I Should Not Be Alive – Conclusion

As I conclude this series of posts, I must first say I am not at all done working through this experience;  I am not sure I will ever conclude that.  To wrap this up I am going to answer a few of the most commonly asked questions people have asked.

Did the bike get as banged up as you did?  Short answer: No.

The only lasting damage on the bike is a few scrapes and a zip tie as you can see in the picture.  The only other damage was a broken clutch bridge, a $10 part.

Was it horrible having to wear that back brace? Yes

I was in the back brace for 10 weeks, 6 of which was 24 hours a day and the last month I could take it off to sleep.  But I do not have any lasting back issues from it, thank you Lord!  The worst part of wearing it was the pressure it put on my broken sternum, but there was really nothing they could do about that.

What exactly did they do to your arm?

I had a plate and 7 screws put into my arm.  I was in a cast for a week after surgery then wore a brace on my arm for 5 weeks.  My arm is what I have the most lasting pain with, in fact it hurts right now as I type (though my softball game earlier today might have something to do with that).  I have heard people say that once you have metal in your body you will feel it the rest of your life, so far I believe that to be true.

Are you going to get rid of your motor cycle?

As of right now, no.  I still want to ride.  If I was wearing all my gear, out on a trail, and got hurt as bad as I did I would be done.  But that is not what happened.  I have ridden once since my accident, and the first 15 minutes was quite tension filled, but the longer I rode the more comfortable I got on the bike.  I still want to ride, I still have fun doing it, and unless God changes my mind I am not selling the bike.

I realize this whole experience will always be a major part of my life, but until recently I had no idea how big.  I of course wish I could have learned the spiritual lessons in some other way, but I do see how God has truly taken my stupidity (choosing to ride that fast through that lot) and used it for His glory.  My hope is it has helped you in some way, but even if it hasn’t it certainly has helped me to love my God and my family more than ever before, and take my time here on earth a bit more seriously.  On October 7th, 2010 I should have stood in front of Jesus, which I can’t wait to do, but I am not ready yet.  I feel like I have so much more to accomplish with my life, with my family, with my church, and within youth ministry.  May God continue to mold me, and you so we both can accomplish everything on this earth He wants us to.

These verses take on a whole new meaning for me now, and I will conclude this series with Paul’s words from Philippians 1:21-22 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.”