Paralympians

The 2012 Summer Paralympics begins on Wednesday night in London.  Paralympics never get the same amount of attention as the Olympics.  I admit that it's only because of the convenience  of the internet that I clicked on to the related links, and only now I get a stronger feel about it.

Some of the pics HERE are so inspiring, and some of the stories about the athletes brought tears.

http://www.theatlantic.com

Wheel chair racing, Blind racing, Sit-down volleyball, Archery without arms...

Wow.

I couldn't sleep after looking through the pics.  I know they are not meant to make us sad instead they should be inspiring and motivational in reminding us of how lucky we are to be able to walk, run, sit, lift, see, hear, talk.


As I tried to fall asleep just now, I drifted back to that faithful day when I suddenly became totally paralysed waist down on one side and partially paralysed in both arms and hands.  I remember what it was like lying there on the hospital bed not even able to push myself up to sit. I could only lie there with very limited movements till bedsores developed.

I was lucky, very lucky indeed that it was only a short term condition.  I walked again with some weakness after about 5 days.  I was discharged after 10 days.  I represented my college faculty in a badminton mixed doubles match in the same year :)  My strokes and agility were not the same as before but I brushed the negative thoughts aside.

For years, doctors told me that I may have multiple sclerosis (MS) which means I may get random multiple attacks on different part of the nervous system through out my life.   I pushed those thoughts aside and moved on with life.

I got lucky again when doctors finally confirmed that it wasn't MS.  It's something called Transverse Myelitis, something even more rare but the chances of recurrence is extremely low. So I'm lucky and unlucky in some sense.

Looking through the pictures reminds me of how kind God has been to me.  And how lucky I've been.

But..I couldn't help but wonder ..if I were to get Lucky or Unlucky again...will I be as strong as them..the Paralympians.