Sarah's Story
Tardonas (Taz5(AT)ptd.net)
Thu, 11 Feb 1999 16:09:26 -0800
In 1981 I was diagnosed with TM I was 13 years old it happened during the
night.
The day before I was riding my bike and roller skating in the drive way. I
was told that there was a virus that attacked my spinal cord and damaged
the nerves in the spine, there was server back pain and a burning sensation
also both legs had tingleing sensations in them, I was walking very slow
and the steps were very heavy and short. I was given Tylenol and I went
back to sleep.The nixt day when I woke up I was paralized from the neck
down and my breathing was very weak.I also lost use of my bladder and bowel
functions. I was put on Ditropan, Baclofin,and Septra DS. Also later in my
adventure I was resusatated 3 times. I had physcial therapy for a long
time. I recieved therapy at West Point therapy building where we were told
all the therapy in the world wouldn't help, but we went any way. 3 years
later I started getting migrains I was taking codine, cafergot, which I
don't take anymore. The leg spasms were horrible and uncomfortable, at
times at night it was worse. Few years later I had heal cord surgury on
both my legs at the same time, it helped my right leg some but didn't help
my left leg at all. They were going to do hamstring surgury but it was
never brought up again. I've had lots of MRI's, Cat scans, spinal taps and
nerve blocks. I had to learn to use a catheter and use it for the rest of
my life due to a flactic bladder which I carry with me all the time. Now
at the level I am at everything is ok so far I have noticed some weakness
but no increase in the strength so I guess this is where my life ends with
this no improvements and no new strengths. Thank you for letting me tell my
story my Email address is taz5(AT)ptd.com.
I was rushed to West Point Hospital where they did a load of useless
testing when they were done they airvacked me to Walter Reed Army Medical
center where they did alot of the same testing and they diagnosed me with
TM.