你的生命是個奇跡MY MIRACULOUS LIFE I NEVER CONSIDERED MYSELF

你的生命是個奇跡MyMiraculousLifeIneverconsideredmyselfunique,butpeopleareconstantlytellingme,"youareamiracle."Tome,Iwasjustanordinary"guy"withrealisticgoalsandbigdreams.Iwasa19-year-oldstudentattheUniversityofTexasandwellonmywaytowardfulfillingmy"bigdream"ofonedaybecominganorthopedicsurgeon.我從未覺得自己與眾不同，但人們常對我說：“你的生命是個奇跡。”對我而言，我只是一個普通人，有著現(xiàn)實的目標和遠大的理想。我曾是德克薩斯大學一名十九歲的大學生，在通向理想之路上信步前行，夢想有一天我會成為一名整形外科醫(yī)生。OnthenightofFebruary17,1981IwasstudyingforanOrganicChemistrytestatthelibrarywithSharon,mygirlfriendofthreeyears.Sharonhadaskedmetodriveherbacktoherdormitoryasitwasgettingquitelate.Wegotintomycar,notrealizingthatjustgettingintoacarwouldneverquitebethesameformeagain.IquicklynoticedthatmygasgaugewasregisteredonemptysoIpulledintoanearbyconveniencestoretobuy'2.00worthofgas."I'llbebackintwominutes,"IyelledatSharonasIclosedthedoor.Butinstead,thosetwominuteschangedmylifeforever.1981年2月17日的晚上，我和交往三年的女友沙倫在為有機化學測試做準備。因為太晚了，沙倫叫我駕車把她送回宿舍。我們鉆進汽車，誰能想到在今后的生命中我不能再如此矯健地重復這樣一個簡單的動作。我很快發(fā)現(xiàn)油表空了，于是我把車泊在附近的一家便利店旁，想買兩塊錢的汽油。“我兩分鐘就回來，”我關上車門朝沙倫喊到。但就是這短短的兩分鐘改變了我一生的命運，永遠地改變了。Enteringtheconveniencestorewaslikeenteringthetwilightzone.OntheoutsideIwasahealthy,athletic,pre-medstudent,butontheinsideIwasjustanotherstatisticofaviolentcrime.IthoughtIwasenteringanemptystore,butsuddenlyIrealizeditwasnotemptyatall.Threerobberswereintheprocessofcommittingarobberyandmyentranceintothestorecaughtthembysurprise.Oneofthecriminalsimmediatelyshoveda.38caliberhandguntomyhead,orderedmetothecooler,pushedmedownonthefloor,andpumpedabulletintothebackofmyhead--executionstyle.HeobviouslythoughtIwasdeadbecausehedidnotshootmeagain.Thetrioofthievesfinishedrobbingthestoreandleftcalmly.進入這家便利店就如同踏上了陰陽間的奈何橋，門外的我還是個健康的，活蹦亂跳的未婚大學生，而門內(nèi)的我卻成了暴力犯罪的又一個犧牲品。我還以為店里沒有人，但我突然發(fā)現(xiàn)我錯了——有三個匪徒正在打劫這家店，而我的進入讓他們有些驚慌失措。其中一個匪徒迅速掏出一把口徑為38毫米的手槍用力指著我的頭，勒令我走到冷凍機旁，然后把我推倒在地，像執(zhí)行死刑般從后面朝我頭部開了一槍。他沒再朝我開第二槍，顯然他以為我死了。打劫完后三個劫匪逃之夭夭。Meanwhile,SharonwonderedwhyIhadnotreturned.AfterseeingthethreemenleavethestoreshereallybegantoworryasIwasthelastpersonshesawenteringthestore.Shequicklywentinsidetolookforme,butsawnoone-onlyanalmostemptycashregistercontainingonecheckandseveralpennies.Quicklysherandowneachaisleshouting,"Mike,Mike!"與此同時，沙倫對我的不歸憂心忡忡?？吹竭@三個匪徒離開便利店后她真的很擔心，因為我是她見到的最后一個進入店里的人。她趕快跑進店來找我，只見幾乎被一掃而空的收銀機上掛著一張帳單，還有幾枚硬幣散落在上面，四周無人。她在貨架間飛快地跑著、喊著：“邁克，邁克！”Justthentheattendantappearedfromthebackofthestoreshouting,"Lady,getdownonthefloor.I'vejustbeenrobbedandshotat!"這時一名服務員從店后面走出來叫到：“小姐，過來一下，我剛才被打劫了，他們還向我開了槍?！盨haronquicklydroppedtothefloorscreaming,"Haveyouseenmyboyfriend?Hehasauburnhair."Themandidnotreplybutwentbacktothecoolerwherehefoundmechokingonmyvomit.Theattendantquicklycleanedmymouthandthencalledforthepoliceandanambulance.沙倫跌跌撞撞地過來哭喊到：“你見到我的男朋友了嗎？長褐色頭發(fā)的?！蹦侨四叩嚼鋬鰴C旁，找到了我，此時嘔吐快令到我窒息了。他趕忙幫我擦干了嘴，叫了警察和救護車。Sharonwasinshock.ShewasbeginningtounderstandthatIwashurt,butshecouldnotbegintocomprehendorimaginetheseverityofmyinjury.沙倫被嚇壞了。漸漸地她才明白我受傷了，但是她根本想象不到傷勢的嚴重性。WhenthepolicearrivedtheyimmediatelycalledthehomicidedivisionastheydidnotthinkIwouldsurviveandtheparamedicreportedthatshehadneverseenapersonsoseverelywoundedsurvive.At1:30a.m.myparentswholivedinHouston,wereawakenedbyatelephonecallfromBrackenridgeHospitaladvisingthemtocometoAustinassoonaspossiblefortheyfearedIwouldnotmakeitthroughthenight.警察來了，他們很快斷定是殺人案，因為沒人相信我還能活過來，而救護人員說她從來沒有見過傷勢如此嚴重的人可以逃離死劫。下午一點半，我住在奧斯汀的父母被來自布萊肯瑞吉醫(yī)院的電話鈴驚醒，醫(yī)院通知他們盡快趕到奧斯汀，因為他們認為我熬不過當晚了。ButIdidmakeitthroughthenightandearlyinthemorningtheneurosurgeondecidedtooperate.However,hequicklyinformedmyfamilyandSharonthatmychancesofsurvivingthesurgerywereonly40/60.Ifthiswerenotbadenough,theneurosurgeonfurthershockedmyfamilybytellingthemwhatlifewouldbelikeformeifIbeattheoddsandsurvived.HesaidIprobablywouldneverwalk,talk,orbeabletounderstandevensimplecommands.但那晚我挺了過來，第二天清晨神經(jīng)外科醫(yī)生決定給我動手術。但他立即告知我的家人和沙倫我存活的機會只有百分之四十。然后他還雪上加霜地告訴我的家人，向他們描述如果我萬幸活下來將面臨怎樣的生活——我可能再也不會走路了，不會說話了，甚至不能理解一些極其簡單的命令。這些對我的家人來說都是莫大的打擊。Myfamilywashopingandprayingtoheareventheslightestbitofencouragementfromthatdoctor.Instead,hispessimisticwordsgavemyfamilynoreasontobelievethatIwouldeveragainbeaproductivememberofsociety.ButonceagainIbeattheoddsandsurvivedthethreeandahalfhoursofsurgery.Granted,Istillcouldnottalk,myentirerightsidewasparalyzedandmanypeoplethoughtIcouldnotunderstand,butatleastIwasstable.AfteroneweekinaprivateroomthedoctorsfeltIhadimprovedenoughtobetransferredbyjetambulancetoDelOroRehabilitationHospitalinHouston.本來家里人祈望能從醫(yī)生的口中聽到一點點鼓勵的話，而他悲觀的言語讓他們沒理由相信我還會成為一個對社會有用的人。在經(jīng)歷了三個半小時的手術之后，我再次僥幸地活了下來。醫(yī)生的話得到了應驗，我不能說話，整個右邊的身體癱瘓了，許多人認為我變傻了，但至少我身體狀況是穩(wěn)定的。在私人看護病房里呆了一個星期后，醫(yī)生覺得我已經(jīng)好轉(zhuǎn)了許多，并可以坐救護飛機轉(zhuǎn)到奧斯汀的德歐洛康復醫(yī)院。Myhallucinations,coupledwithmyphysicalproblems,mademyprognosisstillverybleak.However,astimepassedmymindbegantoclearandapproximatelysixweekslatermyrightlegbegantomoveeversoslightly.WithinsevenweeksmyrightarmslowlybegantomoveandateightweeksIutteredmyfirstfewwords.Myspeechwasextremelydifficultandslowinthebeginning,butatleastitwasabeginning.IwasstartingtolookforwardtoeachnewdaytoseehowfarIwouldprogress.ButjustasIthoughtmylifewasfinallylookingbrighterIwastestedbythehospitaleuro-psychologist.SheexplainedtomethatjudgingfrommytestresultsshebelievedthatIshouldnotfocusonreturningtocollegebutthatitwouldbebettertosetmore"realisticgoals."意識上的幻覺和生理上的病疾使我的病情預斷非常的渺茫。然而時間的飛逝使我的意識開始變得清晰，大約六個星期以后我的右腿可以輕微地活動了，七周以后我的右臂開始緩慢地活動了，八周以后我終于開口說話了。說話對于我非常地艱難并且開始的時候說得很慢，但是總算是開頭了。我開始寄希望于新的一天的到來，祈望著新的進步。但正當我以為生活總算初露光明的時候，醫(yī)院里有個歐洲來的心理學家對我做了測試。她向我解釋到，從檢測的結果來看她堅信我不能再重返學校，勸我對此不要抱有任何希望，希望我最好樹立些更現(xiàn)實點的目標。UponhearingherevaluationIbecamefuriousforIthought,"WhoisshetotellmewhatIcanorcannotdo.Shedoesnotevenknowme.Iamaverydeterminedandstubbornperson!"IbelieveitwasatthatverymomentthatIdecidedIwouldsomehow,somedayreturntocollege.她的這番結論讓我怒不可遏，“她是誰，憑什么告訴我能做什么或不能做什么。她根本不了解我。我是很堅強而固執(zhí)的人！”我相信就在那時我決定無論如何，總有一天我會返回學校的。IttookmealongtimeandalotofhardworkbutIfinallyreturnedtotheUniversityofTexasinthefallof1983--ayearandahalfafteralmostdying.ThenextfewyearsinAustinwereverydifficultforme,butItrulybelievethatinordertoseebeautyinlifeyouhavetoexperiencesomeunpleasantness.MaybeIhaveexperiencedtoomuchunpleasantness,butIbelieveinlivingeachdaytothefullest,anddoingtheverybestIcan.Andeachnewdaywasverybusyandveryfull,forbesidesattendingclassesattheUniversityIunderwenttherapythreetofivedayseachweekatBrackenridgeHospital.IfthiswerenotenoughIflewtoHoustoneveryotherweekendtoworkwithTomWilliams,atrainerandexecutivewhohadworkedformanycollegesandprofessionalteamsandalsohadhelpedmanyinjuredathletes,suchasEarlCampbellandEricDickerson.ThroughTomIlearned:"Nothingisimpossibleandnever,nevergiveuporquit."在經(jīng)歷了一年半垂死掙扎的生活后，在漫長的等待和艱辛的付出后，終于在1983年的秋天，我返回了德克薩斯大學。在奧斯汀接下來的幾年里我生活得非常艱難，但我確信為了看到生活中的真善美你必須要經(jīng)歷一些苦難。也許我經(jīng)歷的苦難太多了，但我有一個信念——充實地過每一天，盡力做到最好。日子過的很繁忙、很充實，除了讀書，每周我還在要在布萊肯瑞吉醫(yī)院接受三到五次的治療。如果這還不夠忙的話，我還要隔周和湯姆·威廉斯飛到奧斯汀工作。湯姆是一個教練兼主管，他曾效力于許多大學校隊和職業(yè)聯(lián)隊，并幫助過許多受傷的運動員，如：厄爾·坎貝爾和艾立克·迪克森。從湯姆的身上我學到“沒有什么是不可能的，千萬千萬不要放棄，永不放棄。”Early,duringmytherapy,myfatherkeptrepeatingtomeoneofhisfavoritesayings.Ihaverepeateditalmosteverydaysincebeinghurt:"Milebymileit'satrial;yardbyyardit'shard;butinchbyinchit'sacinch."早在我接受治療的時候，父親總是重復他最愛的那句話，每天當我感到痛苦的時候我也對自己重復那句話，那就是“腳踏實地，切勿急功近利?！盜thoughtofthosewords,andIthoughtofTom,myfamilyandSharonwhobelievedsostronglyinmeasIclimbedthestepstoreceivemydiplomafromtheDeanofLiberalArtsattheUniversityofTexasonthatbrightsunnyafternooninJuneof1986.ExcitementandpridefilledmyheartasIheardthedeanannouncethatIhadgraduatedwith"highesthonors",beenelectedtoPhiBetaKappa,andbeenchosenasoneof12Dean'sDistinguishedGraduatesoutof1600intheCollegeofLiberalArts.TheoverwhelmingemotionsandfeelingsthatIexperiencedatthatverymoment,whenmostoftheaudiencegavemeastandingovation,Ifeltwouldneveragainbematchedinmylife-notevenwhenIgraduatedwithamastersdegreeinsocialworkandnotevenwhenIbecameemployedfulltimeattheTexasPainandStressCenter.ButIwaswrong!1986年六月那個陽光明媚的午后，當我步履蹣跚地走上德克薩斯大學迪安文學院的臺階接受文憑的時候，我思索著這些話，想到湯姆、父母還有沙倫，他們都那么堅定地給予了我信任。當我聽到院長宣布我以最高榮譽畢業(yè)時，我的心中充滿了驕傲和自信。接著他還宣布我被選入美國大學優(yōu)等生榮譽學會，并在1600名畢業(yè)生中當選為12名迪安文學院的杰出畢業(yè)生之一。當場有許多觀眾站起來為我鼓掌，那一刻令我心潮澎湃、百感交集。我甚至覺得生命中不可能再經(jīng)歷那樣的感慨和激情，這種想法一直延續(xù)到我獲得社會學的碩士學位，成為德克薩斯止痛減壓中心的一名全職工作人員。但幸運之神再次眷顧了我！OnMay24,1987,IrealizedthatnothingcouldevermatchthejoyIfeltasSharonandIweremarried.Sharon,myhighschoolsweetheartofnineyears,hadalwaysstoodbyme,throughgoodandbadtimes.Tome,Sharonismymiracle,mydiamondinaworldfilledwithproblems,hurt,andpain.ItwasSharonwhodroppedoutofschoolwhenIwashurtsothatshecouldconstantlybeatmyside.Sheneverwaveredorgaveuponme.Itwasherfaithandlovethatpulledmethroughsomanydarkdays.Whileothernineteenyearoldgirlsweregoingtopartiesandenjoyinglife,Sharondevotedherlifetomyrecovery.That,tome,isthetruedefinitionoflove.AfterourbeautifulweddingIcontinuedworkingparttimeatthePainCenterandcompletedmyworkforamastersdegree.Wewereextremelyhappy,butevenhappierwhenwelearnedSharonwaspregnant.1987年5月24日，我覺得再沒有什么能與此時的快樂相提并論，我和沙倫結婚了。沙倫是我高中時代的女友，風風雨雨九年來，她一直陪在我身旁。對我來說，她是我的奇跡，是我在這個充滿困惑和傷痛的世界上擁有的一顆鉆石。為了能日夜守侯在我的身旁，沙倫在我受傷的時候放棄了學業(yè)。她的愛從未動搖過，她從未拋棄過我。是她的忠誠和愛伴著我度過了無數(shù)個黑暗的日子。當別的十九歲的女孩子參加舞會、享受生活的時候，沙倫把青春獻給了病床上的我，等待我的康復。對我來說，這就是愛的真諦。在那個美滿的婚禮之后，我繼續(xù)在止痛中心做著兼職的工作，并獲得了我的碩士學位。我們非常的幸福，而沙倫懷孕的消息更讓我們恩愛有加。OnJuly11,1990at12:15a.m.Sharonwokemewiththenews:"Weneedtogotothehospital…my