The Learning Continues, One Day at a Time

I was a marketing staff assistant in product management at the Personal Products division of Johnson & Johnson until January 4, 1986.

On that date I was involved in a serious auto-mobile accident that put me in a series of hospitals and has kept me in out-patient cognitive therapy for over a year. More importantly, it has radically changed my life and my perspective. Believe it or not, my life appears to be much better because of it.

This improvement stems primarily from two reasons: first and foremost is the absolute change in lifestyle I have undergone. Not working definitely has its advantages. I can exercise when I want to, ride my bike at will, and play with my year-old Labrador. The biggest advantage, of course, is being able to spend so much time with my wife, Holly, a Dartmouth classmate. Second, and this is more surprising, the accident seemed to push me out of the type-A behavior mode; I was definitely a potential heart-attack victim. My whole existence was work, and work was my whole existence.

Sad, but I have come to realize that people more or less exist for their work as I did.

Now I concentrate on a rehabilitation program from 9 to 4 every day that combines fitness (improving strength and movement mechanics with weights and working on a rowing machine) with occupational therapy that includes handwriting skills, perception, and other elements that will help me get back behind the wheel of a car. There is also counseling in a support group with other head-trauma "clients."

What's in the future? Well, I'm working on a project for Johnson & Johnson, and hope to be able to return. In the meantime I intend to write. I'm particularly interested in describing for others the self-actualization that came about after my accident. And as a loyal Dartmouth alumnus I'm particularly pleased to have my fellow alums the first to read my work.