RE: any similar case

Patrick Rofe (plrofe(AT)classic.msn.com)
Fri, 19 Sep 1997 14:21:10 -0700

Hi Lynn-
Your case sounds a lot like mine. I'm 28 and have TM for 2 years now. I
too was paralyzed from the chest down. I recovered fairly well. I work full
time. My gate is still a little funny, especially when I run. I still have
headaches everyday, back pain, cold and hot sensitivity, numbness and bowel
and bladder problems. I still self cath. It's definitely a little over
whelming . This TM site is so helpful though. I've learned so much with the
openness and generosity of people. Everyone compares aches and pains, which
medications work and which don't, and even issues their having a hard time
with. But we also share our triumphs. And there are plenty of those as
well.
Since we are all spread out all over the world, and as far as we know there
is no "TM support " group, this if really a God send. So anyway, welcome to
the club! We're glad to have you. Feel free to ask any questions, we're all
pretty candid. With what we've all been through there's nothing that really
phases us. Don't ever be embarrassed to ask a question or bring up a topic.
Sex is a problem for a lot of us, and that we even talk about. We're glad to
have you aboard. Hope to talk to you soon.

Lizz
plrofe(AT)msn.com

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From: LP301960(AT)aol.com
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 1997 11:05 AM
To: tmic-list(AT)eskimo.com
Subject: Re: any similar case

Hi. I am a 37 yr old and in the first week of June I started experiencing
excruciating back pain which lasted for 3 or 4 days. then on June 7 I
couldn't urinate all day and my legs started getting weak. I was walking
with crutches. I went to the emergency room where they put a foley catheter
in and sent me home. By June 9 I was paralyized and my husband was lifting
me everywhere. The doctor put me in the hospital and started me on 1gm of
solemedrol each day for 5 days. I had a spinal tap and an MRI they found
lots of swelling in the spine and I was diagnosed with transverse myelitis.
I was paralyzed from the chest down. I went home from the hospital to a
hospital bed and wheelchair all the time being told by the nuerologist that I
would recover almost 100%. I started with home pt. and in about three weeks
started to move my toes. I slowly recovered movement in my legs in 1 month
they took out the foley and I regained my bladder control in about a week. I
am now able to walk short distances on my own . and I use a cane for longer
distances. I go to outpatient rahabilitation 3 days a week. It has been
very hard work learning to walk again and I have been very scared at times.
I started to look for info on TM and couldn't find anything until I went on
the internet. Everything that I read on here is about people who don't
recover as much as I have. All along my nuerologist told me I would recover.
Is there anyone who has had a similar case? and also he has talked about
betaseron or avonex IM injections. has anyone got any info for me? I have
felt very alone with this no one I know has heard about TM. Please help if
you can. Lynn