Re: boy with TM off to school
RedShark6(AT)aol.com
Thu, 18 Sep 1997 22:25:39 -0400 (EDT)
Hi,
My name is Terry. I got TM in Sept. 1996 and am still not fully recovered.
I'm not sure but I'm 13 and I have left foot drop, my name isn't steve but
from the description it sounds like you're talking to me. As far as gym goes
in my school, I'm in a Middle School, I can't run and still have pretty shaky
balance. I play in gym to tolerance, or I can do wha I feel I can do, not
what the doctor thinks I can do. I know this might be tough for your son
because he didn't have his TM during the school year. The kids in my class
respect that I still have a disability and I'm not really worried about any
competitions. I feel that someone who can recover from TM can beat anyone
that is completely normal because I have already won a tough battle. I look
at the kids in my class and my friends and I say to myself, "They probably
couldn't have done what I did, they probably would have given up in fear,
yeah their so macho, but they can't begin to imagine what real fear is."
Just tellyour son that there is no need to worry about how you perform in
gym class, sure it's tough trying to show off for girls and your friends when
you can't run but I'm sure if your son told his friends what is wrong they
won't bother with whether he can throw the farthest or run the fastest.
These first two weeks of school have been very tough on me. All my friends
and classmates thing I'm back to normal just because I look like it; what
they don't realize is there are still complecations. They don't remember
what is wrong until one of them knocks me over and I fall on my butt.
Falling ius also not a big thing for me, it doesn't embarrass me at all. If
I fall, I get up. I hope that my words can help you and your son, I know
school is a very touhg thing to handle when you have TM. Please write back
and I hope that we can share a lot of ideas.
Terry