In a wheelchair after an accident: «I want to throw myself back into life»
It was 9 November 2023 and just before seven in the morning when I flew off my motorbike on a bend on the way to vocational school and crashed into a tree. When I woke up, I looked for my legs. I caught sight of them, pinched them and felt nothing. I knew from my experience in the youth fire brigade that something was wrong. I called my best colleague, who arrived at the scene of the accident a little later and called the emergency services.
The helicopter came, then my memories fade until the morning of the following day, when I woke up and realised I couldn't get up. There wasn't that one big moment when I was told I was paraplegic - I realised it myself. About ten days after my accident, I went to the Paraplegic Centre in Nottwil. I spent several months here and now I'm due to leave the centre.
A different life began with the wheelchair
I'm optimistic about my situation and have never fallen into a hole. I'm doing well mentally. I've always been a positive person who tends to look on the bright side. I know that's not a given in the current situation. I've met a few people here who are struggling with their fate. For me, it was more of an adjustment. Certainly, when they brought the wheelchair for the first time, I realised once again how much my life had changed. I soon got the hang of the wheelchair - how to move forwards without straining my hands, how to vary positions so that no pressure points form.
Where do I get my confidence from? My colleagues give me strength, they make everything easier.
The biggest challenge at the beginning was dealing with the catheter and the bowel functions that you can no longer feel. I was unsure for a short time how I was going to get to grips with it, but it's now going by itself. That's also the idea: that I can take my life back into my own hands when I'm at home. We didn't have to change much about the flat, it was already barrier-free before. Only the bathroom was slightly remodelled. Where do I get my confidence from? My colleagues give me strength, they make everything easier.
Everyone was shocked at first. My best colleague, who was already at the accident site, visited me every weekend, and the others were there for me too. They accepted me well again, I'm part of it, wheelchair or not. Three days after I left, the first joint party is coming up. I can hardly wait - that also applies to my home, my family and mum's carrot salad.
I will then return to Nottwil for a few weeks in August: My professional reintegration is on the agenda. I won't be able to continue my apprenticeship as an automotive specialist. I don't yet know which direction I will take. But one thing is certain: I want to throw myself fully back into life - just as I did before.
