| It was back in 1994 that I was a strong 17 year | | | | bed and set in a wheelchair, that was my only |
| old boy who had the world in the palm of my | | | | means of ambulation or getting around for about |
| hands!In other words...I was the most successful | | | | 5 months...- I was then able to advance to the |
| running-back on any high school football team in | | | | use of a walker to get around and that lasted for |
| my home countyI was a center-fielder for one of | | | | about 2 months...Next, I advanced to the use of a |
| the Baltimore Orioles' semi-pro baseball teamsI | | | | mere cane to walk with and it was just about |
| played baseball for the Babe Ruth LeagueI ran | | | | that time that my parents decided to withdraw |
| trackI wrestledI also played basketball for my high | | | | me from the Sinai hospital in Baltimore, MD so |
| schoolIt was in the middle of June in 1994 that I | | | | they could enroll me in out-patient therapy at the |
| had been summoned to appear in court to serve | | | | Alfred I. Dupont Hospital in Wilmington, DE.I |
| trial for 8 tickets or traffic violations.My friends & | | | | continued therapy & recovery at A.I. Dupont for |
| I knew that I would most likely lose my driver's | | | | about 5 months and during that time, I was able |
| license for a long time so we all decided to throw | | | | to complete the school work I had missed for the |
| a party in honor of my supposed 'last night with a | | | | first 3 marking periods of my senior year.I was, in |
| license'.Reportedly, I was up all night having fun at | | | | fact, able to walk across my home high school's |
| this party and tried to drive home at about 4:30 | | | | football field - unassisted - to be handed my high |
| the next morning.I guess I made the drive | | | | school diploma and it was with my graduating |
| successfully up to about the last mile before my | | | | class of '95.When the principle handed over my |
| parent's house when I fell asleep behind the | | | | diploma, it caused the parents in the bleachers to |
| wheel.It was just my luck that I fell asleep at the | | | | stand to their feet and give a standing ovation as |
| top of a big hill with a long, downward | | | | well as many loud cheers.Faced with very few |
| straight-away because my foot relaxed on the | | | | options...Ok, great! I was a high school graduate |
| accelerator and caused my car's speed to climb | | | | and no one thought I could do it but what in the |
| to about 80 mph (miles per hour) before I drifted | | | | world would I or could I do to earn a living for |
| off the left shoulder of the road.My front left tire | | | | myself, now that I have several physical |
| then dropped down into a ditch and smashed into | | | | limitations?I discovered that my home state would |
| a culvert pipe that ran under a driveway.This | | | | pay my college tuition since I am now considered |
| culvert pipe caused my car to be violently thrown | | | | to be a handicapped person in the state of |
| up in the air, flipping end-over-end at 80 mph and | | | | Maryland.So I went to the nearby community |
| then landing on it's roof in the next | | | | college to take classes and that only lasted for |
| driveway.Luckily for me, the man who owned the | | | | about one semester before I just stopped going. |
| driveway with the pipe my car had smashed into | | | | They didn't have anything that really held my |
| was awake and he heard the horrific sound. The | | | | interest, to be honest!So I spent a few months |
| man was then able to quickly dial the national | | | | trying to work a few different jobs but of |
| emergency number or 9-1-1.When the EMT | | | | course, they all had to 'let me go' after I would |
| (Emergency Medical Team) arrived on the scene, | | | | damage some type of merchandise because of |
| the head nurse radioed the local hospital to ask | | | | my lack of balance.I even tried going back to |
| the advice of the doctor-on-duty. She was told | | | | college a second time to study AutoCADD |
| that, 'It sounds like the boy will either die or be a | | | | (Computer Aided Drafting & Design) but that |
| paraplegic for the rest of his life, stop CPR!'It was | | | | didn't last either.My Second Brush with |
| in my favor that even though that head nurse | | | | Death!When I had returned to college for the |
| didn't know me personally, she knew of me | | | | second time, I was able to rent a small apartment |
| through a friendship she had with my mother and | | | | in the same town where the college was located |
| she refused to stop giving me CPR!That same | | | | which was the same town my parents lived in, |
| head nurse was also faced with yet another | | | | and that is where I grew up & went to high |
| tough decision!She was forced to decide whether | | | | school.One cold day in January of 1997, I decided |
| or not to radio for the ambulance - which would | | | | to carry a load of laundry to my parent's house |
| only take me back to the same hospital that had | | | | so I could wash it since I didn't have my own |
| just recommended she let me die - or to radio | | | | washer & dryer.I had walked about a quarter mile |
| for the Medi-Vac Chopper to fly all the way up | | | | out of town in the direction of my parent's place |
| from the heart of Baltimore to Cecil County just | | | | when it happened.The last thing I remember was |
| to transport me all the way back.I'm not sure | | | | yelling across the road to ask someone if they |
| how she did it or what led her to make the | | | | could give me a ride when everything just went |
| decision she made but that head nurse chose to | | | | dark!When I came out of it, I found myself in a |
| radio for the Medi-Vac Chopper!As hard as it was | | | | hospital bed once again but this time, I had a full |
| to believe that a head nurse would take the | | | | leg cast on each leg.In order to explain how it |
| chance of waiting for a chopper to fly that | | | | happened, I need to take you back to when I |
| distance to get me, it was even more | | | | was standing on the side of the road, yelling to |
| unbelievable that the Medi-Vac Chopper was | | | | the car on the other shoulder.There was some |
| already airborne and on its' way to a medical | | | | lady driving a big Lincoln Town Car and she was |
| show in the nearby state of Delaware, placing it | | | | flying up the road behind me at about 65 |
| about 20 seconds from the scene of the | | | | mph.This lady had a child in the back that wasn't in |
| accident.My family was also notified by the | | | | a car seat and she was turned around to correct |
| attending police officer and they came as quickly | | | | the child causing her attention to be on anything |
| as they could.That Head Nurse's Decision-Making | | | | but the road.For this reason, the lady didn't see |
| Wasn't Over Yet...Once I had been loaded onto | | | | me standing on the side of the road when she |
| that Medi-Vac Chopper, the head nurse also had | | | | veered off onto the shoulder and the front |
| to decide whether she wanted to leave me in the | | | | bumper of her big Lincoln Town Car smashed into |
| able-but-strange hands of the medical personnel | | | | my left knee with enough force to send me up |
| on that chopper or if she wanted to fly all the | | | | into the air while the lady & her car ran off into |
| way to Baltimore to administer CPR to her | | | | the bushes.Blood Covered Road...Reportedly, the |
| friend's son herself.I have a feeling that the | | | | entire road where I had landed was covered with |
| medical personnel on that chopper would not have | | | | the blood squirting from my left knee.You see, |
| been so diligent when my heart stopped beating | | | | when that big Lincoln Town Car collided with the |
| on 3 seperate occasions and I would be dead if | | | | left side of my left knee at about 65 mph, the |
| that woman wouldn't have flown to Baltimore | | | | pressure was not only enough to throw my |
| with me to keep administering CPR by her own | | | | whole body up into the air but the force was |
| choice.I was still unconscious when the chopper | | | | great enough to shatter both the fibula & tibia |
| landed on top of the 'Shock Trama Hospital' in | | | | bones at both the knee & the ankle of both legs, |
| Baltimore and the doctors decided that I was in a | | | | giving me 8 shattered joints all together. That |
| comatose state.My family was on their way to | | | | was also the reason my blood was squirting all |
| 'Shock Trama' and arrived shortly after the | | | | over the road - the bones had ripped through the |
| chopper had landed but I can only imagine how | | | | outer skin of my left leg.It was once again my |
| hard it was to be told that 'your first-borne son is | | | | good fortune that the doctor-on-duty at the |
| in a comatose state and will not live through the | | | | Chrisitana Hospital in Christiana, DE (yes, I was |
| day'.Three days after my accident, I was still in a | | | | air-lifted to yet another hospital) was an |
| coma but I was very much alive!The doctors | | | | orthopedic specialist and was able to place each |
| then predicted that I would remain in a coma for | | | | leg - with 4 shattered joints each - in a full leg |
| the rest of my life.I can't get into everything my | | | | cast.So now my future looked even more dismal |
| parents did while their son spent the next 40 | | | | or disappointing but I came upon a Google Ad |
| days in a coma but I'm sure you can imagine | | | | that sent me to a company that changed the |
| what you would do if you had a son who was | | | | way my future looks for me!The Way it is Now...!- |
| loved by everyone and he actually lost his life 3 | | | | I am completely able to walk with no assistive |
| times from a severe auto accident.After the | | | | devices- I am completely able to speak and very |
| 40-day coma...The doctors had predicted that I | | | | clear- I am completely able to operate a motor |
| would remain in a coma for the rest of my life | | | | vehicle safely as well!My Remaining Limitations...!- |
| but when the monitors started to pick up an | | | | Because the bones in my legs were not set |
| increase in brain activity, their prediction changed! | | | | exactly the way they were at birth, I will never |
| They told my family that it was very unlikely that | | | | again be able to run- Because of the damage to |
| I'd ever walk or talk again and I was transported | | | | my throat, I will never again be able to sing in the |
| across the city to the Sinai Hospital.Well, I'll just | | | | shower *smile*- Another problem the damage to |
| say that the doctor's prediction of my supposed | | | | my throat caused is the fact that I am unable to |
| recovery changed again after I mumbled a few | | | | hold my breath under water, which is bad since I |
| words & stumbled a few steps. They then said | | | | once worked as a lifeguard.Although, a short while |
| that I would most likely never graduate from high | | | | following my major accidents, I was able to |
| school and "IF" I ever did, it would be years after | | | | create an incredibly successful web site and you |
| my graduating class.Finally Free!- I had spent 40 | | | | can click the link below to see it and learn more |
| days in a coma...- Then, for the next 2 weeks, I | | | | about me...Peters, Michael (2004) Web Site I've |
| was stuck in the hospital bed and didn't have | | | | built since my accident: you are at all interested in |
| enough physical strength to be transported into a | | | | reviewing the result of months of intense labor, |
| wheelchair...- Once I could finally be lifted from my | | | | you can take a glance at my web site! |