Kevin Taylor
Kevin Taylor wasn’t always in a wheelchair. There was a time when he was younger when he could walk on his own, run with his friends, and play. One day, Kevin broke his leg. A broken leg can be very painful, but this type of injury is very treatable. Emergency rooms deal with broken bones on a daily basis. They are often straightforward injuries, which usually take several weeks to recover. Kevin’s injury was different.
Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
The human body is a complex machine, and you never really know what is going on inside. This was the case with Kevin. When he went to the hospital after breaking his leg, his doctors discovered that he had an unusual condition called Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, or RSD. Strokes or heart attacks often trigger the condition, but it can also be triggered by an injury, such as a broken leg. When his leg broke, the sympathetic nervous system signals blood vessels to contract and reduce the flow of blood at the location of the wound so that there is minimal blood loss. The pain caused by RSD is horrible. It is constant and causes a deep, cold, throbbing, aching, or burning pain. It can also make the skin sensitive to everyday things like wearing clothes or taking a shower.
Amputation
After trying many different treatments, the doctors realized that the only way to help Kevin and treat his pain would be to amputate his leg. This meant that he would have to deal with challenges and limitations for the rest of his life. He also had to deal with assumptions and stigma from people who didn’t know him. Kevin didn’t let his disability get him down. He wanted to live his life to the fullest, and the people who knew him were in awe of his positive attitude.
Kim Didway
The first time that Kevin saw Kim, he knew that she was the one. He says that it was love at first sight. He was worried that Kim wouldn’t be able to see past the wheelchair. Kim says that when she first saw Kevin, it wasn’t the chair that she noticed. It was his infectious smile. Kevin’s friends say that when they met Kim, they knew she was genuine. She didn’t care about the chair; she was just into Kevin. Kim says that the wheelchair never bothered her. She says that Kevin is the most amazing person she has ever known, and for her, it was love at first sight as well.
The Wedding
When Kevin proposed to Kim, she immediately said yes. She didn’t have to think about it for a second. Right after the engagement, the couple started planning the wedding. They planned to get married at Caprock Winery in Lubbock, Texas. Kim was focused on wedding planning, but Kevin was distracted. Kim worried a bit that Kevin had changed his mind about the wedding. She had no idea that he was having secret meetings behind her back, which was taking his attention away from the wedding planning. Kevin reminded Kim each day that he loved her and couldn’t wait to marry her, but she was still a bit worried.
Everyone Stood
Finally, the day of the wedding arrived. Kevin had a huge surprise planned for his wife, and she had no idea what was coming. When it was time for Kim to walk down the aisle, and the priest asked everyone to stand, they did. Everyone, including Kevin. Kim looked down the aisle and saw him stand up from his wheelchair and walk toward her. She had never seen him standing in her life. She broke down in tears.
Prosthetic Leg
It turned out that the secret meetings that were distracting Kevin were with a physiotherapist. They had fit Kevin with a prosthetic leg and teaching him to walk. He wanted to surprise his bride by standing up beside her at the wedding.
Learning
Walking with a prosthesis is not as easy as most people think. Kevin had to rebuild the strength in his leg so that he could hold his own weight. With the aid of training feet, Kevin regained his balance and mobility. This was essential in helping him get ready for his prosthetic limb. Kevin was in a wheelchair for so long that he had to work hard to walk on his leg on his wedding day.
A Reason To Walk
Kevin never let his wheelchair get him down, and he tried to keep doing the things that he loved. He tried not to let the chair limit him. It wasn’t until he was ready to marry Kim that he had the motivation to get a prosthetic leg, so after asking her to marry him, he started working really hard.
Free From the Chair
After a disabled groom went behind his bride’s back, she broke down in tears on their wedding day. They were both able to stand during the ceremony, and it was amazing. Kevin is looking forward to his life without the wheelchair. Now that he has two legs to stand on, he would have the freedom that he always wanted. Kim says that seeing her husband-to-be standing was the most wonderful surprise of her life.
