I was diagnosed the first day I was in the hos-
pital by a process of elimination of many dis-
eases and with two MRIs. Much bloodwork
was done for eliminations, x-rays, CAT scan,
etc. I live in a town of +/- 50,000 with a Medi-
cal Center that serves our town and the sur-
rounding area. I lost my bladder/bowel function
on a Friday night and my ability to walk on Sun-
day. I was on vacation when the first symptom
hit and my husband drove us home and to ER
on Saturday night. At that time they gave me
a catheter and told me to go to Urologist on Mon-
day a.m. so we did nothing until Monday morning
when my husband called my Internist and he told
us to get to the hospital immediately. My Urologist
and Internist were waiting for me and had called in
the Neurologist. They didn't admit me until they
knew that they could diagnose/treat me and wouldn't
have to send me to OKC.
Luckily, my daughter who is with the hospital in OKC
came that morning. She detected toedrop and the
Physical Therapist came in to see me and got me a foot-
board almost immediately. The PT and OT worked with
me starting on Tuesday and continued for the four days
I was in regular care and seven days I was in the Skilled
Nursing Facility. I also had Home Care for six weeks
following my going home.
The MRI showed the I was affected to t8 and was para-
lized from the breast down. You didn't say at what level
you are affected. Do you have to self cath as I did for six
months? or do you have some control and use of your
bladder? My Urologist told me that the bladder/bowel
function is the first to go(the first 4 levels control those
functions) and the last to come back. I have the ability
to know when I need to go but then have to work hard to
make either function work.
When I came home May '96, I was in a wheelchair then
went to walker, to cane, to soloing within three months. The
PT taught me to walk correctly on my treadmill and how to
climb the stairs so I could get to my treadmill. I 'hung on'
for dear life for many weeks!
The treatment that I received at onset was soluMedrol by
IV for five days, then prednisone in decreasing amounts for
six weeks. I developed diabetes from use of steroid and was
given insulin as needed and put on a diabetic diet which I
continued for six weeks after the diabetes was gone. I had
several bladder infections because of the catheters.
I've talked a long time here--hope that I've helped. One more
thing. Keep a positive attitude and don't let anyone tell you
that you won't get better. Improvement is gradual, slow, but
attainable when you keep on trying!