Being Told I Can't

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At 16 a Dr. told me I would never go to college or hold down a job (by the way he said I could have kids???) and wouldn't do surgery on my back that was pressing on a nerve in my spine. Another doctor did and I spent my 17th birthday in the hospital having my spine fused. At 18, I was diagnosed with a heart condition and had to have a pacemaker implanted. Twenty years later, I have taken up SKYDIVING! In those 20 years, I have done scuba diving (including cave diving) and rode horses competitively.

I am so pleased to be a recently licensed skydiver, and am very glad I never let anyone tell me I can't do something. Although I don't consider myself handicapped, I feel a kindred spirit with those who are who have been told they can't do something.

My stepson has CP and is in a wheelchair. My husband (a jumper) took him for his second tandem a couple months ago.

I hope the handicapped or physically challenged people on this forum won't give up if they want to jump. My mom also did her second tandem on her 70th birthday. Age, physical handicaps -- Never let anyone tell you that you can't do something!! Hoorah!

People Too Weak To Follow Their Own Dreams Will Always Keep You From Following Yours.

[BillyVance 34]

Basically, anybody that tells me I can't do something just because of my handicap, can just fucking go to hell!

But hey! Congratulations on beating the odds and the naysayers! You did it! And it seems like you had a much harder road to get there than I did! I'm only deaf...

Keep it up, and shut up those naysaying bastards, they don't know shit...

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

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I don't know if my road was any harder than yours. Being deaf can't be "easy" by no means!!! But thank you and I hope we get a chance to jump together.

Did you go to Dublin this year? If you are ever in Florida, come by Williston. Great group of people.

People Too Weak To Follow Their Own Dreams Will Always Keep You From Following Yours.

[BillyVance 34]

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I don't know if my road was any harder than yours. Being deaf can't be "easy" by no means!!! But thank you and I hope we get a chance to jump together.

Did you go to Dublin this year? If you are ever in Florida, come by Williston. Great group of people.

Growing up deaf just had different challenges, but you're right, it wasn't easy by any means. I can't imagine being paralyzed though. I just admire people who do whatever it takes to do what they want to and not let their disability get in the way.
Yes, I was at the Dublin boogie along with two other deaf skydivers. We were doing a lot of RW, but we also did some good CRW, which has its own set of challenges and risks for deaf skydivers. I just hope we never get into a wrap or entanglement!

I hope to get to Williston one of these days. I will be at Lake Wales this October heading up the Deaf World Record event... That's the only trip I can see myself making to Florida this year... Wanna meet us out there?

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[obligaited 0]

Let me know when you are there. I will be teaching kids in October, so I could probably get down on a weekend, IF I can afford it. I will take a big pay cut to do the new job, but time off with my kid is better than money.
I couldn't imagine being paralyzed either, but I have some idea with my stepson being in a wheelchair with CP.
Good luck on the attempt. I was in Dublin, but I only made one jump -- too chicken to do much with only 20 something jumps. My husband did some jumps though and that was good. Expensive but good.

If you get down to Lake Wales, make a side trip and come join us for a fun RW jump in Williston. We have a fun group.

People Too Weak To Follow Their Own Dreams Will Always Keep You From Following Yours.

[RossDagley 0]

When I was born my parents were told I'd never walk - I was totally paralyzed from the waist down, and my right arm was also totally paralyzed. After a year of daily physiotherapy, I was able to walk – after 4 years of same physiotherapy I was able to regain approx. 75% mobility/strength in my arm. I’m now basically normal except for that damn arm

I was determined to take up skydiving about the age of 20 – and as soon as I was told I couldn’t I became absolutely TOTALLY determined to do it – I’ll be the judge of what I can and cant do, not someone else. This year I’ve had the finances to back my desires regardless of cost – I live in the UK and was told I couldn’t jump (by the BPA) as a student (when I’m supervised) because of my ‘disability’, but I could jump as a licensed skydiver(!) (when I’m unsupervised – go figure…)

Thank God for open-minded people. The guys on DZ.com have seen my enthusiasm and dedication first hand (what does double figure tandems tell you…) as well as my depression when I found out I couldn’t learn here in the UK. After a *great* deal of support from the guys and gals here @ DZ.com, I’ve got myself booked in at DeLand (thanks Bob!), got my special rig bought and paid for (with specialist help from the manufacturer - Aubrey) got my jumpsuit (with specialist help from the makers (Christine@merlin)), got my tunnel time booked up... You get the picture

Don’t ever let someone else dictate what you can and can’t do – go find out yourself. I’ve gone from a massive high point starting down this path, to massive lows when I thought I’d never be allowed to do it, back to a massive high now it’s only 7 weeks away.

I've had to put some work in myself here too, like trying as hard as I can to gain some more strength in that right arm and shoulder before my trip to Orlando - but its the feeling of achievement I KNOW I'll get that keeps me going.

I’m so pleased you’ve managed to overcome your difficulties – may you have many many enjoyable jumps and safe landings.

Blue skies.

Ross

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GREAT! Have a wonderful time in Deland. I have not jumped there, but I have visited the DZ and also ordered my suit from Merlin. Christine is great. Anyway, I am glad you are going to get a chance to learn to jump without being snapped to another person. Although, I did think tandems were the most fun you could have with your clothes on strapped to a man!!!! ha!!!

Good luck on your AFF course, and keep fighting all the way. You are right, as we both know, that you have to push against all the odds in life, whether or not you are challenged by handiabled bodies, minds, or anything else. Heck, you got to push against the odds these days, even if you don't have those challenges.

Send us a picture from Deland AND if you get a chance to swing by Skydive Williston (about 2 hours from Deland) and jump with us, we welcome EVERYONE! Just bring your log book, your gear, and your enthusiasm and we will never turn you away!!!! It is a great place for beginners as everyone welcomes you in to jump and learn, even if you only have 15 jumps! Safe and fun group.

Let us know how you are doing.

Emily

People Too Weak To Follow Their Own Dreams Will Always Keep You From Following Yours.

[BASE813 0]

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(including cave diving)

respect

thats hardcore!

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[obligaited 0]

Thanks. I liked it. but I loved open water. I never thought of cave diving as "hard core." But, I guess when I look back on it -- it sort of is. I had a bad episode when I got nitrogen narcosis, and it scared me a little. I went back, but then I got out of it all together. I think of Skydiving as Hard Core!!! Funny, that this old (38) coot, got into it at all. But, I am loving it, and will make my 50th jump tomorrow.

Blue Skies

People Too Weak To Follow Their Own Dreams Will Always Keep You From Following Yours.

[dguy 0]

Congrats on fulfilling your dreams and aspirations.
I am feeling rather down at the moment and was going to post a new thread, but having read yours I thought I'd post a reply instead.
I first became interested in skydiving in 1999, we gave our son his first jump in February of that year for his 18th. I did my first jump in September, by December I had reached freefall, but suffered an entanglement on Jump Number 7 (dislocated knee, severed ACL, damaged PCL, MCL etc etc) Since then various things have prevented me continuing my skydiving dream - (detached retina, redundancy), but earlier this year everything looked good so I booked an AFF course in Spain for the first to weeks in June. Then a few days ago my dream was totally shattered, following a routine checkup, I have been diagnosed with an enlarged aorta and the British Parachute Association medical adviser has said that I should never skydive, however static line would probably be OK.
I understand the reasons behind the BPA MA decision, but it still hurts to be told you can't do something that you've dreamed about for 6 years.
I'm still thinking about what to do; I'll probably do some static-line jumps, and just be a permanent student, or perhaps have a go at something different - paragliding perhaps.

Blue Skies

---

"Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt"
- Abraham Lincoln

[obligaited 0]

Sorry to hear you have such a diagnosis. That is a really tough one!!! Is there anything they can do to change the enlarged aorta?? Surgery? replacing it????? So much can be done today, but then you have to decide if doing the things in life are worth going through such an enormously difficult and painful surgery??? I know that there have been healthy people who have died of a ruptured aorta due to injuries in skydiving, so I guess your enlargement makes you at a high risk? I think for me static line would be better than nothing, but it really isn't the canopy work that is that much fun for me. Maybe that will change when I actually get better at it and quit stressing! I think you should do whatever you want to do once you understand the consequences. Even static line could hurt you. It really stinks being told you "can't" when you want to soooooo much. My thoughts are with you as you try to figure out what you want to do. Keep in touch.

Emily

People Too Weak To Follow Their Own Dreams Will Always Keep You From Following Yours.

[maja. 0]

I know it's old thread, but I'd like to add something. 4,5 years ago I had spine surgery due to scoliosis. My spine is fused from T12 to L2. I live in Poland and I had to have orthopedist's permission to skydive here. My orthopedist told me, that I shouldn't skydive and if I wanted I have to find another doctor. I found an orthopedist who is also a skydiver, but he told me the same. Few days ago I went to Lithuania, where I didn't need any permission and I started AFF

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[Babi 0]

I just love this thread. Look for the right doctor!!.

When I was 20 I was diagnosed with grand mall epilepsy here in Slovenia. Two years later I went to UK where a British specialist confirm the diagnosis. Several years later I returned to Slovenia and was again diagnosed the same.
Three top specialists tried to prevent me from doing a lot of stuff in my life, gave me drugs that made me feel like I am in another world, looking into this one from a distance.
20 years after my diagnosis I started yoga which helped my blood pressure and I was beggining to feel good. In spite of the doctors advise I stopped the drugs and suffered no ill effects. Now, 20 years later we all agree that it was not epilepsy at all, only anxiety attacks.

I am not saying to disreagard the doctor's opinion all together, but to go with your gut feeling.

[skydiver6802 0]

I've been in this sport for 4+ yrs now, in the USA. Last year I had a malfunction and it has cost me a year out of the sport. I fractured my humuorus (upper arm bone) from the mid-point through the distal 3rd. The surgeon almost took it off, because he was unsure if he could rebuild it. He told me after surgery that the best he could guarantee me was funcitonality with my left arm. I have a 10" metal plate with 12 screws, 5 sections of metal wire, and huge chunk of artifical bone in my arm. 1 year ago, the doctor and everyone said, you will never skydive again or regain what you had in your arm. 3 months after surgery, I had the use of my hand back, I could type with both hands, but it was painful and slow. More months pass and each day I was getting more back. After 9 months of intense physical therapy, my surgeon said, therapy is done, you have to take it now, not that you were not telling them to go further than they thought they should. you are done with therapy, but not me. I work my arm everyday to keep what I have and to build it back. In June, I went to AZ to skydive Arizona, and got into the wind-tunnel. It was awesome. I could fly... It was rough, but it helped. Yes, my injury is a permanent disability, but I have found that I will be able to skydive again soon. My doctor, and family wish I would not, but they understand, for the most part, that it is something I have to do for me.

Don't let anyone say you can't or wont be able to do something. What your mind can beleive, your body can acheive....

To all the skydivers with disabilities, I am proud to say, you all have been an inspiration to me getting through my own personal injury... I had met a deaf skydiver in Walterboro SC last summer before my accident, I cant think of his name, but he was an inspiration for me.

Blue skies, my brothers and sisters...

[cptchaos 0]

i am a L1 paraplegic and was also told i would never jump again. with perseverence and patience you will get back in the sky. dont let "the man" take you out


blue sky's

all that is gold does not glitter
not all those who wander
are lost!