生命即是奇迹Miraculous

　　UponhearingherevaluationIbecamefuriousforIthought,"WhoisshetotellmewhatIcanorcannotdo.Shedoesnotevenknowme.Iamaverydeterminedandstubbornperson!"IbelieveitwasatthatverymomentthatIdecidedIwouldsomehow,somedayreturntocollege.

　　IttookmealongtimeandalotofhardworkbutIfinallyreturnedtotheUniversityofTexasinthefallof1983-ayearandahalfafteralmostdying.ThenextfewyearsinAustinwereverydifficultforme,butItrulybelievethatinordertoseebeautyinlifeyouhavetoexperiencesomeunpleasantness.MaybeIhaveexperiencedtoomuchunpleasantness,butIbelieveinlivingeachdaytothefullest,anddoingtheverybestIcan.

　　Andeachnewdaywasverybusyandveryfull,forbesidesattendingclassesattheUniversityIunderwenttherapythreetofivedayseachweekatBrackenridgeHospital.IfthiswerenotenoughIflewtoHoustoneveryotherweekendtoworkwithTomWilliams,atrainerandexecutivewhohadworkedformanycollegesandprofessionalteamsandalsohadhelpedmanyinjuredathletes,suchasEarlCampbellandEricDickerson.ThroughTomIlearned:"Nothingisimpossibleandnever,nevergiveuporquit."

　　Early,duringmytherapy,myfatherkeptrepeatingtomeoneofhisfavoritesayings.Ihaverepeateditalmosteverydaysincebeinghurt:"Milebymileit'satrial;yardbyyardit'shard;butinchbyinchit'sacinch."

　　Ithoughtofthosewords,andIthoughtofTom,myfamilyandSharonwhobelievedsostronglyinmeasIclimbedthestepstoreceivemydiplomafromtheDeanofLiberalArtsattheUniversityofTexasonthatbrightsunnyafternooninJuneof1986.ExcitementandpridefilledmyheartasIheardthedeanannouncethatIhadgraduatedwith"highesthonors",beenelectedtoPhiBetaKappa,andbeenchosenasoneof12Dean'sDistinguishedGraduatesoutof1600intheCollegeofLiberalArts.

　　TheoverwhelmingemotionsandfeelingsthatIexperiencedatthatverymoment,whenmostoftheaudiencegavemeastanding17)ovation,Ifeltwouldneveragainbematchedinmylife-notevenwhenIgraduatedwithamastersdegreeinsocialworkandnotevenwhenIbecameemployedfulltimeattheTexasPainandStressCenter.ButIwaswrong!

　　OnMay24,1987,IrealizedthatnothingcouldevermatchthejoyIfeltasSharonandIweremarried.Sharon,myhighschoolsweetheartofnineyears,hadalwaysstoodbyme,throughgoodandbadtimes.Tome,Sharonismymiracle,mydiamondinaworldfilledwithproblems,hurt,andpain.ItwasSharonwhodroppedoutofschoolwhenIwashurtsothatshecouldconstantlybeatmyside.Sheneverwaveredorgaveuponme.

　　Itwasherfaithandlovethatpulledmethroughsomanydarkdays.Whileothernineteenyearoldgirlsweregoingtopartiesandenjoyinglife,Sharondevotedherlifetomyrecovery.That,tome,isthetruedefinitionoflove.

　　AfterourbeautifulweddingIcontinuedworkingparttimeatthePainCenterandcompletedmyworkforamastersdegree.Wewereextremelyhappy,butevenhappierwhenwelearnedSharonwaspregnant.

　　OnJuly11,1990at12:15a.m.Sharonwokemewiththenews:"Weneedtogotothehospital…mywaterjustbroke."Icouldn'thelpbutthinkhowironicitwasthatmylifealmostendedinaconveniencestoreandnowonthedate"7-11"wewereabouttobringanewlifeintothisworld.ThistimeitwasmyturntohelpSharonasshehadhelpedmeoverthosepastyears.

　　Shewasinlaborfor15