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thankfully below the areas that would have negative i, your upper body Your injury is confined to your legs

"Now," he said quickly before I could ask anything, "we have determined that what you have is e call an incomplete injury, which means there is some function below the primary level of the injury We believe you will be able tosoht on it and help yourself in and out of your wheelchair"

"Wheelchair?" I cried

"Yes," he said holding that kind, soft s me feel more uncomfortable

"Why? Did I break my spinal cord?"

"Well," Dr Eisner said widening his smile "it isn't necessary to break it to have problems Usually we find them crushed or badly bruised Doctor Casey can explain it to you," he said looking at the younger doctor

The youngerHe spoke very nasally, as if the words came out of his nostrils rather than his mouth

"The spinal cord swells Blood pressure drops sharply in the da cells of their blood supply

Heins in the center of the cord and spreads outward Dying nerve cells produce scar tissue and the connections in the cord are broken The result is paralysis," he concluded emotionlessly

"I'm permanently paralyzed?"

"Below the waist," Doctor Eisner said I guessed that to him that sounded like it was better than it could have been "We are still evaluating your bladder," he concluded

I didn't speak I could see he atching me carefully for my reaction

"Will I die?" I asked him finally

"Oh no, no," he assured me

I wished he had said "Of course"