About Me
When I was my younger self, I lived on the edge. Here is just a quick rundown. I was in and out of jail in the 90's for fighting and Marijuana. I survived a complete blackout on alcohol and jumped my car over a hill. I overdosed on cocaine and flatlined twice in 1996 . I was in a head on collision by an out of control driver in 1998. I suffered a brain hemorrhage from this accident but somehow the hemorrhage had fixed itself by the time I arrived at the hospital. I survived another overdose in 2011. I've beaten cocaine addiction and opioid addiction. Personal Relationships always ended in disaster.
However, my real test of life came at a time when my life had just started to have meaning and I was the healthiest and happiest I had ever been. I had also found love and just gotten married. In November 2014 I had just left the gym and was going to pick my daughter up from school. I was driving our 2014 1LE SS Camaro on hwy East 80 at the Clay/Laurel line. I rounded a steep curve and there was driveway runoff in the road. My car started to fish tail, went across the center line and hit a guardrail, piercing the car's headlight. There was 32ft of guardrail that came front to back through my car. At first glance I thought I was fine but the airbag was hiding a surprise. My left leg was completely gone and what was left was stuck. I had to grab my passenger door and pull until my leg came loose. Once I made it to the passenger seat I noticed I had big problems. Among me losing 5.5 pints of blood at the scene, I also had multiple other injuries including a dented skull, shattered teeth, three broken ribs, and the brake pedal pierced my right foot. The man who stopped to help said the ambulance was 20 minutes out. However, I was bleeding out. That's when I told him to tell my wife and kids I love them as had I had accepted what was about to happen. The ambulance got there in 8 minutes and as I was loaded from ambulance to helicopter and from what I was told, I died on the helicopter .When we reached UK hospital they had revived me. They had to do four emergency surgeries and had used 37 units of blood to save me. Doctors said I would never walk unassisted again but they didn't know me! I went home 4 days later and in the first week threw my walker away and put my wheelchair in my building . I used shoulder crutches and exercise to slowly get stronger during the next months. I did it all myself after the first month or two. I did this with no medicine what so ever, I refused to be a zombie! I also battled and survived suicidal thoughts after my accident .
The past is behind me but it was building me for who I am now . I'm a completely different animal now. I've faced my monsters headon and came out on top . People may sit and judge you or think they know you . Only you know you and if you don't get up, you won't find yourself. This is why I say just because you think you know me doesn't mean you know me . My mindset is on savage now, not because I'm tuff but because I have a hunger inside me few are lucky enough to find . Get up , man up and go find your fuel! I've been built for this my whole life and didn't even realize it.
I now do extreme hikes , I've completed 8.5 miles of Red River Gorge , Eagle Falls , Anglin Falls , Flat lick , Scuttle Hole Falls Trail ,and The Narrows Trail. I don't recommend people get out and do the hikes I'm doing, but I'm proof you can have a life after amputation. I push myself to unsafe limits, and I know the risk but it is my passion. If you stay focused on your personal prize you will get it with enough hard work and some grit .....thanks for having me #TheMadHiker .....Just know if anything ever happens to me on the trails I Was Happy!
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Contact me
chriscavanaugh442@gmail.com
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