Re: [TMIC] Introductory story

Ann Lindstrom (annlindstrom(AT)yahoo.com)
Tue, 15 Jun 1999 16:54:19 -0700 (PDT)

Josefine - Welcome to the group. It sounds like you
have had a tough time with this disease. Now that you
have broken the ice and written to the group, keep us
posted on how you are doing and join in the
discussions.

Your english is very good. I have had the opportunity
to visit your country twice, and loved it both times.
Three of my grandparents were Swedish, but I don't
speak the language - Even though my last name is
Lindstrom, and I look very Swedish. The swedes were
very gracious and helpful. Ann

--- Josefine Andin <josan948(AT)student.liu.se> wrote:
> Hi
> Iīve been reading messages here on and of for a few
> month, but for some
> reasons I havenīt written myself yet. Partly because
> Iīm a bit sceared of
> writing in a language I donīt have total control of
> ( I hope You will
> excuse my bad English), and partly because I simply
> havenīt had the time to
> write. Anyway...this is me.....
>
> Iīm a 20-year-old girl, named Josefine and I live in
> Sweden. I study
> Medical Biology at the University of Linkoping.
> I was diagnosed with TM in october 1992 on the age
> of thirteen. Then my
> ”level” was C4-C6, but nowadays I would say it is
> around Th1.
>
> Beeing 13 years old means a lot of fixation in how
> you look and what you do
> and so on (at least here in Sweden). That among
> other things made me train
> a lot. I swam 4-5 times a week and ran every morning
> before school. During
> the autumn of 1992 I caught a cold which developed
> into a mycoplasma
> infection. Nevertheless I kept running and swimming.
> One night after my
> regular swim-training I went to bed around 11 pm, a
> bit more tired then
> usally - maybe... A few hours later, around 1 am, I
> woke up and tried to
> get to the bathroom, but I just dropped down on the
> floor, unabel to move
> my legs at all. Of cause I got scared and screamed
> for my parents. My
> mother, who is a doctor, told me that I was probably
> only a bit tired, but
> after a while she phoned the hospital for advice.
> While she spoke I could
> feel the paralysing ”travels” upwards, to my arms
> and to my fingers. An
> ambulance came and I got into our hospital, which
> unfortunatly it is a
> small one with no resources at all, so I was sent in
> a ambulance to a
> bigger hospital 250 km away. My breathing became
> worse so I almost ended up
> in a ventilator, but fortunately I didnīt need that.
> They had great difficulties deciding what was wrong.
> They talked about MS,
> but the MRI said no, after a while they decided that
> it was
> Guillian-Barre-syndrome. But later on they changed
> their minds again and
> told me that it was myelitis. (Since that was easier
> to pronounce, I was
> satisfied....)
> There was some more transport between hospitals and
> after a while I got to
> a childrenīs unit where they did know exactly
> nothing about myelitis...so
> rehabilitation took a while. Finally I got my
> physical training....
>
> So, Iīm still using a wheelchair, but I manage quite
> well on my own. I live
> on my own and I have no help, (except for changing
> the curtains and the
> bulbs in the ceiling-lamps).
> Through all these years I have had constant pain in
> my lower back and in my
> shoulders. Sometimes worse, and sometimes not that
> bad. Anyway, nothing
> helps then, not laying down nor sitting, not even
> drugs helps. Now Iīve
> been trying stronger drugs, but I just feel dizzy
> and the pain is still
> there so I guess I just have to ignore the pain.
> Iīve noticed that the pain
> has become a bit more severe since I moved from my
> parents to my own
> appartment, I suppose thatīs because I have to do
> all sort of cleaning and
> so, on my own. And I donīt want to have any help, I
> want to manage on my
> own....
>
> I better stop now. I really enjoy this list, Iīve
> learn so much, and hope
> you will continue to write....
>
> God bless you all!
> Love
> //Josefine Andin
>
>

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