Two of the most influential occupations -Teaching (Teachers) and Medicine (Doctors). Their words, can change children’s /people’s lives for the better or worse, many are way to quick to label someone with a “disorder” or “illness,” just one word can damage someone’s life for ever, even if it’s not true!
When I was in grade 1, my parents were told by my teacher, I had a “learning difficulty”, my teacher also believed, I was ” dyslexic.” My parents were devastated, but they weren’t swayed by the teachers words. They hadn’t noticed anything wrong with my development; they took me to 2 different child physiologists for independent assessments, after both put me through through rigorous testing, my parents were told that I was extremely intelligent, but was not overly interested in formal education.
My mother through patience and encouragement helped me finish high school. She always encouraged me to do my best, she had faith in me, that I would be okay, I would find the path that suited me. Her main goal always was “to raise a happy man.”
When I was admitted to the Spinal Unit of a prominent Melbourne Hospital in 2000, as a complete quadriplegic at C5, C6, C7 and T1, in the doctors eyes, I was no longer Josh Wood, I was a statistic – an 18 1/2 yo male, with a complete spinal cord injury.
My new destiny, in their eyes, I was a complete quadriplegic!
Neither my family or I were given any hope of recovery, the doctors prognosis was simple, clear and non emotional, ” Josh has less than 3% chance of any recovery, he will spend the rest of his life in bed!” Their prognosis was made 6 hours after I was admitted…
The doctors didn’t care I was an athlete, I was used to working though several serious injuries, I had suffered in the past, all they cared about was their “label” of who in their eyes I now was!
During my hospitalization and later rehab., I got used to hearing a lot of negative words, from my medical / rehab. teams, a lot of labelling…
But I proved to them, they didn’t know me and I refused to accept their labelling, their negative attitude and I walked out of rehab., 4 1/2 months after I was admitted.
After all these years I am still managing to gain further recovery.
To celebrate the 14 year anniversary of my accident, I walked the 7 kilometres up hill (most of the way) between my rehab and the hospital. The reason was, to simply prove that anything was possible, both of these facilities told me over and over again to give up on my goal to walk, give up on my ultimate goal to “get my old life back”!
I had damaged my knee so I needed crutches and a knee brace, but I did this gruelling walk, in 2 hours and 26 minutes, not bad considering I hadn’t walked further than a kilometre in one session before the 25th June 2014.
All I could think of along my walk was, thank God my Mum and I never listened to the doctors “labelling” of me.
While I know there are some amazing “Teachers” and “Doctors,” there are still many that want to “label” children or those injured, so to all you “limited minded” teachers and doctors, think before you speak!
YOUR WORDS OR LABEL COULD DETERMINE SOMEONE’S DESTINY EITHER NEGATIVELY OR POSITIVELY!
TO THOSE TEACHERS AND DOCTORS WHO TRULY WANT TO TEACH OR HEAL, KEEP GOING AND NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF WHY YOU STARTED YOUR CAREERS!
Josh
