Re: some questions
Patricia Joslin (pjoslin(AT)webtv.net)
Sun, 7 Feb 1999 08:27:21 -0500 (EST)
Dear Roberta...
What a good friend you are to advocate for your friend. As you no doubt
know, TM is rare and many doctors have never seen a case. Standard
treatment is high doses of steroids, sometimes high doses of antivirals
and antibiotics depending on what the doctors suspect the causative
agent to be. Since many think an autoimmune process is involved, the
persons own immune system may be causing the damage. After the initial
attack and when the person is medically stable, rehabilitation is
started. Unfortunately there is no way to know initially how much
function will return. The greatest improvement is thought to occur in
the first 3 mo...but can continue for 18-24 mo.
I would hope that your friend is being treated at a large medical center
and that her doctors have consulted with others via the phone or
internet re her Tx.
I am 18mo post my TM and have slowly adjusted to being paralized from
T-5 down. I feel I received the best of care but unfortunately fall in
the one third group that have little or no return of function.
You are both in my thoughts and prayers.
PatJ