for nearly ten years.  It was a sunny day in September, 1988 when I was riding my Harley back to Salisbury, NC from Statesville, NC that my life changed forever, again.

I was enjoying a beautiful fall day when a lady in a beat up old car pulled out of a side road onto the highway.  She didn't see me or my bike.  I was sixteen feet from the intersection when I hit her nearly head on.  My body flew into the air and across the road.  I landed just six inches from the edge of the opposite side of the road.  I hit the ground just in time to see the semi truck whiz by my head.  I never lost consciousness even though I broke most of the bones on the right side of my body.

I should have died right then and there, but I didn't.  I should have broken my spine or had a severe head injury or both, but I didn’t.  Instead I spent the next six months recovering in hospital from all the broken bones and torn muscles.  A lot of people thought I should have died in that accident.  I  am sure some people thought I would have been better off if I had died.  I survived and went on to do some pretty amazing things and I hope I have a lot of great things left to do.  I feel that I am still here for a reason.  I am still working out all the details of what those reasons are, but then aren't we all.

© David Diggs 2013