This is the short version of Juan's story. There is a longer, 3 page version and some of the links here connect to parts of that version. Other links connect to definitions of unfamiliar terms.

My name is Juan Martinez. I am 33 years old, and about two years ago I sustained a spinal cord injury, C 5-6. Right now I live independently and work part-time at the local independent living center, but I want to go to college, get a degree, and counsel juvenile delinquents.

Personal History

Before my accident I traveled my whole life. My family is real close knit, and we worked as migratory workers in the fields, so I grew up traveling. After I left home, I kept traveling and worked as a carpenter and commercial fisherman and other things - jobs that let you travel wherever you want. Then my car rolled over one night outside of Roland, Missouri.

I have a complete C 5-6 spinal cord injury, and I can't feel anything from my nipples down. I can use my hands, but not my fingers, and I have use of my biceps, but not my triceps. So, for example, I can rub my face to scratch an itch, but I can't push open a door.

 I treat my injury as a wake-up call. This is a second chance and I want to take advantage of it. I'll do what it takes to get to my goals - and those goals are a lot higher than before my accident. I've had a lot of different jobs in various places, but I realize that it's time to make something more out of myself.

I had great medical rehabilitation. The staff helped me relearn how to do a lot of things on my own. A couple of months ago I flew back home, and my family was surprised how independently I get around.

You really have to take good care of yourself if you are a quad. There are medical complications that can be serious. It's been tough to accept that I will have setbacks and problems, but I know I can reduce the risks with proper management. I also use personal assistants to help take care of myself. They come in to help me several times a day: getting up in the morning, shower, dressing, bowel routine, etc. But I still count on my sister for emergencies, like an attendant not showing up, or when we travel together.

If you don't take care of yourself there are going to be consequences. If you get wet or have an accident, you might get sores. If you don't have a good bladder routine you might develop infections. You and your aides have to watch those things.

Life Since the Injury

I eat as little as possible, maybe 1/3 of what I ate before. I watch foreign food - my body just can't digest things like that anymore. I have to stick to the same foods that I know I can handle. And I really don't have hunger pangs. You feel weak and it's time to eat.

If you've had good rehab and are motivated, you learn a little every day and can do more things. I've not only improved physically, so I can do more things, but I'm getting better at reading, writing and spelling. I know I'm a quad and I better learn to live with it. Yeah, there are things you just can't do, but you've got to try: be creative.

 At first, after I got out of the hospital, I was going to go back to Texas, but I decided to stay here instead. There are a lot of other people around here who have spinal cord injuries, and the town has a lot of access and the public transportation system is pretty good. Plus, one of my sisters lives just over in Eugene, so I've got some family nearby.

The VR Process

When I got out of the hospital about a year ago, the staff there referred me to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). The rehabilitation process, that is, VR, is pretty easy to understand. VR assists people with disabilities to achieve employment and independent living. It's run under a federal law, the Rehabilitation Act, which has regulations that spell out the rules the State VR Agency must operate under to get federal funds.

The rehabilitation process starts with a referral of the person with a disability to a local VR office. That referral can come from the person themselves, their parents, teachers, doctors - anybody. The hospital referred me. My VR counselor, Jack Greene, went through the procedure to establish my eligibility to get VR services. That includes a review and assessment of medical and psychological records, getting to know the person's circumstances, and generally trying to figure out if VR services can assist in achieving an employment outcome.

Now that I have been found eligible, Jack and I will develop my IWRP. This is a team activity, so he will help me review my choices about the selection of services, arrangement of job supports, and the development of an employment goal. The VR counselor has to really get to know his or her client for this part. For instance, Jack might call local community rehabilitation programs, rehabilitation centers, or anyone else who knows the person, to help him develop someone's IWRP. After they have created a plan, they implement it, and periodically evaluate and review it to deal with any problems that come up. For most IWRP's, the goal is securing employment that is consistent with the person's interests, abilities, and needs - hopefully a career in an integrated setting, one that offers advancement and benefits.

In my case, I want to get into college so I can become a counselor for juvenile delinquents. I was a juvenile delinquent myself, so I think I have a lot of insight. My friends have always come to me for advice. So I think I would be good, and would enjoy counseling kids who get in trouble, have problems.

I know I need to get my G.E.D. before I can go to college, because I didn't finish high school. I took the GED last week, but I haven't heard how I did yet. I think I did pretty good, except I had some trouble with those little bubbles you fill in - those were kind of hard.

I've always been able to get by on little education. But now, after the accident, I have to pick up those things I didn't get in school, because I can't be a carpenter anymore. I need VR's assistance to go to college and to get some technology, and hopefully some vehicle modifications.

The help you get from VR is like help learning to swim; they can teach you, but you are the one who has to want to learn. Jack, my VR counselor, is very supportive and flexible, and says he will help me get what I need.

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