Re: paralysis and recovery?

John Pesec (pesec_john(AT)keithley.com)
Mon, 30 Dec 96 12:30:16 EDT

Bryan,
My wife had total paralysis from T6, with a lesions from C6
to T6. It took her three months before she could wiggle a
toe, and after six she could walk with a walker. Progress
after six months is noticable, but very slow.

The symtoms you describe, tingles, itches, etc. are the same
that she had. You may be in for more recovery.

I think that you should not expect much recovery, though.
You should accept the fact that you will never recover any
more functionality than you have today. Thereafter, anything
you do get back will be a great gift. Looking at things this
way has helped us avoid denial and get on with our life.

Remember, if get enough back so that you can feel your toes
so you don't hurt them, or stand up briefly to pull up your
pants, or use your legs to help in a difficult transfer, you
will have gotten back a lot.

Best of luck,
John


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: paralysis and recovery?
Author: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com at SMTPLINK-ISD
Date: 12/30/96 8:19 AM

I've read all the messages since early this year and have no good idea
(unless I've overlooked something) about the extent of initial paralysis in
many of the cases described. Many, it seems, had no paralysis, or if there
was any it was very brief and limited.

I'd like to know if there is anyone who has had total paralysis for a
period of months and eventually recovered. I've heard how patients with
polio as childenn took up to three years to get walking normally. A
urologist (not neurologist) told me the magic time was one year although I
failed to ask him what I should be able to do at that time --wiggle my
toes or run a marathon?

I have been "suffering" since May 2, (MRI showed "lesions" scattered
throughout T6 to T12, although the latest repeat showed only a "thinning"
of the cord in T8-10 region). I'd like to say it's every day (but it
isn't) that something new happens --usually new feeling --and of course,
it's not normal --it's that tingling --most recently --within the last two
weeks I have developed an almost annoying feeling in an area of the body in
the S3 dermatome area.

Has anybody got a story that would be the least bit encouraging about
when I might get back on my exercise bike and lose this terrible gut I've
developed over the summer? ;-)

bryan