My husband had a wreck on his motorcycle, July 9, 2004. He was hit by a car and flew at least 30 feet, breaking the ball off his femur, crushing his tibia and fibula, crushing his heal on the other leg, fracturing multiple bones in his hand, lacerating his liver, breaking ribs, vertebrae and puncturing his lung.

He had 13 surgeries over 2 weeks. He was not able to put weight on either leg, and his hand leg had pins running thru it. He wore a teenage mutant ninja turtle back brace. He had an external fixator on one leg, and multiple incisions and surgeries on the other. He was sent to rehab for 3 days, where he learned to move from bed to wheelchair, and then wheelchair to shower chair. At which point, they said, “Take him home.”

I did take him home, and thanks to friends, they built ramps so I could get him and his wheelchair into and out of our vehicle. They made a ramp for the back door of our home. He still had multiple incisions and required dressing changes. Did I mention we had 4 children ranging in age from 4 to 13?

After a couple of weeks, I took him to his primary care doctor, who actually asked me, “What am I supposed to do with him?” I asked for prescription for physical therapy. (None of his orthopedic surgeons ordered any physical therapy, except for his hand surgeon who ordered occupational therapy.)

I got him in the car for the first day of physical therapy and wheeled him into the clinic. They took one look at him unable to stand, and with only one hand, and asked, “What do you want us to do with him?” I told them to make him move anything he can move so that he won't lose what little strength he has. And so it began, therapy three days a week.

After 5 months of rehabilitation and more surgeries, he was up on crutches for short distances.

At six months he was back to work part time. I got work hardening approved for him. (This is special therapy where they get you ready to walk distances down a hall go up and down stairs necessary for working in an office building.)

At seven months he was back to work full time.

Had I not advocated for him, therapy may never have started. I know the blood clot in his leg would not have been caught as early. His pain control would not have been adequate, and his recovery would have far exceeded seven months.

Sadly, not everyone has someone to help them on their healthcare journey -- which is why I started BodyGuard Patient Advocates. I want people to know they are not alone. We're here to help decrease the fear, uncertainty, feelings of guilt, doubt and exhaustion that sometimes accompanies our healthcare journeys.