Welcome to 2TheHeart!
For those of you who were unable to use the link (It broke, but I didn't do it!!) to order "Angel's Legacy", I apologize for the link not working. You can order it by following this link: http://www.2theheart.com/angel_s_legacy/
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Please keep Maxine Wright in your prayers today. Today is the day of her surgery, and after reading her story "In God's Hands", 2theheart artist Shelly Duke whipped up a sketch about Maxine's dream. It is beautiful and we made a special page for it and Maxine's story. http://www.2theheart.com/god_shands
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Our new products are now available in our Writers Store! All our
products have a 30 day, money-back guarantee - browse our stores now to see the fun new products! http://www.2theheart.com/our_store_/
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"My personal trials have taught me the value of unmerited suffering. As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways that I could respond to my situation: either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force."
~ Martin Luther King, Jr 1929
Today's story is by a man I consider to be a true hero. Mike shows us that nothing is impossible with enough determination and God in your corner.
"Crossroads of Life"
by Michael Jordan Segal, LMSW, LMFT
I awoke from a coma, thinking I was in the southwestern part of Russia. I had no idea what I was doing there, and to add to my confusion I had no' idea why so many friends and family members were also in Russia with me.
In reality, I was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Breckenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas, the result of having been shot, point blank in the head, during a convenience store robbery. I was the victim of a violent crime, being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Before that infamous night, I thought I was invincible and immortal. Life was good for me. I was a 19-year-old pre-med student at the University of Texas in Austin, well on my way to fulfilling a life-long dream of becoming an Orthopedic Surgeon. I had a beautiful girlfriend (Sharon, my high school sweetheart) and I thought life could not get any better. How wrong I was!!
On that eventful night, February 18, 1981,1 had to fight simply to remain alive. The three criminals who shot me thought I was dead, and after arriving by ambulance at the hospital very few people there believed I would be alive much longer. The police quickly transferred my case to the Homicide Division as they, too, thought I would not survive.
My neurosurgeon arrived at the hospital in the middle of the night only to turn around and go home, thinking I would be dead before the morning arrived. When he returned the next morning, surprised that I was still alive, he told my parents that he needed to immediately take me into the operating room for delicate brain surgery. However, instead of giving my parents any reason for hope, he coldly stated that there was a 60 percent chance that I would die during surgery, and if I did survive, there was almost a 100 percent chance that I would not be able to comprehend, communicate, or be a positive member of society again.
I beat the eminent neurosurgeon's odds and survived the surgery. I was still paralyzed on my right side, could not speak, and was confused. But I was alive.
After three weeks in Austin, I was strong enough to be transferred by jet ambulance to a Rehab Hospital in Houston. Once there, I continued to make slow but steady progress. However, after several weeks I was tested by a neuropsychologist and once again my life changed forever. She said, "I know you have goals of returning to college, but judging from the results of your test, we must be realistic." She implied most strongly that I would never return to college. I was furious and thought, "Lady, who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do? You do not even know me!" Right then and there I made returning to the University of Texas my number one goal.
My goal was not an easy one. I had to learn to walk again. I had to learn to speak again. I had to learn how to do small things that most of us take for granted like tying my shoes, getting dressed every day, taking a shave, etc. But this time I had to learn to do it by using only one hand.
However, after one and a half years of extremely difficult work my goal was reached. I returned to the University of Texas. When I was first injured, very few professionals believed that I would survive, and even fewer thought I would ever return to the University of Texas. None thought I would return to Plan II, the Honors Program at the University of Texas in which I was enrolled on that eventful night when I was shot. I surprised everyone when I resumed my university studies in none other then Plan II!!
After four years, I graduated at the top of my class, receiving such honors as Phi Beta Kappa, Dean's Distinguished Graduate, and Summa Cum Laude. After graduation from the University of Texas, I married Sharon, my high school sweetheart, who stood by me, giving me encouragement and love throughout my ordeal. Then I continued my education in Graduate School, obtaining my Master's of Social Work from the University of Houston.
Even though I was very proud of all my accomplishments there were times I felt very bitter. Once, a friend asked me to watch him play basketball thinking I would enjoy myself. Watching him play only upset me because I felt that had I not been a victim of violence, it would have been me playing instead of watching in the stands. I was constantly thinking "What if." I guess not enough time had elapsed for the process of grieving.
One day, as I was leaving for home, I pressed the button for the elevator. I had 18 floors to descend before reaching the lobby. I was just hoping and praying that for those 18 floors I would be alone. I wanted to be alone because I had not yet grieved for the many losses which I suffered, which included being partially paralyzed, losing the fluency and speed of my speech, and no longer having the ability to achieve my life-long goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon. When the elevator opened and was empty, I thanked God.
As the elevator continued I asked God not to let anyone on until it reached the first floor. However, as the elevator approached the 12th floor I heard the chime indicating that I would no longer be alone. "Okay, God," I said to myself, "I'll forgive You if the person just doesn't talk." The elevator doors opened and in walked a bright and cheerful woman smiling from ear to ear. (I hated people like that.) She paused for two seconds and with much exuberance exclaimed, "Red hair, auburn hair -- you must be lucky." Disgusted, I snapped back and said to her, "Lady, I have to be the most unlucky person alive," to which she replied, "Oh, that's not very positive." "Okay, you want me to make it positive? Fine, I'm very positive I'm the most unlucky person alive."
The woman literally bolted from the elevator as soon as we reached the lobby. She probably could have even beaten the famous track star Carl Lewis. I thought for a long time about what had just occurred. Before I was shot, I could do at least 500 things extremely well, but now I could possibly do 200 if I was really lucky. I therefore thought to myself; "Am I going to concentrate on the 300 things I can no longer do or on the 200 things that I can still do?'
At that very moment, the answer was clear. I was going to make my life positive and focus on what I still had and not on what I had recently lost.
Grief is a funny thing. It affects us all. Whether you are shot in the head, mourning for a loved one whom has just passed away, or facing a divorce, grief is extremely painful. No one expects to experience these losses, but I have come torealize that they are part of life. It is true that overcoming grief takes much time. However, with the correct attitude I believe that most everyone can overcome it. It is like the old saying that says: "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." As I thought about this, I decided to make myself a tall, delicious, glass of lemonade.
©2001 by Michael Jordan Segal, all rights reserved
msegalhope@aol.com
Michael Segal is a social worker at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, Texas, an author, and an inspirational/motivational speaker. Mike's story, "My Miraculous Family," was published in "Chicken Soup for the Christian Family Soul." Mike has written an autobiography entitled Never Say Quit and is currently looking for a publisher. He lives in Houston with his highschool sweetheart, Sharon, and their daughter, Shawn. He can be reached through his web page at: http://www.allworld.net/segal/
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The Letter Box:
Susan,
Thank you and the entire 2theheart family so much. It is 4:45 AM here, and I am about to head out the door to my "party". I know everything will be fine. The e-mails have been wonderful. Larry has your number and so does Vanessa. One of them will be calling you. The surgery starts at 8:30 Eastern time. So somewhere around 12 Noon is when they should know. Thank you again for all you have done and all the prayers. I am excited about the book and cannot wait to get mind. I know that it was truly a labor of love. It will be a best seller in our hearts. I love you all...max
~Maxine Wright
Dear Susan,
Congratulations on Angel's Legacy! I just ordered it online and I am so excited to get it! I have loved all of your stories about her and I miss her too. Thank you for sharing her life - it is a gift.
Love,
Carla Bingham
Dear 2theheart,
I found "A Wished Upon Star" to be deeply moving. You are right - Misty's writing style is very poetic. I hope we see more stories from her!
~Patricia
Dear 2theheart,
I hadn't signed up for Funny Friday before because I am so busy. However yesterday I went to your site and read through the archives, laughing myself silly! I am now on your Funny Friday list and look forward to starting my weekend off with it!
~Michelle Whitaker
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