Jeremiah Jones #2

I never did get knocked out, and I felt the shock and energy, which was like someone hooked me up to the most powerful electric fence. I felt like I had 5 bikes hitting me all at once, and I just couldn’t get away. I was screaming to get the bike off of me because I couldn’t do anything about it because I couldn’t feel anything from my neck down, and when they got the bike off of me, I guess that I was blessed because God did give me some of my function back.

I had a really rough day yesterday because I had to go back into surgery, so they could realign three screws. The doctor said that the way the screws were aligned in my back that if they would loosen, there would have been a chance that my spinal cord would have started leaking, which wouldn’t have been good.

Also, my T-11 and T-12 vertebrate started to pull back away, so they wired and plated it. They pulled the vertebrate closer together this time, and the doctor talked as if it will mend itself together a whole lot faster and that area of my back will be really strong.

I am suppose to have another MRI on Monday and make sure everything is in alignment and hooked up right, and basically I hope from then that I will be able to go onto rehab. I have rehab setup in Atlanta, GA and Louisville, KY, and I have already been accepted to the one in Louisville. I have the flight and everything lined up to leave out of here on Tuesday, but they are still trying to get me into the one in Atlanta. If I am accepted, they could get me into there on Wednesday. They will come and pick me up in a Lear Jet and get me all hooked up and start me on rehab. I could be in rehab from 4 to 8 weeks, a year, or what ever it takes, but it should be good.

The Doctor basically told me that the situation that I am in right now is not as bad as originally expected. At the beginning, they thought my spinal cord was severed or torn in half, but when they went in for surgery, it wasn’t torn and only had a small little hole in it, and when they went back in there for my second surgery they ended up closing that incision on that hole, so it should be taken care of.

As far as getting my movement back, I have had some pressure points in my groin area, which is showing some promise, and all we can do now is wait for my swelling to go down in my back and spinal cord area to tell whether that I am going to get any kind of range of motion back in my hips or my knees. There is a possibility that I could get a range of motion back in my hips, it could go down into my knees and ankles, and there is a possibility that I could once again walk with the use of a walker. As of right now, I still don’t have any movement below my waist, and I can only feel some pressure in my groin area. From my waist up, I can feel cold and hot, I can move my arms, I am breathing fine, and all my vital signs are good.

I am just very blessed for what I have got because it could have been ten times worse because I could be sitting here right now with a ventilator on me, so I now have a second chance at life. I am looking at life in a different aspect now. I have a beautiful wife, son, and a big family behind me, and not only my immediate family, but also the entire ATV family. It is very grateful that everyone really cares about you as much as they do, and it is just an honor to know how much some respected me, and I hope that I was a good role model to everyone.

It is just a big family, and I have had so many friends get in touch me, and everyone is so behind me. I would be the same way to them if they were in my situation because I would do everything in my power to help anybody out. It is just the way that I am and was raised, and I am just grateful that I am surrounded by people that really care because I have met a lot of really caring people in my life.

I have worked so hard in this Industry to get to where I am at, and if there is anyway possible, I definitely want to stay involved with the Team. I don’t want to be known as a cripple and put up in a wheel chair for the rest of my life. I want to be known as somebody and be an inspiration to the racers and come back and work for Suzuki, so I still can be involved with the Team. I feel like that I am going to be a big contributor because I know what it takes, the determination, willpower, and focus to run out front. I know how to make bikes better and more equipped, and I am excited just to know that I will still be involved in my new role because Suzuki/Yoshimura is behind me 100%.

I have been racing for 13 years, and I have got to know some really great people, and I really appreciate all the support that I received from my family, friends, and even people that I never met. All your support and prayers are helping me get through, and I really appreciate it."

Jeremiah Jones #2