Checking in for the first time
Hammond House (mjjjhammond(AT)email.msn.com)
Sat, 14 Nov 1998 13:37:46 -0800
Good afternoon. I have been a membwer of TMA for almost two years and
watching the email list for several months now. What promted me to finally
get on and say something was two messages, one from Silveercaul(AT)aol.com and
Rizahdough(AT)aol.com. Both mentioned that they contracted TM on Memorial day
weekend. Since I was diagnosed on Memorial day weekend in 1995 I am
wondering, mabey we should stay away from that particular holiday. At the
time I was blessed with my diagnosis, made the same day I went in, I was an
active duty Police Officer. As a result, I was forced to retire, lukilly, I
had 25 years on when this happened. I am one of the unusual ones, my TM
seems to have been caused by injury, It has been interesting to note that
very few others seem to have contracted TM in this way. Within two months of
each other I was involed in two situations which each broke a rib on
opposite sides at the spine. Of course, I was initially diagnosed with MS,
but since the doctor said I was the wrong sex and wrong age for this to
happen, she looked further. I am now back to work ful time. I have little
feeling from about the navel down and walk with a noticeable limp when
tired. Many of the other common problems TM'ers have are there also,
Lately I have had pain in my good leg that is about a 9 on a scale of 10.
Trying to figure out what is causing this. I guess that my attitude to what
I have is that I am still alive. Things could be a lot worse. It took some
time adjusting to this situation, but I tank God every day that I have been
allowed to have one more. In addition, I have been blessed with an
incredible wife who has helped me a great deal and put up with all my
problems, don't know where I would be without her. I enjoy many of the items
I see in the email listing. By the way, I live in Mukilteo, Washington
which is about 25 miles north of Seattle. I try to work out aas often as
possible to keep the leg muscles as strong as possible, but sometims, as in
the last few days, the pain will not allow that. Take care all, and I will
try get on more often.