Wendy we are indeed here, but a lack of
immediate replies is quite normal. I may
well be the only other person reading EMAIL
at the moment (the first moments of 1999
here in New England.) Unlike a chat group,
this process is more like the postal service,
just a lot faster. But you may not see
another response until tomorrow.
I suspect you will see many responses
tomorrow, most refering to the importance
of motivation.
I have no magic bullets for you. Start by
reading some of the personal histories in
the archives. Go to
www.myelitis.org/tmic/
You will see an implicit message, "Partial
but significant recovery is likely." But
usually only with dedicated personal effort.
He cannot simply lie in bed waiting for a
miracle. He needs to exercise and start
learning to use what he has. More capability
will come with ***time and effort***.
What I am trying to say is that the first
step in motivation is to understand that
hope is not futile. Last New Year's, I was
bedridden, in diapers/bed pan, unable to
bathe, etc., and I had been that way for five
months. I now drive, fix things around the
house, serve on the school budget committee,
do the grocery shopping, etc. I may be
inconvenienced, but I am not disabled.
Ask him this question, "What would you like
to do that you are not now doing?" Then
later ask, "What do you have to accomplish
to be able to do it?"
Alton, who regrets the rambling, but I'm
tired, albeit sober darn it!
Happy New Year everybody
p.s. OK. Now you have at least one reply.
Now tell us more about your husband:
rate of onset, how affected, symptoms, etc.