PART ONE

This 17 year old male was well until 12/6/67 when while wrestling in gym class in high school he was thrown over and fell on his back and the boy he was wrestling with fell on top of his head coming down at the apex of the neck and chest area. The head was forced upward and the boy felt immediate lack of ability to move his arms or legs. He was unable to continue or move after that and (had) some pain in his neck and very little feeling over the rest of his body and could not move. He was placed on a stretcher and brought to the E.R.

    Highland Park Hospital medical records

Chapter One

    This is what I remember:

    My gym teacher, Mr. Hurley, blowing his whistle.

    My friend and wrestling partner, Rensy, dipping down to the balding rubber mat and grabbing my right leg at the knee.

    Hopping backward on my left foot, both my hands holding onto Rensy's shoulders for balance.

    Losing that balance and falling backward toward the ... read full excerpt from: Three Quarters, Two Dimes, and a Nickel: A Memoir of Becoming Whole ebook