There may be times when you try to move on your own and fall. When the body doesn’t respond, it can be frustrating. “Physically, your brain knows how to walk and how to function.

“What do you mean?” How could it get worse? It will get worse before it will get better.” This means there are better chances of additional recovery, but I want you to prepare for the long haul. “Now what that means is you do not have total paralysis or loss of sensation, and your spinal cord was not totally damaged or disrupted.

“You have what we call an incomplete spinal cord injury,” he replied, pulling up a chair beside me. “What is this problem?” my mother asked for me. “However, bones can heal, so that isn’t the problem.” Jane and Wes had gone home earlier, though only because I’d begged them to. “You’ve broken bones in both legs and have substantial nerve damage,” my doctor explained to me and my mother as she stood right beside me. It left me with a sense of pride, which got me through the second piece of news I was currently hearing. I learned that my story, both of the scandal and me being awake, was all anyone could talk about on the news. The second day, I learned a couple things. The first day I was awake, I was so shocked, amazed, and grateful to be alive, grateful that they were both there, that I didn’t really think of myself much. Once again, just like the day I’d gone to pick them up-which only felt like yesterday to me-I was in awe of them. He looked at the ceiling and blinked a few times. He looked like he’d lost weight and his whole body was shaking. “Never again,” Wes said with his eyes dropping. I wanted to say something, but all the words that came to mind seemed subpar at best. Inhaling felt like I had swallowed glass. Your eyesight isn’t doing well right now.” She took my hand before saying, “I always look good. “Speak for yourself,” Jane said, now sitting on the opposite side of me.

The Anatomy of Jane by Amelia LeFay