___A JOURNEY___
I’m Rachael Short, a professional photographer who became quadriplegic after a car accident in 2010 at age 28. These days I focus on staying healthy, strong, and comfortable with the support of my caregivers and community. Photography is still part of my life, and so is sharing my story. This blog includes updates on my health, photography, and the fundraisers that help make my care possible.
I lost a dear friend. But he was more than a friend, he gave me hope when I needed it the most. He came into my life six months after my injury in 2010 and laid the foundation for my rehab that I continue with today. He lived with me for a year and we exercised everyday. He would often ask me “Are you Rachael weak or Rachael strong?”. Every night would end with him massaging my legs and feet and he would tell me that I had the happiest feet in the world. Sean was 74 years old and was found dead on the beach in Half Moon Bay on January 24th still strapped to his paddleboard. Apparently he had taken up paddle boarding a few months ago, that’s the type of guy Sean was. He exercised every day, he swam, biked, did tai chi, he was always active. He was a man of many strengths and talents. He had served in the Air Force in the Chinese military, studied neo-confucianism and later in life he became a personal trainer and CNA to help people with paralysis. In the last email I received from him he stated “Time fly, too fast, I feel there are only two days a week, two weeks a month, four months a year.” I told him I understood completely and felt the same way. I would’ve never met this man if I hadn’t been in that car accident. These are the gifts I will take from this life. Thank you Sean for your dedication, your love and your encouragement. I would not be where I am today without you. You are the light.
Well it has been 9 years since my injury and i’m not sure how I feel about that, it seems fast but also seems like a lifetime ago. I have finally moved after what feels like forever of wondering where I would go. This has forced me to go through boxes that were packed at the time of my accident, boxes I put away and never wanted to go through. Any note I hand wrote I want to keep, remembering how simple and easy it once was to write a letter. Time to say goodbye to the camera gear, the surfboards, the snowboard, the camping gear… memories from a different life, and now it is time to “Marie Kondo” this stuff, thank these items for the joy they brought me and let them go. Saying goodbye to my truck was especially hard, and it’s so silly to be attached to a truck but it represented so much more, it’s time to let that go too. Letting these things go and moving on does make me feel better, it’s ok, everything will be fine, just different. It has been 9 years! It’s time...
With all the distractions from the move it has been hard to focus on my body but everyday I make sure I get standing, stretch it out and try to breathe. It has almost been 6 months since the move, I still don’t have a bathroom sink (and had 2 months with no indoor shower!) but I nearly have my greenhouse turned gym put back together and my dream cottage is finally feeling like home. This was a long process and took the help of many to make my new place accessible. I couldn’t have done it without the people who donated to my fundraiser last fall for my home modifications and to these generous people: Travis Roy foundation, my family (especially my dad), Big Sur River Inn, Eric Arnett, Tevye Morgenrath, Travis Trapkus, Belleci plumbing, Cordrey construction, Jenkins plastering, Kendra Morgenrath, Lyra Ordjonikidze, Aengus Wagner, Cyrus Bell, Kodiak Greenwood, Myles Lerner, Blaze Engineering, Will Drew, Jon Hyland, Alex Short, Cody Kenyon, Rob Acosta, Lyle Southall, Andy Perez, Dakota Michelson and many many more. Thank you!
Back in May I had the amazing opportunity to work with Apple. They came down and wrote an article about me and my iPhone photography. You can read that HERE. In July I saw Hamilton in San Francisco, it was amazing! In September we celebrated 10 years at Gallery Exposed, the gallery Evynn LeValley and I opened in 2009, a year before my injury and I recently just returned from a trip down to LA to visit my best friend and her beautiful growing family. I am grateful for these new memories and I cherish the old. Life continues on, in every unexpected way that it can... BE THE LIGHT.
To make a donation to my ongoing care and rehab you can send a check to:
People often ask how do you do it? How do you keep going everyday?
I do it because thankfully I have the support that allows me to. For me there was never another option, I do it because I am here and I am going to do the best I can. I do it because I don’t know any other way. I do it because I want to gain back as much movement as possible. To me it is a silly question because I will never give up. I am running this marathon called “journey back from paralysis” to the very end.
My biggest obstacle is finding caregivers and trainers who can keep up with me! I work hard everyday and I need the help of many to get me through my days. My relay/marathon annual fundraiser helps me pay everyone who helps me daily. Currently I employ 5 caregivers and 4 trainers! It really is a full time job advocating for myself and finding the help I need daily to become stronger. I understand why people give up, it is really hard work and cost a lot of money. By the end of the day I am exhausted and I am constantly worried about finances. The relay for Rachael eases the financial stress and motivates me to KEEP PUTTING ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER EVERYDAY. Thank you for BEing my light.
Friday Night Pasta Dinner
These people work behind the scenes
and help me get my movement daily!
Thank You!
My Marathoners!
Thank You to the Treadmill
for always hooking up my winning team with new shoes!
Congratulations Team Nepenthe!
(even though Kodiak beat all the teams!)
Kendra ran her first marathon!
Kodiak finally got a new pair of shoes
after wearing these for three marathons!
Aengus after marathon number 8!
The world needs more people like this girl,
Thank You Daniella for the best care!
I wouldn’t be where I am today without this annual fundraiser to help pay for my ongoing care and rehab. There are many in my situation who are not as fortunate and I am so thankful that I can get up and moving everyday. Every year I get a little stronger and every year gets a little easier.
This year I have 25 runners training hard and getting ready to hit Highway 1 on Sunday, April 28th. I am forever grateful for their support and yours. Please go to Relay for Rachael for more information on how to donate.
I’ve decided I have a PhD in Spinal Cord Injury, 8 years down, oh how time flies. I learn more and more every day about this crazy life, 8 years is nothing. I take the anniversary of my injury as a chance to reflect on where I was then and how far i’ve come. A day doesn’t go by where I don’t remind myself how lucky I am to have a roof over my head, food on the table and the incredible support of so many.
At Point Lobos photographing with my iPhone.
My health is my life and my life is my health and that is only possible because of the help I receive from others. Our health mentally and physically are both so important when trying to achieve a happy and fulfilling life. This made easier by getting the proper sleep, nutrition and exercise. I feel our general health is greatly under valued.
At times I feel selfish, every day I have to think about me, be my own health care advocate. How am I going to get up in the morning, fed, transported around and get the help I need to get through my day? In part because of this I am always trying to find ways to give back and to help others.
I was reminded of this again in August after a friend passed away suddenly at the age of 32. Everything he did was to help others, to make this world a better place. He was a bright light and once again I am reminded to be the light and to #livelikeWeston. He was part of my relay for Rachael crew and will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.
Every year I get stronger and life with a spinal cord injury gets a little easier, just last month I was finally able to turn over from my stomach to my back in the pool. I’ve been working on this for 8 years! Being able to breathe on my own in the pool is huge because now I can work towards independence in the water. I started competitive swimming at the age of 8, played water polo and swam on the swim team through high school, lifeguarded, taught swim lessons, coached swim team, surfed, wakeboarded. I am a waterdog and I can’t wait for the day when I don’t need any help in the pool, and I am so close! Never give up!
Don’t take any minute of your life for granted. Look at the big picture and don’t let the little things get you down. Go for walks, watch the sunset, spend time with friends and family, volunteer, make a difference in your community, hug, cry, laugh, love, make art, be kind. Life is short.
There’s a lot that can get you down, this world can be a brutal place and I know it is hard to stay positive, I work on it every day. But this world is a beautiful place too, yin and yang, black and white, shadow and light, birth and death.
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up.”
-Stephen Hawking
As the dust settles from this year‘s Relay For Rachael I am reminded that I am not alone on this journey and that I couldn’t do it without the support of many... every year we get stronger and it is truly an amazing thing.
Shelby Hawthorne and Kodiak Greenwood both ran the full marathon while my relay teams battled it out on the highway. Team LaLa Land came in 1st out of my 6 teams, upsetting the Big Sur teams, and came in 3rd overall out of 112 teams! I love seeing everybody come together for such a fun and rewarding event and I’m so proud of my runners who hit Highway 1 in support of me. I can’t say thank you enough!
This year we raised a record amount of money, from over 250 donors, to help with my ongoing caregiving and physical therapy costs. I can’t put into words what this means to me and how this helps me get through my days. My progress is slow but it is progress and I am up to the challenge. Thank you for BEing my light.
Thank you to The Treadmill for hooking up the winning team with free shoes and for hosting such a “Fun Run” on March 25th in preparation for the marathon.
As the 8th annual Relay for Rachael approaches I am reminded how lucky I am for the support of my amazing friends, family and community.Year after year my runners continue to train and raise money and I continue to get the help I need to gain strength and stay healthy both mentally and physically.I am knocking on wood as I write this but I have not been sick in over 5 years, I am gentle to my body because I know it needs strength to heal. I try and eat healthy, I rarely drink alcohol anymore and if I do it is a glass of red wine, I get my rest by staying on a consistent sleep schedule (which includes having to wake up from 3-3:30AM every morning to switch from my left to right side) and most importantly I keep my body moving.My movement is possible because I have people who believe in me and who allow me to continue on my journey. I can’t imagine my life without this support and I am forever grateful. Once again my runners hit highway 1 on Sunday, April 29th in part of the Big Sur Marathon to run their fastest and raise money for my recovery, to inspire me and others and to enjoy one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. Donations can be made at Relay for Rachael. Thank you and Be the Light.
