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Rob – What do you wish you had known at the beginning?

Rob – What do you wish you had known at the beginning?

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I had one gentleman tell me, because I kept on thinking about all the things that I can’t do, one of the guys I play tennis with before I started playing tennis, he goes, “look at all the things that you can do, because there’s so many things, ... Show More

I had one gentleman tell me, because I kept on thinking about all the things that I can’t do, one of the guys I play tennis with before I started playing tennis, he goes, “look at all the things that you can do, because there’s so many things, once you try to do all those you’re going to forget about the few things that you can’t do.” Probably one of the best pieces of advice I got. It was so vague at the time that it really didn’t hit me. So, that’s huge, I mean there’s definitely individual things that I wish I knew. I mean hand controls in cars because, of course, when this first happens you’re like, “I’m never going to drive again.” “I am never going to do this again.” I didn’t think I could ever get into my mom’s house again. But there’re so many different adaptive equipment and things of that nature that are out there. Snow skiing was always a big part of my life, I have gone on yearly vacations, I had never even seen a sit ski before. That’s what I said there’s adaptive equipment for everything. If you want to do it they can find a way and you don’t really realize that until the injury happens—and you’re the one that going to use these things. So, really that unknown is the hardest first part, and knowing that there’s all that stuff out there, would’ve helped in kind of giving you a little more positive outlook.

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Rob – What do you wish you had known at the beginning?

Rob

Injured in 36 at age 36, paraplegic
More Videos by Rob
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I had one gentleman tell me, because I kept on thinking about all the things that I can’t do, one of the guys I play tennis with before I started playing tennis, he goes, “look at all the things that you can do, because there’s so many things, once you try to do all those you’re going to forget about the few things that you can’t do.” Probably one of the best pieces of advice I got. It was so vague at the time that it really didn’t hit me. So, that’s huge, I mean there’s definitely individual things that I wish I knew. I mean hand controls in cars because, of course, when this first happens you’re like, “I’m never going to drive again.” “I am never going to do this again.” I didn’t think I could ever get into my mom’s house again. But there’re so many different adaptive equipment and things of that nature that are out there. Snow skiing was always a big part of my life, I have gone on yearly vacations, I had never even seen a sit ski before. That’s what I said there’s adaptive equipment for everything. If you want to do it they can find a way and you don’t really realize that until the injury happens—and you’re the one that going to use these things. So, really that unknown is the hardest first part, and knowing that there’s all that stuff out there, would’ve helped in kind of giving you a little more positive outlook.

Rob – What do you wish you had known at the beginning?
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