Re: any similar case

Deborah Capen (dcapen(AT)ivic.net)
Tue, 16 Sep 1997 16:07:27 -0700

It sounds like your daughter is already improving, if she has gone from
self-cathing, and now she is able to urinate on her own. (even if she still
has "accidents", it is improvement). And if she started being paralyzed
right below her chest, but it has "moved down to T9", maybe it hasn't moved,
it has just been responding to physical therapy and she is recovering more
movement.

Myelin sheathing has been stripped from nerves in the spinal cord (like a
"fatty insulation"), causing a "short circuiting" of messages from the brain
to other parts of the body. It takes time for the body to regenerate new
myelin sheathing. Each case differs in severity, and where on the spinal
cord the damage has occurred.

I had to post-void catheterize for about a month and a half, because my
bladder was retaining urine, causing infections. But I improved to the point
where I no longer had to cath. And I am still taking Baclofen, to prevent
urine retention.

Please don't lose hope that your daughter will improve. A positive attitude
really helps the healing.

Debbie
dcapen(AT)ivic.net

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