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Hello JSp, Welcome to "the List". You have such a great attitude that we
will all welcome your comments. My son is a T-5 parapelegic for 8 months
now. He, too, has a great attitude. It is me that finds the need for this
list. I have admiration for you and your struggle for a fulfilling life,
andcompasion for your mother. Judi
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> From: JSp3690010 <JSp3690010(AT)aol.com>
> To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> Subject: Thirteen Years Ago
> Date: Friday, April 03, 1998 2:53 PM
>
> My life changed forever in July of 1985. I was twelve years old. I had
> experienced short and sharp back pain for two months which my doctor
labelled
> as growing pains. Then, early one Monday morning I had a back pain that
was
> uncomparable in intesity. I tried to stand to kink it out but all I
could
> feel was pins and needles in my legs. I fell to the floor. I felt a
terrible
> line of numbness start at my toes and proceed up my body. It stopped at
my
> waist, or the T-12 level. This all happened within a few minutes and I
was
> transformed from the majority to the minority. Initially, no one
believed me.
> My family, after a couple of hours, took me to the nearest emergency room
> where the doctors there didn't believe me at first either. It took three
> weeks to diagnose me. Apparently this usually happens to people between
the
> ages of 20 - 45. I was on a drug called Prednisone at the time. I had
been
> taking it for asthmatic allergy relief. I found out after I became ill,
that
> it lowers your immune system. I had also been swimming in a pond all
that
> same summer. It was tested after I became ill and found to have high
levels
> of E-coli bacteria. While doctors told my family that there was no real
cause
> or cure, I believe that there was something in the water. The doctors
told us
> that transversemyelitis is an animal virus. The pond was surrounded by
three
> fields, all with pesticide runoff. I do believe that I will see a cure
in my
> lifetime. Whereupon, I will kick everyone in the butt that I have ever
wanted
> to, ha, ha. Presently, at twenty-five years of age, I live a happy,
healthy
> and normal life as a paraplegic in a wheelchair. I work, have a home,
two
> cats, lots of friends, a caring and supportive family and this new
computer!
> Any illness that I have experienced in the past thirteen years can be
directly
> attributed to being paralyzed. Although, last summer, I was diagnosed
with
> hypothyroidism. Any connection? Doubt it. Probably just dumb luck.
> Although, there were difficult times as a disabled teenager in a small
farming
> community, I have accepted my destiny. If one factor had been missing in
my
> story, it wouldn't have happened. I insist that it is better than flying
> through a car window, as some other disabled people have in their
accidents.
> My advice is to always look forward. Looking behind you will only slow
you
> down and eventually make you stop. Feel free to contact me at
> JSp3690010(AT)aol.com
>
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Hello JSp, Welcome to "the =
List". You have such a great attitude that we will all =
welcome your comments. My son is a T-5 parapelegic for 8 months now. =
He, too, has a great attitude. It is me that finds the need =
for this list. I have admiration for you and your struggle for a =
fulfilling life, andcompasion for your mother. =
Judi
----------
> From: JSp3690010 <JSp3690010(AT)aol.com>
> To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> Subject: Thirteen Years Ago
> Date: =
Friday, April 03, 1998 2:53 PM
>
> My life changed forever =
in July of 1985. I was twelve years old. I had
> =
experienced short and sharp back pain for two months which my doctor =
labelled
> as growing pains. Then, early one Monday morning =
I had a back pain that was
> uncomparable in intesity. I =
tried to stand to kink it out but all I could
> feel was pins and =
needles in my legs. I fell to the floor. I felt a =
terrible
> line of numbness start at my toes and proceed up my =
body. It stopped at my
> waist, or the T-12 level. =
This all happened within a few minutes and I was
> =
transformed from the majority to the minority. Initially, no one =
believed me.
> My family, after a couple of hours, took me to the =
nearest emergency room
> where the doctors there didn't believe me =
at first either. It took three
> weeks to diagnose me. =
Apparently this usually happens to people between =
the
> ages of 20 - 45. I was on a drug called Prednisone at =
the time. I had been
> taking it for asthmatic allergy =
relief. I found out after I became ill, that
> it lowers =
your immune system. I had also been swimming in a pond all =
that
> same summer. It was tested after I became ill and =
found to have high levels
> of E-coli bacteria. While =
doctors told my family that there was no real cause
> or cure, I =
believe that there was something in the water. The doctors told =
us
> that transversemyelitis is an animal virus. The pond =
was surrounded by three
> fields, all with pesticide runoff. =
I do believe that I will see a cure in my
> lifetime. =
Whereupon, I will kick everyone in the butt that I have ever =
wanted
> to, ha, ha. Presently, at twenty-five years of age, =
I live a happy, healthy
> and normal life as a paraplegic in a =
wheelchair. I work, have a home, two
> cats, lots of =
friends, a caring and supportive family and this new computer!
> =
Any illness that I have experienced in the past thirteen years can be =
directly
> attributed to being paralyzed. Although, last =
summer, I was diagnosed with
> hypothyroidism. Any =
connection? Doubt it. Probably just dumb luck.
> =
Although, there were difficult times as a disabled teenager in a small =
farming
> community, I have accepted my destiny. If one =
factor had been missing in my
> story, it wouldn't have happened. =
I insist that it is better than flying
> through a car =
window, as some other disabled people have in their accidents.
> =
My advice is to always look forward. Looking behind you will only =
slow you
> down and eventually make you stop. Feel free to =
contact me at
> JSp3690010(AT)aol.com
>