Kind regards from Errol in Sunny Queensland Aust..
-----Original Message-----
From: CYRILOS(AT)aol.com <CYRILOS(AT)aol.com>
To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com <tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com>
Date: Monday, September 28, 1998 9:33 PM
Subject: Elbow Scratch
> This is my first communication with the TM alliance. To say the least i
was
>overwhelmed by both Larry's story and Errol's proclamation of another
>accomplishment in the road to improvement. Be these stories of anatomical
>growth or mental acclimatizations to their maladies by changing their
>approaches to what life has available to us all; i am impressed and often
ask
>why it is that when the spirit is challenged so deeply as with TM
>humans......or the gentleman blinded totally at age 12, who taught my two
>teens how to Water Ski this summer at Lake George, NY!.........only then
does
>the power of the human creation show glowingly.
> When i hear of others, i often feel my problems are merely a 'scratch on
the
>ole elbow' in comparison. However: i was dx with acute encephalomyelitis/
>transverse militias 3/97. The lesion was at the T5 T6 level with paralysis
>from approximately the 5th rib down all except below my right knee,
including
>bowel and bladder. Most of my bowel returned in one week and sensory
returned
>in 3 months. A 4 legged walker carried me for 8 months and a cane for
another
>6. My gait is now very guarded but my therapy continues to sloooooooowly
>progress, fortunately when i plateau for 2 or 3 weeks, a simple reflection
on
>where i was 1 month earlier spurs me on.
> The greatest therapy has been that of my children and my wife with whom i
was
>married only three months prior to my succumbing to TM [little bugger just
>snuck right up on me jest as my life was spinning upward]. This
communication
>is to find someone else that might share or have shared some of my current
>symptoms.
>After 1 year and 5 months, i walk cautiously without a cane, unless
suspecting
>to stand for a long time, e.g., perusing a book store, when i will then use
a
>cane unless i may use the shoulder of a family member or friend. I still am
>without bladder function.
>Just this past week was able to drive my standard transmission Subarea, Boy
>what a blast after a year and a half, next 3 days my gluteus maximi WOW
>.........the PAIN felt sooo good as i reflected on what it was in payment
for!
>The walking without a Cane, i.e., an obvious gait returning, manifested
itself
>once i was able to ride a non-stationary bike and was able to straddle a
foam
>noodle in the deep end of a pool and take giant steps, so to speak. I've
>learned to say no, if being a workaholic is what brought me here, i have
>learned to say 'no' to much that was ridiculous, but drive continuously
toward
>my ultimate recovery with a far more appreciative and rewarding
relationship
>with my family during the process.
> If anyone out there can relate, please reply Thanks for the Forum,
>
>Cyril M
>