Preface

I am quadriplegic with complete injury on C4 of my spinal cord. This means I have no sensation below my shoulder and cannot move my arms and legs at all. The injury occurred during a motor vehicle accident on July 2nd, 2006 while I was driving around in California as part of geological field trip with students. Immediately after the accident, I was airlifted by a helicopter to Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California where I had my operation. A month later I moved to University Hospital of University of Southern California in Los Angeles. I stayed almost a month in Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles before I flew back to Korea. Upon returning back home after three months in USA, I was admitted to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital and stayed there for another three months.

This blog is created to share my experience and know-how with other people who themselves or their loved ones may have undergone similar trauma. I found that the exchange of ideas and information is crucial to people like us with severe disability. Despite my injury, I find myself being able to do much of the things I used to do, like teaching and research with the aid of computers and other assistive devices. It is amazing how a small piece of knowledge can improve the quality of one's life, and I believe technologies will get better.