Chapter 9 - REBUILDING THE BROKEN SPINAL COLUMN
After being discharged from Rush, I moved into a small, fully accessible apartment near the physical therapy clinic, leaving behind the shared living arrangement with my parents. My new routine was singular: recovery. I dedicated every waking hour to strengthening the muscles around my spine, working with therapists who focused on restoring the balance and coordination that had been severely set back by the fall.
There were days when the pain was so intense I couldn't leave the bed, days when the numbness in my leg made me feel like I was dragging a phantom limb. But every morning, I focused on a singular goal: reclaiming the independence that my brother had tried to steal. My physical progress became the ultimate defiance against the "fraud" label he had so casually pinned on me.
