click on pictures to see more detail
This page is for friends and family who have asked to be updated on Jack's progress. Below this text is a table of contents in chronological order of specific events. Most is about Jack, but some refer to happenings in the family and special events. The page has evolved to become more than just "Jack's Progress". We have all made progress in dealing with the situation, so it only makes sense to include the various happenings that affect us all in our little spot in the universe. We have categorized the pages by date and happenings, and included descriptive titles so you can browse as you choose.
Jack suffered a spinal cord injury on Memorial Day 1998. He spent from that day until September 15, 1998, in the hospital. He came home listed as an incomplete quad, diminished in body, but not in spirit.
Mandy, Jack's wife, is my sister, and they have two daughters. My parents also live on the "family farm", and Mandy and Jack have been of enormous help to them. While Mandy practically lived in ICU with Jack during the summer of 1998 (we almost lost him several times), Mom and Dad took care of the two monkeys (my nieces, age 8 and 11 at the time).
We found it impossible to help sufficiently via long distance and David made the decision to move to WV. To give up our business of 12 years, friends, and family in Houston, was terrifying to say the least. But move we did, and we haven't regretted the decision. Although we miss our family and the many restaurants where we over indulged.....
Beginning in June of 1998, we worked diligently on trying to get the state to fix the state owned road (since 1933) that wound through the property....4.1 miles of pure mud, river stone, and ruts. We arrived on August 12, 1998, and met with the Governor's office on the 18th day of August. By October 1998, our road was covered with beautiful crushed limestone and more than passable! The following spring of 1999, the State came in and replaced 13 culverts to help facilitate drainage. The state has been extremely helpful in maintaining the road, and we'd like to say thanks.....again!
As the winter of 1998 passed with a whisper, Jack started getting a little stir crazy for activity besides being stuck inside. Santa had brought him and David identical remote control four wheel trucks for Christmas! Jack was real good about keeping the batteries charged.
Once spring hit, Jack took his toy outside and set up jump ramps, chased the cat, and did his normal hell raising. One day, he got his truck stuck in the ditch, and rather than call a "tow truck" (David), he leaned way y y y y y y ov v v v ver and fell out of his wheelchair.
After much hollering to get Mandy's attention, she informed him that there was no way she could get him back into the wheelchair without him dragging himself to the bumper of the car, so they could stabilize the chair. By the time Jack had drug himself to the car, he was "mooning" the birds and the bees, and a few wasps, who had been eying him with speculation. Mandy was laughing so hard she could barely help him into the chair.
Spring was well on its way when Jack decided that he wanted to get onto the riding lawn mower. He begged David to let him ride! David agreed to put him on the mower, under the stern condition that he was not to touch anything. He wanted to see what he would have to do to get it retrofitted for Jack to use SAFELY. That was like telling Tim Allen of Tool Time, "Don't Turn it on!" Oh, Jack blithely agreed, and David helped him onto the mower. As angelic as could be, Jack sat there while David walked away to get some tools.
I had taken the video camera outside to film the momentous moment of Jack sitting on the riding mower. While David walked away, Jack used his one good hand (the left) to raise his left leg and plop his foot onto the mower's brake. He then reached across his body with his good left hand and turned on the riding mower. David had just finished mowing the grass and it was set to HIGH throttle. At the sound of the mower starting, I swung around and filmed the whole thing. Too scared to stop the camera.
The riding mower took off like a bronc out of its chute, and Jack was flopping all over the mower like a drunk rider. I was hollering for David to stop him. He was heading right for the electric fence that Dave had spent 3 days putting up. After almost falling off the mower and David succeeding in stopping the beast, Jack just sat there and grinned like an idiot. You could see the self esteem rise like a mercury thermometer.
It was the day Jack went mobile!
and the day David aged TEN YEARS!
David fixed up the riding mower with a plywood backboard and chest harness, to keep the fool from falling off the mower. Jack mowed, and mowed, and mowed, until the grasses would cringe when they saw him coming.
Black and Decker got a lot of our business, when we bought battery operated drill, screw driver, saw, and weed eater! Jack could now carry his battery operated weed eater with him while he mowed, and whack the sense out of those determined weeds who sought to hide from the chomping green monster.
During all this time, Mandy has maintained a great sense of humor, and even started a Mandy's Morning diary, which she hasn't kept up very well....but that's another story.
We are going to intersperse Jack's progress with sprinklings of Mandy's Mornings, the "monkeys", the farm, and anything else that inspires us. So, if you want a good dose of laughter, a few tears, and some beautiful scenery, come back and join us, so that you, too, can share in Jack's Progress!
If you want to send Jack a note, he can be reached at jack@knowareland.com
Section that have no hyperlink will soon be done...
| Spinal Cord Resource Info List with links and descriptions | Road condition prior to gravel work | Road condition after gravel work, and paving between two houses | July-August 1998 Jack in Halo, while he was in the hospital |
| September 1998 Jack's First Day Home! | Fall 1998 Jack falls backward in wheelchair! | January 1999 Road erosion due to heavy rains | 1999 Springtime in West Virginia... |
| May 1999 David Rigs up Lawn Mower for Jack to go Mobile! | July 25th 1999 Jack gets back into the water at Bee Run, where the accident happened | November 1999 Kids Vacation with us to Florida and Houston |
Jack gets his leg braces |
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March 2000 Pool Therapy Begins |
April 2000 Dogwood Blossoms and Girls in hats |
April 2000 Playing Pool and Video ... |
April 2000 the Baby Geese surprise! |
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Room Addition |
WV Wheel Chair Championship |
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Sherrie's B-Day and Croquet Match - Jack WON! |
Jack gets pressure sore on heel, can't use leg braces... |
Geese helping Jack and David work on truck |
Laurie helps put new tin on roof |
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September 2000 remodeling of Sherrie's room, and new windows in Laurie's |
September 2000 remodeling the girls' room, more pictures |
January 2001 Jack gets another pressure sore on heel | January 2001 Remodel of parents' kitchen, Jack and David working hard... |
| April 2001 | |||
| June 2001 Jack goes mobile - gets used Golf Cart...it's green too! | June 2001 Trip to the Gallery's | June 2001 Trip to Seneca Rocks | June 2001 Fun at the Pig Roast |
| June 2001 swimming at Bee Run...took the golf cart! | Jack begins EMG Biofeedback therapy at Cora Rehab and new physical, occupational, and pool therapy | June 2001 remodel of parents' bathroom and bedroom, floor rotted and had to be replaced. |
June 2001 Road gets paved "chip and tar" |
| July 2001 Sherrie's Birthday water balloon fight party |
July 2001 "Missy" the Deer, injured last year but doing better! |
July 2001 Misc Deer pictures |
July 31 2001 discovers new pressure sore on same heel...again! |
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August 2001
Tired of mice in kitchen drawers, so David puts a lid on it |
August 2001 Meeting with Dr. Brucker at Cora Rehab! | August 2001 trip to Sand Castle Water Park | August 2001 pool therapy at new rehab clinic |
Jack gets his leg braces and continues physical therapy twice a week.
Jack starts doing swimming Pool therapy. The therapist said he is the only quad he has seen with butt muscles. Apparently he is using glutes to do something! I think it's from all the riding around on the lawn mower, just like those fancy butt toners you pay a lot of money for at the gym.
To see more pictures of physical therapy in pool and on the weights,
We took Jack, and everyone to the bowling alley so Jack could try bowling. Well wouldn't you know, the one and only time our little bowling alley hosts the state championship would be this last weekend! Now that's an April fool's joke.....on us. The place was packed and no lanes open, but they did have video games and pool tables. Since Jack had not played pool since the accident, I felt pretty confident of my ability to win. Then Mandy told me that he used to play in tournaments....maybe she said it to psyche me out, but Jack was able to hit a lot more than I did.
To see more pictures of the gang on this special day, click here!
Mom and Dad brought home two baby geese for Laurie and Sherrie. Laurie, with Jack's instructional help, built their new wire pen and home. Sherrie helped by marking the boards. Laurie sawed, nailed, and stapled the pen together. When the weather clears up, we'll post pictures of their new home! She even drilled a hole for the lamp to go inside the hutch, to help keep them warm. It's a work of art!
To see pictures of the geese and pen that Laurie built, click here!
We all went to the annual Easter Egg Hunt at Don and Susie's place. There were over 1,400 hidden eggs. Dawna, Dave and Mandy found 58! Jack had a good time eating candy, cookies, and anything else that had sugar! Doesn't he look guilty? (second picture)
To see more pictures of Easter 2000, click here!
Jack, David and the rest of the family worked on their new room addition (their bedroom). Hopefully, we will have it complete before the end of summer! Jack's tired of sleeping in the living room.... Dave did the roof joists and tin, and we just have a little bit left to go to finish the roof. Jack's taking care of putting the windows in. Mandy's looking forward to having a dining room again.....
Jack participated in the West Virginia Wheel Chair Championship held in Charleston, WV. The man came home with four BLUE Ribbons, broke two state records in the Javelin and Discus throwing, and participated in the wheelchair race! He qualified for the Nationals, so now we have to get him practicing for the Nationals. We took a good amount of pictures, so if you want to view them, click here.
Sherrie's birthday event turned out to be another "win" for Jack....playing croquet for the first time, using only his left hand, he proceeded to win the game, with Dave coming in second. We all blamed his handicap for winning, isn't that how it works in golf??? Mandy is insisting on a rematch, saying he didn't adequately mow the park for the event. We gave him no slack, and Mandy even knocked his ball to the other side of the park, and he still came back and won the game. Disgusting!!!
Sherrie had a great birthday party, and we really enjoyed ourselves. The geese kept after Dog (the cat), Laurie played basketball, and everyone had a good time!!!