March 16, 1976
Page 6678
"A PORTRAIT OF THE HANDICAPPED" BY TERRY NELSON
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, Terry Nelson, a 12th grader at Portland High School won first prize in the 13th annual "Ability Counts" contest sponsored by the Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped. In her winning essay, Ms. Nelson portrays vividly the hardship endured by a person who suddenly loses his ability to walk and his success as he readjusts and accepts being handicapped:
A person is only as handicapped as he wants to be. It is up to the individual. I live my life just as I did before I lost my legs.
Here is an extraordinary individual who has overcome many obstacles confronted by the handicapped. There exist hundreds of comparable situations that go by us unrecognized. Ms. Nelson's report can be considered a tribute to all those inflicted with the hardships of the handicapped who nevertheless maintain a positive outlook on life.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that this essay by Ms. Nelson be printed in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the essay was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
A PROFILE OF ACHIEVEMENT: HOW A HANDICAPPED PERSON APPROACHES LIFE
(By Terry Nelson)
(This report is based entirely on a personal interview with Clint on January 6, 1976. Since all of the quotations within the context of this paper were obtained through this interview, unnecessary footnoting was omitted.)
Clint had been driving a truck for three days without stopping to sleep, hoping to make a few extra dollars. Despite the fact that he had periodically taken Benzedrine capsules to battle drowsiness, the thirty year old truck driver fell asleep at the wheel. The uncontrolled tractor trailer truck sped rapidly to the soft shoulders and crashed into a concrete abutment. The cab of the truck was sliced in half, the slumbering driver lost his legs. The semi-conscious man could distinctly hear the sound of an ambulance and feared for his life. The voice of a doctor, however, was obscure to Clint, while the presenceof sympathetic onlookers was confusing. Clint, unaware of the loss of his legs, was rushed to the hospital. After an operation to close the thighs against infection, Clint learned that he lost his legs at the scene of the truck accident and that he would never be able to drive a truck again. A period of deep depression followed. Clint spent a dismal nine months in the hospital, away from his wife and his three children, undergoing two additional operations on his thighs, and trying to cope with the probability of a despondent future. Finally, his legs began to heal and Clint was able to get around in a wheelchair. Physically, he made great progress, but mentally, he was still in a state of dejection. His doctor, quite concerned about his attitude, spoke with Clint and enabled the depressed man to look at his future from a different perspective. "People are going to stare at you, Clint, when you return home. They do, especially children. Get used to it and do not be ashamed. You could stay home and feel sorry for yourself for the rest of your life, or you could take a look at the rest of the world, get a job, and help yourself." Clint left the hospital days later with a renewed outlook on life and on his future. He was happy to be alive and had decided to lead his life as before.
Clint wanted to find a job. Realizing that employment possibilities were limited since he was restricted to a wheelchair, he decided to attend the University of Maine, at Portland, to become a certified public accountant. Within a year, he concluded that accounting was not for him. He did not want to spend his life behind a desk because he enjoys people and likes to stop and talk when he pleases. He then accepted an offer to work as a part time mechanic at a gas station, owned by his brother, where he has been employed for the past seven years. Although he would rather be driving a truck, Clint is happy with his job and explains, "I like working for my brother because he lets me do things my way, and I, in turn, put out good work for him. Working on an engine is the next best thing to operating one." Clint has always been mechanically inclined, has caught on quickly to the specialized work on engines, and has established himself as a skillful mechanic.
"Of course, it is sometimes difficult to work under a car when it is on a lift, but when the car is parked on the ground, I can almost climb on top of the engine to repair it. Not many people can do that!" In spite of the fact that Clint is content with his job, he would like to own his own business someday.
Concerning everyday living, Clint's life is much the same as ours. He drives a car which is equipped with hand controlled brakes and accelerator. Also, for the past eight months, Clint has been trying to adjust to artificial legs. Although he find the legs difficult to wear during the winter months because of the icy walking conditions, he feels an overwhelming sense of accomplishment to be able to walk again. Being a man who truly appreciates the outdoors, Clint enjoys deer hunting and fishing. "I can do just about anything, but swim,"he says, and even still, on a hot summer day, he will take a dip to cool off. Clint is also a family man. Since his accident, the former truck driver has spent many additional hours with his children. They have accepted and have become accustomed to their father's situation, while Clint is grateful that he is having the chance to watch his children grow.
The definition of the word "handicapped" is not applicable to Clint. He does not consider himself disabled or handicapped, as he explains. "A person is only as handicapped as he wants to be. It is up to the individual. I live my life just as I did before I lost my legs. I could have spent each day and each night isolated behind the closed doors of my home, constantly dwelling on thoughts of the accident, drowning in self-pity, but I enjoy life too much to let the loss of my legs hold me back."