"...I arrived at Spaulding. Within minutes, I met Dr. Kevin O'Connor, who would guide my recovery for the next seven weeks. Dr. O'Connor set the tone for my therapy. 'Consider rehab like a buffet,' he said. 'You don't have to put everything on your plate right away. Take a little at a time and come back for the rest later.'

Dr. O'Connor was a godsend. He was serious even when he had to be, and funny when he could be. He put up with me when I think few others would have. I kept a small notebook with me to write down questions I had about my rehabilitation throughout the day. When I would meet with Dr. O'Connor, I would fire off the questions one by one. In seven weeks, he never failed to have an answer.

My time spent at Spaulding was a roller coaster of emotions, but there to guide me through it all was the Spaulding staff. From the nurses and aides, to the therapists, doctors and even management, it was obvious there was one ever-present goal: not to send me into a handicapped world, but to prepare me for the challenges I will face in the real world. Not only were they there for me, but they supported my wife and my family."