Blogging about my disability, part two in what will be a 3 part series.

I decided to parlay the blog from last weekend into a three part series. I told you last week about the perspective I see things through, being in a wheelchair for sixteen years and not having use of my legs for all 23 years of my life.

Today, I have decided to let you have a peek at some of the things I have had to endure over these 23 years, separated into 3 segments: Birth to 10 years, 10 years to 14 years, and 14 years to today. This isn't a complete medical history, but it DOES give you a look at some things I have had to deal with in 23 years.

Birth to 10 years:

1985 - Shunt placed in my head, correction to spina bifida, tendon releases for club foot. Also a broken foot.
1986-88 - Bladder infections, but that was really about it.
1990 - Attempt to use a walker. Didn't go over too well.
1992 - First use of a wheelchair.

10 years to 2000

1995 - Cyst removed from spine. Also began having more and worse latex reactions.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: To this day I cannot come in contact with latex balloons, toys, or anything containing latex. Otherwise, you'll be watching 3rd degree burn-type blisters sprouting on my arms and other areas)
1996 - Bladder surgery.
1998 - Surgery to correct scoliosis.
Early 1999 on to mid 2001 - Pressure ulcer issues. This is due to weight shift following the 1998 Scoliosis Correction Surgery.
2000 - Septic Shock - First major illness. Spent 13 days in hospital, another 2 weeks at home for this alone. Then in November, bowel obstruction landed me in hospital for another week, and in December, a broken leg put me in a cast for 3 weeks. I've suffered an additional obstruction since then but cannot recall the date. (AUTHOR'S NOTE 2: I will describe what I remember of the October/early November timeframe in the next blog)

2001 to today

2001 - Finally had correction of pressure ulcer from 1999.
2004 - Car crash. Destroyed wheelchair, but otherwise I was fine (incredibly, and by God's hand alone)
2005 - Mitroffanoff began to close off. Late December surgery to construct first ilial chimney.
2006 - Another bout of septic shock that June, caused by inadvertent clog in ilial chimney. I had severe pain in my stomach for two days and a very high fever. I was later told that if I had waited another 36 hours, I would have been killed. Two weeks in hospital leads to recovery by late June.
2007 - Another pressure ulcer becomes infected and results in 7 month bedrest, with surgery done in December resulting in the final month of rest. Also, early 2007 - depression diagnosis, but haven't had a significant episode of such since then.
2008 (Current to Nov. 29): Broke neck in April. Had surgery in May to construct a second ilial chimney. Another pressure ulcer led to 2 months of restriction which was lifted August 20 in time for a small 23rd b-day celebration. Nothing since.