Kathy Tom

Who am I? I’m a wife, a mother, a daughter, an aunt. But that’s just who I am in relation to others. I know that, before this happened, I was happy. I was enjoying my life as a library media technician at Jefferson Elementary School in Carlsbad, California. Preparing for a Kindergarten class visit one day, I was suddenly struck down with a piercing pain in my back. I lay down for half an hour. When I tried to get up, I couldn’t stand. About 24 hours later, I was paralyzed from the waist down. Who am I now? A cripple, a handicapped driver, a disabled worker, a differently-abled citizen. Many little things that I used to take for granted, like standing and walking, are now an exhausting effort. Even though the odds have been against me, I have never doubted that I will recover. And I’m getting better and better due in large part to acupuncture, physical therapy, and Project Walk. I hope and pray that I’ll be able to continue these services until I’m back to normal. Maybe someday I’ll be able to read a book to a Kindergarten class while standing still and pain-free.