My inspirational story

[MIKEHONCHO]

Hi my name is Jason and I thought maybe my story would maybe help someone who is feeling low and needs a story of somebody who was defeated but came back.
My story is this, in 2006 I had my trip to europe planned and tickets payed for and it was my birthday and only 3 weeks until my trip. Well my friends and I went to bar in downtown Vancouver to celebrate my birthday.. Now I just bought my first beer and my friends were hitting this punching bag in the bar that tells you how hard your punch is, well I half assed punched it and everybody laughed as I am a big guy and everybody expected me to kill it. So I put my beer down and reach back to throw a haymaker and just as I put all of my weight forward I hear a pop and feel a snap and fall to the ground on my face. It turns out I dislocated my knee cap and ruturing my ACL and PCL and tearing my LCL and my meniscus as well as the worst injury I some how mangled my paranerial nerve that goes from thigh to toes. Now have just felt like I broke my leg in 3 places and my foot is pointing out and while my knee capp is pointing in. Anyways I get to the hospital and my paretsmeet me there and the doctor pops my knee back into place. The nurses take me upstairs to hospital room. The next morning the orthopedic surgeon comes in and tells me what I have done and I ask am I going to be able to go on my trip to Europe and looks at me and saysthis is a serious injury with the nerve and it might take you 2 or 3 years before you can walk again withouta cain, never mind the ligament and cartlidge damage. BasicallyI needed 26 inches of nerve to regrow in my knee in order to be able to walk close to what I did before the accident. I told myself after he left I don't care how long it takes or how much physiotheray I have to take but I will be going to Europe soon.

After 6 months of hard workin the swimming pool, at the physiotherapists office and putting up with the worst pain I had ever felt, I was out of the wheel chairand walking with a walker. Another 3 months later I was able to feel my toes and move them and walk with a cain with out a problem. The three doctors I had seen had never seen somebody with an injury of this magnitude being able to walk after a short time. When I told my docotrs about my plan to backpack throught europe, they told me not to and it was not a good idea. But I had made myself a promise to no matter what to acheive my dream of backpacking through europe on my own. Now one year and two months to the day my plane touched down in Frankfurt and the first thing I said was I did it and backpacked by myself across 8 countries with my cain in hand and walking up all 1200 steps of the monument of 1812 in Leipzig, Germany or walking up the steep hill to get to King Ludwig's castle in Bavaria. This is my single biggest acomplishment of my life to show all the doctors that no matter what they told me they weren't going to kill my dream and the only person that could was myself and I was not going to let that happen.

I hope this could help somebody who has had something similar and is thinking of giving up or thinking something is impossible.

[offhegoes03]

That's an awesome story. Congrats on not letting the injury stop you from going on a great trip.

[travelpunk]

Wow! That is straight up mad focus and determination, Jason. Very proud of you, bro !

What a tremendously inspiring story and I'm so glad that you shared it with us .

With that mindset, you will be able to accomplish anything you set out to do in life. Congrats on your recovery !

[simply_angelic]

Wow. Just wow.

I was not expecting it to actually be that inspirational. Congrats man, seriously.

[MIKEHONCHO]

thanks guys, the only problem is my knee is worse now and I had to cancel my trip to live in Australia as I need to get multiple surgeries to fix the ligement ruptures and the meniscus and I have not been able to work because of the intense pain. These replies are helping raise my spirits. Thank you

[maracle]

Glad you didn't give up on your trip

I hope the rest of your surgeries go well. Too bad they can't do them all at once though...

[raoulduke]

Wow, congratulations man.

Good luck getting to Australia.

[marc873]

Living the dream. Keep the focus and you will accomplish all your desires.

[mushroom22]

Congrats on making it over to Europe and making it though that first round of surgeries.

I've been dealing with knee problems for the past 2 years. It's not nearly as serious as yours but 2 surgeries in 2 years has not been fun at all. I thought I would be better by now, but I still haven't been able to do the things I love most - playing sports & being active and outdoors.

It's frustrating, but we just need to keep your heads up!

[mermaidnz]

wow! amazing dude!

good on you for having the resilience to keep at it, im sure with that attitude you will be living in aussie in no time!!

[Diorama]

good on ya! Seriously throwing in the towel is not an option for you. More people need to have your state of mind. Keep being a fighter!

[mresky]

my brother had a motorbike accident 6 years ago
he smashed both of his knees,broke and dislocated his hip,broke both wrists
he spent 7 months in hospital,didnt get out of bed for 3 months
after the doctors told him his was never to walk again he was determined to prove them wrong and after lots of phiso and training he was walking
i have just returned to australia after 2 years backpacking(and working) through all of europe(36 countrys) with him
and he now is driving hovercraft in the caribeen for a living
this just go's to show that if you have the determination you can do anything

[joe7f]

Originally Posted by simply_angelic

Wow. Just wow.

I was not expecting it to actually be that inspirational. Congrats man, seriously.

Hehe me too. I thought for sure you were going to say that you lost your plane tickets at the bar.

Anyway, congrats Jason, I honestly think this is the most inspirational story I have read on Travel Punk and that's saying something.

--Joey

Thanks for clearing up the issue with your name (I can stop calling you Mike now )

[DC_Jessica]

Incredibly inspiring! Shows us we can't give up.

Thank you so much for sharing.

[BedtimeontheMoon]

Wow, ... your perseverance is amazing. Congratulations on living your dream. I'm sure you will be off to Australia in no time.

[MIKEHONCHO]

Thnk you everybody I was starting to feel down about missing Australia, but the response from everybody has helped regain my focus
thank you

[MIKEHONCHO]

Hey everybody thought I would just update my story to say I am going to Australia now for a working holiday

[moriegres]

That's an awesome story!