New member
Roger Pratt (rogerp(AT)cyberspace.org)
Wed, 29 Apr 1998 14:11:33 -0400 (EDT)
Hi, My name is Roger Pratt. I had onset of transverse
myelitis on May 30, 1994. I had been been having mild seizures
for about a year and a half, but my neuologist had finally found the
right medication and I was fairly seizure free. On that Memorial
Day, my wife, kids and I were spending a quiet day at my mother's
home with my mother and my brother and his family. I did not
feel well that morning, and had hung back somewhat from the
activities. After lunch, most of the family was gathered in the
living room watching a video. Since I was not feeling well, I had
gone into a back bedroom to lie down. I hadn't had any major
seizure activity for some time, so I was surprised when I began
having one then. The seizure was not any worse than most, and I
was able to joint the family after about 45 minutes.
At home, after dinner, I began having seizure activity
again, and had continuous seizures for most of the night. The next
morning I had my daughter take me to the emergency room. They
gave me valium to calm the seizures and sent me home. The next
night the seizures came on again, and again I went to the
emergency room. I think I went to the emergency room at least
three times before my neurologist, was able to see me on June
10th. When he discovered that I had lost the feeling of hot and
cold together with numbness on my right side, and that I felt like
an arrow had been shot through my neck at the base of my skull,
he sent me to the hospital to the portable imaging unit to have an
MRI done on my neck. It was determined that I had a swelling on
the left side of my spinal cord just below my skull (C2/3 region).
He referred me to a neurosurgeon, and I went to see him on June
13th.
On the 13th my left arm began to be affected, and it was
soon paralyzed. The neuosurgeon ordered another MRI for that
day. There was some thought at that time that this might be a
tumor, but that transverse myelitis or multiple sclerosis might be
the cause. I went back to my neuologist for MS testing and a
spinal tap. These seemed to rule out MS. After the spinal tap on
about the 16th, I was unable to stand or move other than by
crawling to the bathroom. When we reached the doctor after the
weekend, he ordered me sent to Harborview Hospital in Seattle for
further evaluation, and possible surgery.
I was transported by air-ambulance to Harborview I believe
on Monday, the 20th. A team of neurosurgeons and neurologists
poked, prodded, and argued over me for three days, and decided
that the swelling and other symptoms had come on too quickly to
be a tumor. They decreed that it was either MS or transverse
myelitis, and said that surgery was out of order, and sent me back
home to get well.
After I got back home, I was in pretty bad shape for quite a
while. Besides the transverse myelitis (which was now the final
diagnosis), I had become run down overall and had developed a
yeast infection throughout my body. I was given strong medication
for the yeast infection, muscle relaxants to help ease the pain, and
was told that time was the only cure.
In September, 1994, I talked my doctor into requesting that
I be allowed to work at home. I figured I could do a little work
each day, if I had my computer from work at home. I would drag
myself out of bed each day, and work away on my computer until
fatigue overcame me. In late October, 1994, I attempted a full
return to work. After three days full days and three half days, I
was totally exhausted. It took me a full month before I could get
out of bed again. At that time I went back on short-term disability
and went on long-term disability starting February, 1995. Through
time and physical therapy, I have regained much of the use of my
left arm and hand, and am now up to being able to take 20 to 30
minute walks with our dog. I am also able to do lots of other
things, like cook dinner and chauffeur kids around to places they
need to be.