Re: new to list
Marianne Goddard (MarianneGoddard(AT)webtv.net)
Thu, 11 Mar 1999 14:19:58 -0500 (EST)
Joy,
Thanks for the welcome letter, many thanks to all the warm welcome
letters, it's greatly appreciated. I was 12 when I was diagnosed with
TM. It was a Saturday am and my family was preparing for a big family
BBQ. I was fine when I first woke that morning but as the morning wore
on I started to get pain in my back and legs. I was very athletic and
softball was my life at that time. My parents thought at first that I
may have injured myself playing but as the day went on the pain went
from bad to worse. Then around noon the weakness started. i was
brought to the dr. at 2:30 and by then I was too weak to stand, my Dad
had to carry me. From there I went to the hospital and by the following
am I was completely paralized from the waist down and in ICU. After
many spinal taps, myelograms and weekslater they came up with TM as my
Dx. I went to rehab for a long time. At first in a wheelchair and
eventually able to walk. My right leg has normal strength but my left
side is partially paralized. My sensory deficits are equal on both
sides from T-6 down. My lesion is at T-5. I can walk without a cane
although I really should use one. Stubborness or stupidity keeps from
using it as much as I should. I am hyper-reflexic on the left with
clonus and increased tone. My ankle is frozen from under use. My legs
are extemely spastic but that's what helps me walk. The older I get the
worse the TM gets. I wonder if anyone else who has TM long term is
finding the same thing to be true?
I hope I didn't blab too long, I do that sometimes.
All My Best,
Marianne