I Lost My Leg, Not My Life!

By Michael Merrigan

Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.

--Charles Swindoll

It was after midnight on an unlit desert road when Michael was hit by a car. Traveling fifty miles an hour, Michael's left leg was trapped in the car's wheel well, severing the main artery in his leg. As he was starting to bleed out, the driver made a call--a call that truly saved his life! Within minutes, paramedics arrived and were able to contain the bleeding. Michael was then rushed to Desert Regional Medical Hospital, where a staff of talented doctors were able to save his life. Unfortunately, to do so, they had to amputate his leg!

Michael is here today to tell a story, a story about his journey and the discoveries he has made along the way. Self-reflection, perseverance, and a unique way of looking at life and its lessons permeate every page of this book. Overcoming the personal tragedies that occurred earlier in his life helped prepare him for the most significant challenge he would need to overcome.

While others might not bounce back quickly after such a life-changing ordeal, with the help of family, friends, and a renewed belief in God, Michael persevered. His recovery is a testament to a commitment to live life as fully as he did before the accident--and to never give up.

Walking with the assistance of a new prosthetic leg was a big step. Being able to someday run again along the sandy shores of Southern California will be another milestone.

Michael's positive outlook is contagious. As he shares his journey from childhood through his ongoing recovery, you will be inspired by touching moments, funny anecdotes, and a self-effacing assessment of life. Michael's mantra reflects his attitude. It reinforces the fact that we are all lucky, as things can (always) be worse.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9798889600848

Book preview

cover.jpg

I Lost My Leg, Not My Life!

Michael Merrigan

Copyright © 2023 Michael Merrigan

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2023

ISBN 979-8-88960-083-1 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88960-084-8 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

A very special thank you to Marilyn (a.k.a. My Second Mom) for all of your love and support in helping make my story a book for all others to enjoy.

Preface

Introduction

Santa Barbara

My Early Years

My Family

Glad I Continued Playing Little League Baseball

The First of Four Tragedies I've Experienced in My Lifetime

My Mom Steps Up

Tragic Event no. 2

My Next Working Venture

Tragic Event no. 3

Making Up for Lost Time

Tragic Event no. 4

The Trauma Unit

My Long Road to Recovery

My Friend Eli Opens His House for Me to Recuperate

Back to My Studio

My Own Training

My Purpose

About the Author

A very special thank you to Marilyn (a.k.a. My Second Mom) for all of your love and support in helping make my story a book for all others to enjoy.

Preface

Before my accident, whenever I saw someone who was without a limb, I would say to myself, There is no way I could ever imagine or live without having an arm or a leg.

Bob Marley once said, You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.

Those powerful words have always stayed in the back of my mind and kept me going after I read them one day upon waking up from my induced coma.

I realized we are always given a choice when something bad happens to us. You can either let it take over how people will view and describe you, let it knock you down, or do what I chose to do: strengthen you.

After waking up each morning, like all other amputees, I have to adapt to the challenging situations I constantly face.

Some days are tougher than others, but each day as an amputee, I remind myself and hopefully show others whom I come in contact with that I am grateful to be alive.

Not only are all amputees survivors, but we all have a very interesting story to tell about how we got to the current stage of our lives.

Many of these stories are sad. A lot of them are life-saving ones.

However, most of the stories I have heard or read have one thing in common.

They are inspirational and made me appreciate what I have in my life.

I was thirty seconds from no longer being here on earth when I had my life-threatening accident back in October 2018, but luckily, I am still here and excited to tell my story.

I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it while learning more about what I went through and how I got back to living a happy and normal life.

Introduction

Limb differences can look and exist in many different shapes, forms, and sizes. But one thing is true for all amputees: even though we have a difference in our bodies, we are still capable of living a regular life.

We can still accomplish everything an able-bodied person can; we just may require some additional patience and understanding. One must realize that living a life with a limb difference means, as an amputee, we are constantly having to adapt to challenging situations we face every single day of our lives. When interacting with an amputee, remember to be patient and kind and try not to stare. Instead, smile and know we all have a story to tell of how we got to where we are now.

Many stories are sad, many are life-saving ones, and many are inspirational. However, the main thing is, all amputees are survivors. I hope you enjoy reading my story, and thank you for being a part of my ongoing journey to living a happy and normal life.

I dedicate my book not only to my great family and friends but also to all those who are survivors and fighting to live a happy, successful, and regular way of life.

Some of my family members celebrated Notre Dame's big win over USC with me a few weeks after my accident.

Santa Barbara

As a kid, I could never imagine growing up anywhere else except in beautiful Santa Barbara, California. Great beaches, mountains, and spectacular views are all major pluses of my hometown. I've always been proud and happy to say I was born and raised in Santa Barbara instead of Las Vegas, where my parents started out married life and where two of my siblings (Michelle and Kevin) were born in the late fifties.

My dad, Walter, was a hardworking construction supervisor, and my mom, Gloria, was a stay-at-home mom, even though she was qualified to teach at the high school level. Nothing against Las Vegas, but I wasn't meant to grow up there, as Dad decided to move his young family to Santa Barbara for what was expected to be a better opportunity.

My parents were lucky enough to find and buy a nice tract home in a neighborhood that was close to good schools and shopping and had great neighbors. This house was the only house my parents ever owned in Santa Barbara, and it was where my other sister, Kerri, and I were born. The age difference between each of the kids is three years, and after Kerri was born, my parents weren't planning on having any more kids. In fact, my mom was registered to go back to school and get her master's degree until one day, she woke up not feeling good and decided to go to the doctors to find out why.

To both my parents' surprise, Mom was pregnant again with her fourth child—me. Since my mom was very religious, she wasn't upset that her plans had changed but instead knew it was another one of God's gifts and was especially excited because I was due on her dad's birthday.

Her dad, our grandpa (whom family and friends called Daddy Joe), was the best kind of human being. He was born in Hungary and came to the United States with only his parents—and his favorite spoon. Everyone who met Daddy Joe loved him and enjoyed both his company and wisdom. He was truly an example of someone achieving the American dream. After landing a job at Universal Studios, he soon worked his way up to a successful career as a sound engineer. Daddy Joe made movies with such stars as Doris Day, Rock Hudson, and Jimmy Stewart, where he won an Oscar for best sound in The Glenn Miller Story. He never thought his fourth grandchild could be born on his birthday, but luckily enough, I was.

We had a great bond because of our birthdays, and it was always very special to celebrate our birthdays together. I will never forget drinking martinis with him on my twenty-first birthday (his eighty-sixth birthday) and how angry Mom was at both of us because we came home so buzzed that night. I knew Mom would react that way, but Daddy Joe said he would handle everything, because after all, he was her father.

I know it wasn't his intentions, but Daddy Joe ran into the wall by the hallway entrance and took a little spill, causing Mom to focus on him instead of me (and allowing me to race to my room). I quickly got into bed, and by the time Mom checked on me, I was asleep. Daddy Joe and I had a great laugh in the morning, and as I said, it was a great birthday celebration and one I will always remember sharing with him.

Daddy Joe and I in April of 1986 celebrating our Birthdays.

My Early Years

I don't remember a lot about my early years except doing what most young kids do: playing with my toys, starting school, irritating my sisters/brother, and hoping to get to go to McDonald's every once in a while. What really stands out and what I remember the most about when my life really started to change (and become exciting) was when my dad signed me up to play Little League Baseball. Dad was a pretty good softball player and played on many Sundays with the Knights of Columbus Church Softball Team. We met many great families and friends from sharing the fun and excitement of the K of C Softball Team.

In life, you never know where you will meet the people who would end up