> -----Original Message-----
> From: THous65004(AT)aol.com [SMTP:THous65004(AT)aol.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, January 12, 1999 9:24 AM
> To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
> Subject: Re: Devics
>
> I would like to introduce myself, my name is Stacey, I have been a lurker
> for
> awhile now, and I have received a great deal of information and support
> from
> all of you, even though you did not know it. My 17 yr old daughter was
> diagnosed in April 98 with TM, and in Oct the doctors said they thought
> she
> had Devics. I was prompted to write after I read the post from Lynne
> Barnes
> about Devics. I will give you a run down on Tera's history ( I will try to
> keep it brief). In early 98, she had an extremely hectic schedule(junior
> in
> high school,had a job, swim team, cheerleader, powder puff football) she
> got
> run down and had the flu in late March. In April she vacationed with
> friends
> where she began experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath. They took
> her
> to Dr. there, he diagnosed as pleurisy, which I understand is a painful
> lung
> infection. When she returned home on a Saturday, she was in extreme pain
> in
> her chest & back. On Monday I took her to our Doctor, he admitted her to
> hospital for tests. After running many tests, they did an MRI on Wed, (by
> this
> time, she was experiencing weak legs) The next day, she was transferred to
> UCSF and was totally paralyzed from the chest down (T4). MRI there showed
> her
> entire spine inflamed.Her treatment was 5 days of Solumedrol and diagnosed
> as
> Acute Disseminated Transverse Myelitis. After 4 weeks in hospital and
> intense
> PT, she came home in a wheelchair, but was able to walk with walker. She
> continued PT at home 3 times a week and graduated to crutches, then on her
> own
> slowly. She had recovered to about 80% when she had another relapse, not
> totally paralyzed, but very weak legs, returned to hospital for 5 days
> Solumedrol and PT again. She has had 3 relapses since the initial episode,
> each a bit less severe than the previous. The MRI's show the active
> lesions in
> the same spinal area, just smaller each time. The relapses come when she
> gets
> down to a low dose of Prednisone, 10 mg or so. This last time, the taper
> has
> been much slower, so she is on 20 now . As we get closer to the lower
> doses,
> we take one day at a time. Our neurologist is a specialist at the MS
> clinic
> at UCSF, and is very supportive. Even with this illness, I thank God for
> the
> many blessings I have. We have good insurance, I have a very understanding
> employer that allows me to be at the hospital with Tera, and a very
> supportive
> family. Most of all I thank God that he has given Tera such a great
> positive
> spirit. Her life will never be the same, she had been a promising athlete
> but
> she never looks back, only forward. She is truly an inspiration to me. I
> promise, in the future my posts will be short. Thank you all for being
> here
> and doing what you do! and Thank you Lynne for responding to my
> questions.
> Stacey (in foggy California.)