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Show flamaget Wednesday, July 11, 1964 The Salt Lake Tribune I t3 P W. .. Continued From Page 1 tmedicine. I would knock things off anything that was near me. t. j Yeah," added his mother, and they would call me at all hours of the night to calm him idown because no one else could get near him. Gary said that at one time he was taking fmore than 27 different medications, and it took five to eight months to wean him from his drug 'dependency. Eventually he regained control, but he still faced numerous problems. He spent eight months in the medical center, five of those in bed. And one of the biggest problems with a bedridden patient is bedsores. I got this huge one, on my coccix (tailbone), land they had to take me into surgery. It took a long time to heaL But of course, I couldnt feel it It was just the threat of infection that made it so serious. ; Determined to get rid of the bedsore before ' further therapy was done, Garys mother took . Quadriplegic who wont quit But there is only a certain level to which he can progress. Despite the fact he wont walk again, Garys determination carries over into his everyday life. He can make his own bed, cook his own meals and do his own laundry and shopping. He is now determined to make the most of his life, but it wasnt until this last year that he "became aware of my purpose in life. In the years following the accident, Gary tried to commit suicide 17 times by various methods. Gary came to live with me after the accident, and I had to watch him so closely. He figured he didnt have a reason to live, Garys mother said. Yeah, agreed Gary, and I almost succeeded twice. I just didnt see any reason to go on. I had nothing more to give, I thought. Now I know that I was wrong. Luckily, none of his suicide attempts was successful, and he lived to tell of the struggles For a quadriplegic, getting reluctant muscles to move again is often painful. But the pain is worth being able to move, says Mr. Griffin. The lifts weights and works with his therapist, Sally Ginsberg, three times a week at the University of Utah Medical Centers rehabilitation Mr. Griffin, conto a wheelchair, to walk one day the aid of special braces and equipment. unit. fined plans with In the years following the accident that made him a quadriplegic , Mr. Griffin tried to commit suicide 1 7 times. Yeah, and I almost succeeded twice. I just didnt see any reason to go on. I had nothing more to give, I thought. Now I know that I was wrong. He added, iVThe real reason I figure Im here is to help others like me, others who cant deal with the sudden reality of being so maybe they wont have to go through crippled what I did. He said, I want people to know who I am but not because they feel sorry for me. ... Gary home from the hospital and worked to heal it before he returned weeks later. Gary still spends time on and off in the U. of U. medical center, and weekly attends physical therapy sessions. Padded benches and cots line jthe walls of the rehabilitation unit, and there ;are padded mats on the floor. Quadriplegic canes, walkers and crutches hang on the wall, like bizarre pieces of artwork. There are pad-,de- d benches and cots, and mats on the floor. And there are always many people in the room. Some are lying down, while a therapist mas-isagand works with reluctant muscles, while (Others are exercising, lifting weights and even J walking with the aid of braces and special es equipment It is a room filled with pain, sometimes despair and often joy. Gary spends three days a week in the rehabilitation unit using recalcitrant muscles that get no other exercise. I Now you dont help me, Gary will tell his , f, (therapist Sally Ginsberg. I have to do this so I dont want your help. Gary recently acquired a new skill, walking with the aid of graces and crutches. The progress is slow, and a 20-fowalk can take 20 minutes, with many stops and pauses along the way. But to Gary, and the entourage that watches his slow, pain-Jprogress, the forward motion, where he uses his arms to propel his lifeless legs stiffened by braces, is walking. See, I can walk too! he said proudly, after ; showing the 10 people surrounding him his skill. Let me catch my breath. Did you see that? It just makes me nervous to watch him, ;Ms. Tobin said. He really could never use this las a means to get around, its too slow, long and .painful But its so important to him, to be able to do it And he is so determined. I Gary has a good rapport with the staff at the rehabilitation unit and he jokes with them throughout his exercise routine. Thats eight now, Sally will say, as Gary struggles to lift 'the weights. I know, I can count too! Gary will shoot back. Crack your whip, Sally! The most important thing is that Gary is in ; good spirits, Dr. Escobar said. Hes cheerful, has a lot of energy, is outgoing and has good tdetermination. Because of this determination, jhe is getting more of his body function back. my-sel- he faces every day. Sure, everywhere you go there are barriers, said Gary. I dont have much money, and now I live with my brother. There are still things that I cant do, but I get V by. The real reason I figure Im here, is to help others like me, others who cant deal with the sudden reality of being crippled. Suddenly never walking again or anything. Im trying to make their lives better, so maybe they wont have to go through what I did. Gary has goals that are important to him goals like taking a trip down the Colorado River in a rubber raft, which he plans to do next year. He also recently participated in The Salt Lake Tribune Memorial Day Classic, which he finished. And one day I would like to climb Mount Rainier, Gary said. I dont want you to feel sorry for me; I dont want anyone to feel sorry but for me. I want people to know who I am not because they feel sorry for me. .. Z ' - H -f ,wV, ' " - Wig - '''-- v ' '( . ,s ; , i i x, s - f - - S w' ill A o 1 33 Mr. Griffin leads a normal everyday life. He makes his bed, cooks, shops and does laundry. He also travels to his neighbor's garage to get a cap of coffee. & t ' v x t' i - . v, , v. f . ' ul s y , " -- ' ' Sy ' ' v . r j ' ; , . V. j |