HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-05-11, Page 10Special moment
It was a moment of heartfelt thanks and good feelings as
Holly and Steve McCutcheon thanked the community for its
support during a speech. at the Friendship Night held in the
couple's honour Saturday night. (Vicky Bremner photo)
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PAGE 10 THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 11, 2006.
Community support means the world to couple
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen editor
The wonderful support of
community has made a world of
difference for Steve and Holly
McCutcheon the last few months.
The one thing it can't change,
unfortunately, is the guilt Steve's
living with day in and day out.
"This didn't need to happen.
Maybe if I hadn't been in such a
hurry." said McCutcheon.
It was a typical day Oct. 12, 2005.
McCutcheon had gone off to his job
as a mechanic, one he had performed
for more than a decade.
It was late morning when
McCutcheon found himself working
on an SUV which he had lifted on
the hoist. "I was at the side, it shifted
and came down."
When the truck fell, it pushed
McCutcheon so he was actually
seated on the ground, and his head
went through the passenger rear
window. "1 ended up with my upper
body sticking into the vehicle."
McCutcheon knew immediately
things were really bad. "When it was
coming down I felt like it took a half
hour to an hour. When was it going
to stop, I wondered. I remember
thinking that I don't know how to
die, and worried about them finding
me with my eyes open, so I closed
them."
The truck as it continued to fall,
"crunched me like popcorn",
McCutcheon said. "I had given up. I
felt about three crunches and really
thought I was dying. To. this day I
don't know why I didn't."
When firefighters arrived
McCutcheon said they did their best
to try to assure him. "But I knew. I
said then that I wasn't going to walk
again."
He was transported to Seaforth
hospital, but when he developed
breathing problems they transferred
him to London Health Sciences
Centre Victoria Hospital. There he
underwent surgery on his spine, a
section of, which he said, "was
totally wiped out."
A few weeks later on Oct. 27 he
was moved to Parkwood Hospital.
but an infection a few days later sent
him hack to Victoria. had a lovely
weekend at Parkwood," he smiles.
He returned to Park wood Nov. 7
where his rehabilitiation began in
earnest. "Basically they want to get
you to he self-sufficient. At Victoria
I had started sitting up, and now they
worked on building muscles, how to
get into a chair by myself."
Another thing he has had to work
on is balance. Paralyzed from the
waist down McCutcheon had to
learn to sit up, how to reach over and
not fall over.
Being away from his family was
extremely difficult, he said. "I had a
hard time without my kids. I'd look
at the pictures. It was so hard being
away from them." Two-year-old
Nolan was only able to visit once a
week. "It was pretty emotional."
Steve was ready to come home for
weekends starting at Christmas. But
as if the family hadn't suffered
enough, their infant. daughter, Ava,
had also become quite ill and
underwent surgery at that time. She
has continued to suffer from a severe
digestive problem that is slowing her
growth and doctors have as yet, not
come up with a conclusive
diagnosis, said Holly.
"When Steve got hurt, I was
strong, though maybe it was shock.
But then when Ava got sick too, I
was just such a mess."
Besides dealing with a sick child,
the couple has had to make the
adjustments, both physical and
emotional, in living as, and with, a
physically disabled person. Their
house was outfitted as best it could
be, but still presents major
challenges.
The Workplace Safety and
-Insurance Board visited the
McCutcheons and explained that
they would pay the costs to renovate
the existing house. A design must be
done by a WSIB approved contractor
and be submitted with an estimate.
Once it was seen what would be
required it made more sense to start
from scratch and put the money
towards a new home. "A new home
will definitely make life easier," said
Holly.
They also had to purchase a new
van as there was little point in
making the necessary adjustments to
one that would only last a few more
years. "We had to buy the van, but
they will pay for the modifications.
We'll be driving this one now until
the wheels fall off," said Steve.
He has also found himself in the
position of being a new driver. "I
have to take lessons with the hand
controls. And my driving test is in
London because that's where they
have the vehicle that has the right
standards."
One of the biggest challenges, and
perhaps the most surprising one has
been the pain. "I can't believe the
amount of pain I'm still in from the
waist down. When my back broke all
the nerves were severed too."
Holly describes it as the nerves
being like a telephone line where
some of the lines still meet, but
others don't.
"Fot example," said Steve, "Holly
can hit me on the shoulder and it
gbes to the bottom of my feet. It's
like the whole body's.hollow. You're
knocking up here and I feel it down
there."
But the pain is nothing compared
with the times of frustration. "People
ask if I'm doing well, and I guess I
am. But there are days when I'm so
frustrated that I would pick up this
chair and throw it if I could. I know
it could have been worse, but I have
times when I'm really feeling badly."
Those times, he says, are often a
result of thinking ahead rather than
behind. "I am more upset for what's
in the future, like walking my
daughter down the aisle. And sports
was always a big part of my life.
This past fall I was going to get
Nolan skating. That's hard. because
now someone else has to teach him."
Holly too admits to frustration.
"Sometimes I'm angry. The big
thing is I'm doing everything myself
right now."
However, she has put herself in
herself in her husband's place. "I sat
in the wheelchair and tried to do
some things around the house, just
stuff like getting orange juice. You
see things differently after that!'
"It's funny," said Steve, "we both
find ourselves resenting the other's
position from time to time, but
wouldn't trade places."
As with any life-altering
experience, the couple's perspective
has changed. "People complain
about life sucking because they've
got bills to pay. If you've got a
house, a job, someone who loves
you, life doesn't suck," said
Steve.
"It's made me see life at a different
angle," agreed Holly.. "And all the
support we've had is unbelievable.
We just can't say enough."
Though it's difficult for him to
find himself relying on so many
people, Steve appreciates everything
that has been done for them.
"People have been a great help,"
said Steve.
"But I can't forgive myself for this
happening. I will never forgive
myself for what I've done to my
family."
Shared smiles
It was a night to remember as the community came out to
support Steve and Holly McCutcheon at a Friendship Night
Saturday. In addition to a dance there was an auction to
help raise money for the couple. Steve was paralized from
the waist down in a work-related mishap last October. The
couple's infant daughter Ava has also been suffering health
problems. (Vicky Bremner photo)