Back in 1992, on election day, I went to work with plans to vote after work, like millions of others. I worked 8-5 as a secretary. Not a physically hard job at all. No reason to have requested an absentee ballot, ..... 1/12

....which at that time was reserved for those who couldn't get to the polls due to illness or disability. Meaning someone like me? Had no reason to request one. Which was fine. However. A few hours into work, I fell down the stairs at work. Tripped on a piece of the carpet. 2/12

I grabbed for the handrail, which helped slow my fall. But I could not, when I finally landed, feel my legs. Or move them. I lay there on the landing between the first and second floors terrified. All I could think was "How am I going to vote?". Ambulance arrived. 3/12

Fire department arrived. I was loaded on a stretcher. Taken to the hospital. Where "feel" tests were done, and I had no feeling in my legs. So off to xray. During this time, I was strapped to the backboard, and my head was immobilized. I could not move except my hands. 4/12

I was, according to the doctor, paralyzed, but it was not clear if it was temporary or permanent. Again, my only thought was "how on earth am I going to vote?" Well, until I had to go potty. Xrays come back. By this time my boyfriend who I lived with (and later married, then 5/12

divorced) was called while he was at work. I was given some medicine, both a steroid and a pain medication. To reduce swelling in my spine, and lower my pain in my back. "Can I vote here please? isn't there a way for people to vote in the hospital?" I was that concerned 6/12

about voting. I wasn't worried, at the time, about this parallelization I had. Voting. That was my concern. The steroid did what it needed to, swelling decreased, and I could once again feel and move my legs after a few hours. Boyfriend (BF) picked me up from the hopsital. 7/12

Now, the BF was abusive. (won't get into why I married him on this thread). And he was pissed that he had to take time off work to come get me. I asked him to stop at the polling place so I could vote. I was moving VERY slowly, as my legs still weren't 100%. In fact 8/12

the hospital wanted to admit me overnight. I wanted to vote. So I declined. It was that important to me. And I knew once I got home the BF would make me pay for both falling, and bugging him to stop so I could vote. But I wanted to vote. I *HAD* to vote. And I did. 9/12

I hobbled up the steps to the church that the polling place was. I struggled to walk to the tables, then to the little booth. I struggled to walk down the steps, and struggled to get into BF's truck. Not once did he leave the truck to help me. Because that was part of my 10/12

punishment. When we got home, where we lived on the 2nd floor of a 4-plex, he pushed me in my back up the stairs. I lost feeling in my legs again for a short bit. But I got to vote. Why am I sharing this story? Not to prove I'm some sucker for pain and punishment. 11/12

It's that if that were to happen again this year? I'd do the same thing. Voting this year? It's more important than in 1992. People need to get out and vote. Because our lives depend on it, unlike in 1992. Our nation depends on it. Earth depends on it. #VOTE 12/12