BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
FORT THOMAS -- Jim Stevenson has a daily routine that begins when he does some stretching exercises and gets ready for the remainder of his day. This routine takes much of the morning.
Mr. Stevenson, 36, uses a motorized wheelchair to get around his Fort Thomas home. Almost a year ago, he fell from a deck and sustained a spinal cord injury.
"It takes about two hours to get up and get ready," said Mr. Stevenson, a test technician for Cinergy at the Beckjord Generating Station in New Richmond. He is on extended disability.
After his stretching, bathing and breakfast, assisted by his wife Amy and a visiting nurse aide, he's ready to check in at his computer, which is linked to his old Cinergy facility.
"I spend some time at the computer each day, getting used to the special equipment I need to use it and practicing with the software," he said. "I try to figure out things to keep me busy."
Since the accident last September, the Stevenson family, including daughter Christi, 18, and son Joe, 13, has learned the meaning of friendship and fellowship as Mr. Stevenson tries to put his life back together.
Co-workers at Beckjord, working with family and friends, built a deck, ramp, new sidewalk and an addition to Mr. Stevenson's house with an accessible bathroom, bedroom and office. Much of the funding came from Christ Church, United Church of Christ in Fort Thomas, as well as other churches, groups and individuals.
Al Rice, a retiree and friend of the family, heads up a transportation fund to raise money for a van to accommodate Mr. Stevenson's wheelchair. "He really needs transportation that he can depend upon to be there when he wants it," Mr. Rice said. "Now the family has to rent one at about $100 per trip. Without the van, he goes nowhere. He can't get to the doctor . . . he can't get to the therapist."
The fund has about $15,500 so far in an account at the Fort Thomas Bank One branch, set up by manager Andy Williams. That's about one-third of the amount needed to buy the van, which is being offered at dealer cost by auto dealer Jeff Wyler.
"The church council has voted to provide the money and let us purchase the van now, and pay the rest of the money when we can," Mrs. Stevenson said.
Wyler employees are searching for a suitable van, because the current General Motors strike has put some vehicles in short supply. If one can be located, the conversion will take about six weeks.
"Cinergy wants me to be able to come back to work," Mr. Stevenson said. "I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do. Right now the doctors are taking a wait-and-see attitude on how much of a return I'll have on mobility and feeling. They just don't know."
He recently read actor Christopher Reeve's book about his battle with spinal injuries.
"I don't have much choice but to accept things as they are," Mr. Stevenson said. "Some days are a little tougher than others."
