Dunkle Jacqueline - Paralyzed Without Fear: A Family of Their Own Kindle Edition

Copyright 2015 by Jacqueline Dunkle. The book author retains sole copyright to her contributions to this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author.

Book Design by Donnia Denig
www.donnia.net

Cover Photo by Genie Rogers
Its A Feeling Photography

Afterword by Erik Fugunt taken from a transcribed interview with Ronda Barrett, Personal Historian
www.honoryourstory.com

Technical Support: Kelly Kahle Simonette

ISBN-13: 978-1505261172
ISBN-10: 1505261171

DISCLAIMER
This book is designed to provide helpful information and motivation to our readers. This book is not meant to be used, nor should it be used, to diagnose or treat any medical condition. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, consult your own physician. This book is sold with the understanding that the author(s) is not engaged to render any type of medical, legal, or any other kind of professional advice. The content is the sole expression and opinion of its author(s). No warranties or guarantees are expressed or implied. Neither the publisher nor the individual author(s) shall be liable for any damages or negative consequences from any treatment, action, application or preparation, to any person reading or following the information in this book. References are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute endorsement of any websites or other sources. Readers should be aware that the websites listed in this book may change.

Our views and rights are the same: You are responsible for your own choices, actions, and results.

WITH SPECIAL THANKS

Male Fertility Research Program at The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
www.miamiproject.miami.edu

Erik M. Pelton & Associates, PLLC
www.erikpelton.com

University of Kentucky / Frazier Rehabilitation Institute Partnership
www.victoryoverparalysis.org

Tanya Rivera
WFMY News 2 Anchor

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
www.christopherreeve.org

North Carolina Assistive Technology Programs Grant Advisory Council for Stephen E. Sallee Award of Excellence
www.ncatp.org

New Hanover Regional Medical Center
Wilmington, North Carolina

Alamance Regional Medical Center / Cone Health
Burlington, North Carolina

TABLE OF CONTENTS

dedication

a remarkable woman

my sons wife
and love of his life

my daughter-in-love

and the perfect mother
for my grandchildren

FOREWORD

by Jennifer Fugunt

Timing is everything.

Im looking at

the clock, calendar

and ovulation test strips

with agonizing fear.

I look again at my

biological clock

like its on the wall

staring back at me,

a constant reminder

that my time is up

even though Im only

in my late twenties.

That was a timeline that Id given myself. All women have a time frame for important events in their lives. Most of the events in my life had gone according to plan but this one was out of my hands. I once read a poem that said family is a place to laugh, grow and yell. Now that seemed like a place that I would never get to visit. Our home was just a house that felt empty without the pitter patter of baby feet.

My mother-in-law Jacques first book, Gratitude & Grit - A Mothers Healing Journey tells the touching story of her son Eriks motorcycle accident, recovery and survival as a paraplegic. That book ends with a goal and hope that Erik and I shared to have a family of our own despite Eriks paralysis. This sequel shares our story through the eyes of my mother-in-law; a listener, motivator and rock on our journey to parenthood.

My husband Erik and I have grown close from being forced to overcome obstacles that many wont experience in a lifetime, in situations where there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Life presents barriers that can keep you from success. Fear of failure will set in. But when triumph is the only option you choose, you cant lose. With the support from everyone in our family, we turned fear into bravery. And the outcome became two miracles.

M y son, Erik Wolfgang Fugunt was born on the Fourth of July in 1984. It was quite an appropriate day for his birth ~ symbolic of independence and fireworks. What I remember most about his infancy was that he hated to crawl. He wanted to walk and even appeared enticed by the possible danger of falling. He relentlessly pulled his tiny body up to the coffee table over and over again until he mastered standing. By the age of nine months he had achieved his independence. He could walk. Before long he was doing a whole lot more than walking and the fireworks began on a daily basis.

Erik was just a year old when his father gave him his first mini bike, a used Honda 50. Ron, a diehard adventurer, cleverly welded an old red Radio Flyer wagon to the side of the mini bike so little Erik could ride it without tipping over. My son was fearless from the get-go and was constantly tearing things apart to find out how they worked; then hed fabricate gadgets or elaborate mousetrap-like contraptions using the knowledge from his findings. Like his father, he was a natural gearhead and whether I liked it or not, Erik also became a diehard adventurer. The boys outnumbered me from day one and it didnt take long for me to realize that my life would be anything but boring.

My son also inherited his fathers risk-taking personality and my perseverance, a combination of traits that made any attempt to alter his spirit absolutely futile. The only thing that got me through Eriks youth was my faith in God. It was obvious that Eriks life began in my womb; but it was always in Gods hands. I soon became aware that the only impact I would have in his life would be through Gods influence. So I quickly taught him the Lords Prayer and wed talk about the mystical, kind man in the picture I kept in his room, the picture of Jesus.

When Erik was five years old, his great-grandmother Sara died and I gently explained that she was in Heaven now, with Jesus. About a week later, little Erik came to me with a butter knife in hand and said, ever so casually, I think I should kill myself now, so I can be in Heaven with Grandma and Jesus. Once again, I explained that it wasnt time for him to go to Heaven and that God would decide that time. I assured him that we wanted him to be here with us for a very long time.