Re: [TMIC] Looking for TMr's for support groups
Kathy from Minneapolis, Minnesota - Original Message - From: Trudy Ogilvie To: Catherine Cc: kevin weilacher ; Transverse Mylitis Group Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 1:57 PM Subject: Re: [TMIC] Looking for TMr's for support groups Trudy from Northern Virginia :) On Sun, Sep 13, 2009 at 9:25 PM, Catherine wrote: Kevin, That is a wonderful idea. Why don't we all just say where we are from .. as I have seen here. Several support groups may start. Thank you for a great idea So I will start... Catherine, caretaker Central Mass. From: kevin weilacher To: tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 4:59:53 PM Subject: [TMIC] Looking for TMr's from N.E. Ohio area Who here on the list is from what is classified as the N.E. Ohio area. I have the 2007-2008 TMA directory and I'm sure that there have been some changes or updates. I'm looking at trying to start a NE Ohio TMA support group. I know there is an Ohio support group but I believe the closest area is Columbus. Honestly, that is a bit too far for me to drive for support meeting get togethers. I know Gunny is on here and I know about Ella in Elyriacan anyone help me out..? I think we could benefit from something like thisespecially in light of the recent posting from Gilly...where she said that she just recently met another TM'r. How many others are out there that would like to meet another TM'r and you might have someone in your "back yard" so to speak that you don't know about. Thanks, Kevin -- Everything is possible for one who believes, still more for one who hopes, even more for one who loves"
Re: [TMIC] weird sensations
Morning All: Well it is day three of this vibrating feeling. I did not take Lyrica yesterday morning or this morning but continue to take it at night or I will never sleep. I wake up during the night feeling like I am going to bounce right off the bed. The only good thing is that it does not last as long as it was. I can now add tired all the time to what I am feeling but I am sure that is just from the lack of a good nights' sleep. I am beginning to feel worse and worse as each day passes. This is really messing with my head. Frank the reason I cannot see is a doctor and am not eligible for any type of disability, or medical care is because I am a Canadian who married an American in 1999 and only have permanent residency in the USA. I am not in Canada for 153 days a year so I am unable to have Canadian health care or claim disability. My husband is a contract worker in the States (only type of employment available right now) and health care through the company is so expensive and we do not get much coverage. An example of this is my TM was acting up and I tripped and banged my toe into the wall, it became so swollen I could not walk, since we had health coverage at the time Hubby took me in to Urgent Care, the Doctor took a look, ordered a x ray, and sent me home with a boot. About 2 weeks later we get the bill, this service cost $260.00 and we had to pay $190.00. So for paying over $450.00 a month for 6 months we still had no real difference in heath care. I am sooo lucky to have a family doctor in Canada who lets me pay for a visit so I can keep my medications up. Also I am so lucky to live not far from Canada that we can afford to go up there a few times a year to get my medications. I am really frustrated with the American system of health care. Being born and raised in Canada and living in the USA for ten years has really made me realize I had it so lucky in Canada. I get very mad at the commercials putting the Canadian Health Care system down. Yes we did have to wait a little longer for some tests but whenever I HAD to have a test I had it within a week. An example of this was with my Breast Cancer. I found a lump, got in to see my doctor within 3 days, within a week was at specialist and had all the tests done within another week and started on Chemo within a month. I was not charged anything. I did not have to dip into my savings, retirement fund or be billed ANYTHING. Even most of my medications were covered. All this for an extra cost through work of $87.00 a month for extended Health Care. I had a semi private coverage meaning I was only in a room with one other person while hospitalized as well as so many more benefits as eye and dental care. I am terrified right now concerning my husbands' and my heath. My husband has not seen a doctor in about 8 years because my health has taken up all of our benefits. We have eaten up most of our retirement fund due to this economy and trying to survive. We just get ahead of the game and then something happens (Hubby gets laid off, I get sick, I need meds, dog gets sick or our 11 year old car needs fixing) to set us back into the hole again. I laugh when they tell people with TM to avoid stress as it just seems to live with me. Right now my husband is trying to get a job in Canada so that at least he knows if I get really sick I will be taken care of. I am hoping he gets one there so that he can re-coup his 401K so that he can have some type of life when he retires. Maybe he should just divorce me and me move back to Canada and go on Social Assistance so as not to be this burden on him any longer. I love him more than life itself but it seems like the only solution for me here. Anyway maybe all this stress is why I am vibrating, who knows but the only thing I do know is I am scared of what is going on with me and really wish I was living back in Canada and covered. I would not even mind a month wait to get into a doctor just because I know I would not have to live on the street to pay for the treatments needed. Kathy who is frustrated, hurting, depressed and scared.. - Original Message - From: Jill Z To: LadyOwl Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 6:43 AM Subject: Re: [TMIC] weird sensations Kathy, How are you now? Jill in Chicago --- On Mon, 9/14/09, LadyOwl wrote: From: LadyOwl Subject: [TMIC] weird sensations To: tmic-list@eskimo.com Date: Monday, September 14, 2009, 8:53 AM Hi all.. Haven't written in much but as of yesterday I have been very scared and nervous because of a weird sensation I have been getting.. I was on Face Book (my usual haunt) between 2 and 3 pm when my body began to vibrate. I was shaking from head to toe. Not a big shake but a very small one that even my husband could see from a few feet away. It felt almo
Re: [TMIC] Class Reunions
Oh I forget to mention that when people ask me what TM is I explain that it is like MS but that I have the lesions on my spine not my brain. That is a simple way for them to understand. MS is very well known and it keeps most people from wanting more of an explaination Kathy - Original Message - From: jharpe...@aol.com To: jan...@centurytel.net ; tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 8:02 AM Subject: Re: [TMIC] Class Reunions I agree with what several others have said: I'd do ahead and RSVP so they can make adequate preparations and then see how you feel when the time comes. Sometimes I am fine answering questions and want to spread awareness about TM that way: sometimes I can kind of close in on myself and not really want to get into it. I'd prepare a short response for anyone who asks (I think I used to say something like "I had an auto-immune attack on my spine") and then go further if they want to talk about it more and you feel like it, or change the subject if you don't. But would I let the fact of having TM keep me from such a gathering? No. As others have said, a lot of people in your class will have gone through any number of situations, too, in the mean time. Barbara H. http://barbarah.wordpress.com In a message dated 7/1/2009 11:47:46 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, jan...@centurytel.net writes: I have another question for you all that want to answer: I will be having another class reunion shortly and graduating from the hometown high school, I was usually one of about 15 that helped to plan it.We had around 500 in our graduating class.Anyway, I am debating whether or not to be a part of the planning or even attending the reunion.This is the first reunion since I got clobbered with TM. I still have to use a cane and would maybe need my wheelchair.I was fairly well known and I am afraid I would be answering questions all nite about TM. My question is: Would you let TM keep you from attending a reunion?Be honest. If you were faced with this decision this weekend, what would you do? Janice -- Dell Summer Savings: Cool Deals on Popular Laptops - Shop Now!
Re: [TMIC] Class Reunions (way too honest)
This past May I had 2 reunions. The first was my high schools' 100th Birthday and my 30th Reunion, the second was my Navy League (was a Wrenette, then Cadet) in the middle 70's. I made it to the Navy League one but did not make it back home in time for the High school one (got there the day it ended). Now I don't think of myself as vain but I did manage to squeeze myself into my size 8 jeans (skinny jeans). "Size 8??? Skinny Jeans???" You may all say, but this is coming from the girl who never weighed more than 125lbs (and that was when I was 9 months pregnant). Once TM hit I managed to get up to that 125lbs again and could not lose it. I also found once I hit 45 EVERYTHING began to settle around my lower butt. I no longer have my nice perky boobs. I had the bags they came in. I have grey hairs popping up all over my head too fast for me to pluck them out. BUT I did go. It was funny because I saw every female (and some of the males) going through everything I was in the again process. Some looked a lot older, some looked younger, some were skinny when they had been a little chunky and some were fat that had been so skinny we thought they had Anorexia. We all had changed. The class clowns had grown up (all though one did not), we had matured, and grown up but we still saw each other as what we had been. I was the girl that all the guys had a crush on (did not find that out till now), a friend was still the drunk and another was the druggie (only prescription drugs now) the flirt was still the flirt and last but not least the asshole was still an asshole. I was also lucky enough to go with a few GOOD friends whom know all about my TM and when I was asked about it they helped explain. When I got tired and had to go home, they understood, when I wobbled, they understood a few people accused me of having too much to drink and were idiots about it but I just ignored their rudeness. I did have a fantastic conversation with a doctor (she lives in Finland now) about TM as she works with auto-immune patients and had never really met someone with it. Overall I had a great time and it was nice catching up with old friends. Now a month later and going through my 3rd bout of TM I am up to 145lbs (I gained 10lbs). I wear size 10 jeans and really don't feel comfortable with my NEW body. I don't like the way I look or feel. I do not like having a belly or the feel of my thighs rubbing together. You asked for honest and here it is. Aging is HELL. Medication side effects are HELL. TM is HELL. If my Reunion was planned for now I would not go as it would take way too much out of me. I just don't like myself at this moment; I am too emotional and worried about my health. I cannot predict if it will be a good day and I only think I can carry the actress off on a good day. I have a family BBQ on the 4th and I am obsessing over it already and this is family. Mind you they do not understand and don't want to about TM so that makes me obsess a little more. So my advice is wait until the morning of the event and if you feel up to it go if not stay home. That is my plan for this weekend. Kathy - Original Message - From: Janice To: transverse myelitis Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 10:47 PM Subject: [TMIC] Class Reunions I have another question for you all that want to answer: I will be having another class reunion shortly and graduating from the hometown high school, I was usually one of about 15 that helped to plan it.We had around 500 in our graduating class.Anyway, I am debating whether or not to be a part of the planning or even attending the reunion.This is the first reunion since I got clobbered with TM. I still have to use a cane and would maybe need my wheelchair.I was fairly well known and I am afraid I would be answering questions all nite about TM. My question is: Would you let TM keep you from attending a reunion?Be honest. If you were faced with this decision this weekend, what would you do? Janice
[TMIC] July Birthdays
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULY BABIES Kathy
Re: [TMIC] Every now and then!
I am a constant over doer. My theory is that when I feel good get it all done and then pay for it as I can never predict when I will feel well enough again to get to it. It never crosses my mind that if I go slow today on a good day that it may last into tomorrow. Nope, not me. After 21 years (as of this past Feb) of TM, I still have not stopped it and continue to do it. My husband knows this and reminds me of it all the time. Even my doctors have told me to stop it but I just can’t. My doctor has learned not to tell me to NOT do things as he knows I will just go ahead and do specifically what he told me not to. Ever the actress I would attend things I should not have and then paid for it for days. I must say though that during this occurrence things are very different. I have some new symptoms that seem to knock me off my feet, literally (burning pain in feet) and arms get very tired, very fast (typing, making tea or coffee, brushing teeth, showering, and even holding the phone receiver). I am hoping that this will lessen with time and that they are not going to become the norm for me. Today is the first day that I am getting back on my normal medication regime after a month of upping and lowering my dosages and I made it till 10:30 am with taking a pain killer so I would have to say this is a good day. Have a GOOD day all Kathy - Original Message - From: Janice To: Tmic-list@eskimo.com ; balmat...@aol.com Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 9:42 AM Subject: Re: [TMIC] Every now and then! Barbara, as I told Rob, we can, can, can learn new tricks.With our bodies, we have to. I hated to read that you suffered for 3 days after swimming - how awful for you.I can and have done the same thing doing things around the house - so I know what you feel when you just don't want to stop. BUT, again, with our bodies, we have to. I hope you never have that kind of pain for that long a time ever again!! Janice - Original Message - From: balmat...@aol.com To: Tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009 4:23 AM Subject: Re: [TMIC] Every now and then! Rob, I can relate totally to what you said about exercise, pain and overdoing it. How do we find a happy medium, keep it up, and keep our bodies happy with the level and intensity? Yeah right! Moderation, sure! But, as I am doing the exercise most of the time I feel great and don't feel that I am overdoing it at all. I also have a very poor habit of giving up on it from time to time due to pain issues and thinking it may be better not to exercise which I've found is also a bad idea. The worse thing I can do is to stop making it a part of my routine, it's too easy to let it go and not get it done. Once I do that, I'm done. I cannot find a happy medium for my body. I was in the pool the other night with my grandsons and didn't realize how much time had passed. That night I couldn't sleep due to the pain and spasms, and the next two days were pretty bad. I was actually worse than I'd been in a long time. After 10 yrs you'd think the mind/body connection would be made but it hasn't in my case. My mind forgets to engage and think about my limits. Hugs to all, Barbara A -Original Message- From: Janice To: Robert Pall ; Tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Mon, Jun 29, 2009 8:49 pm Subject: Re: [TMIC] Every now and then! 0A Robert, I did water aerobics for about 5 years before TM hit. I started it because of arthritis in my back. Exercise done in water should not make you sore unless you are over doing it. You really need to think hard about moderation when you first begin and add more slowly.Sure hope it helps you. I would give my eye teeth to get back in the water, but am not ready yet. Someday soon I hope.Good luck. - Original Message - From: Robert Pall To: Tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Monday, June 29, 2009 8:26 AM Subject: [TMIC] Every now and then! I refuse to even discuss the petty arguments and disagreements that seem to happens several times a year. To discuss them actually provides legitimacy to the di scussion. Stop being so quick to argue and remember the purpose of the list. No one needs to take sides….if what is written does not apply or offers words you do not care for…just delete it! Do you ever think of how a new visitor to the site reacts to bickering….my guess is it turns them off…and that is a tragedy! If one member has a problem with what someone else says. why not try to just contact that person directly and not to the group as a whole. Remember we are all in this together and inevitably when these things occur the next thing that happens is we see the word "unsubscribe". When one is in 24/7 pain and discomfort it is easy to pick
[TMIC] Facebook
I am also on Facebook and am now addicted to Farm Town and Farm Ville. My name on Facebook is Kathleen Moorhead Blaschko. Please feel free to add me as a friend. I also go into YoVille quite often. I love facebook as a way to keep a daily update on friends and family. I also am addicted to The Sims, Sims 2 and am thinking of getting into Sims 3. Thanks Kathy
Re: [TMIC] Question for people on Lyrica?
Okay it looks like I got some answers to my question. It now seems that I need to drink alcohol with my lyrica to get rid of my anger. It also looks like I have to time my beer, wine or scotch as well as my lyrica. Well doing this I will have to avoid walls, floors and toilet rings. It will also give me amnesia and send me into lala land so I won't know I am angry. ROTFLMNAO (rolling on the floor laughing my NUMB ass off) Thank you to those who answered because it has given me a great laugh. I spoke with my doctor and we decided since I was going to be lessening my lyrica gradually that we are hoping the anger will dissipates. I think the anger is more due to the fact that I let myself catch that darn virus which threw me back into a TM bout. I have never been on a anti depressant and I don't know how I feel about starting one as normally I am able to handle the little bouts of depression I get with my TM. I really am afraid of adding more medication to the mix as since going on lyrica I have been able to get rid of most other medication and just keep a few on hand for break through pain & sensations when I need it. Thank you again all.. sometimes I wonder where I would be if I did not have a life full of laughter. Kathy
[TMIC] Question for people on Lyrica?
On May 6th of this year I was visiting friends in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada (where I am originally from and lived until 1999) when both myself and the friend I was staying with got a very bad chest cold that lasted 2 ½ weeks. It was actually longer but just the tired run down feeling lingered. I visited my family doctor in Thunder Bay on May 11th to have my prescriptions updated and refilled when during all of this and he reminded me about my TM symptoms flaring up after a very bad flu/cold as this seemed to be the trigger in my 1st. and 2nd bouts. I returned home to the States on May 25th. It was about June 1st. that I woke up at home and it was like every symptom of my TM was in over drive. With no health care and not knowing what else to do I called my doctor in Thunder Bay. He then talked to my neurologist himself and called me back telling me that they agreed I should increase my Lyrica gradually then decrease it again over the course of 2 months as my bouts seem to last approximately 3 weeks. I am in the middle of doing all of this right now. My question is that I am wondering about the increase and decrease and if you noticed any change in your moods? Lately for some unknown reason I am angry. Angry at any and everything and the least little thing can set me off (sorry for the read receipt thing). I am trying to figure out if this is due to the lyrica (a side effect is depression) or just my emotions over having another bout? Thanks Kathy (who now feels bad about her read receipt email)
[TMIC] read receipts?
I have a question for you all and I would really appreciate an answer. I would like to know why people send an email into the list with a "Read Receipt" attached. For some reason I cannot explain, this really bothers me and makes me feel Violated. I would really like to know what they do with this receipt or why they need it. To me sending the receipt makes me feel as if I am being monitored for how much I read the emails on the list. I thought this list was supposed to be there to be another support and we can read and write as we please to the list. I am not trying to center one person out here as I get it from quite a few on the list. Are the people asking for the read receipt monitors of this list or not? I don't mean to offend anyone just checking. Kathy (whom has now checked off "Never send a read receipt" in tools, options, and receipts )
[TMIC] Janice's questions..
Janice.. My name is Kathy Blaschko and I am 48 as of March 19th. I have been on and off this list since I found it in 2001 (I think). I was 27 (1988) when I first started with the symptoms of TM and was not diagnosed properly till I was 34 (1995). During that time they kept telling me I was in the early stages of MS. It took 4 doctors and a spinal tap/myelogram, and 3 MRI's before I was diagnosed properly. During this time my life was Hell. No one believed I had anything wrong with me except my father and a teacher when I was first having symptoms. Even though I walked funny (as they put it) it was said to be all in my head. During those 7 years I became a Good Actress as it was the only way to survive the criticisms I was getting from some family and friends. The worst one was that I was a drunk (I wobbled when I walked and people thought I was drunk). Some of my family were especially cruel by saying I was faking this to get attention. Even after I was diagnosed no one believed me as there was little known about it and as far as the doctor told me not many cases of it around Thunder Bay where I lived. Also at that time I was new to the internet and had not really thought to check there for information. It was not until it was on 48 Hours (which my husband taped for his family) that people finally started to believe that TM existed. I met my husband in 1996 online in a card playing site. And before we married in 1999 he became an expert on TM and knew my limitations before we married. He also knew that since I had another bout or breakdown (as I call them) where more lesions developed; I had a reoccurring type of TM. He still married me and as I said earlier we have a great marriage. I don't have the MS gait as they call it but I do wobble when I walk most of the time. I have been able to compensate for it so most people just think I stumbled over something or tripped on my own two feet as they call it. I also hide it allot. What I mean by that is when I am in rough shape I hide in the house and only allow my husband and a few friends to see me. I have put up with way to much crap over this to allow others to criticize me anymore. Since Nov. 1st. of 2007 I have been on Lyrica which I find fantastic for my pain and symptoms. Before that I was on so many pills I felt like a walking drug store. My daughter had me convinced I was addicted to Percocet since every so often I was taking 3 a day when the pain was very bad. I talked to my family doctor about this and he called me crazy for allowing her to manipulate me that way. I am still good at playing the actress these days but that is when I am with a new group of people or in a party setting. Just recently I was at a Navy League reunion and met a doctor from Finland (originally from Thunder Bay) and we had a nice discussion about TM as she works with autoimmune patients. It was nice for once with not having to explain exactly what TM is. Well enough about me. My fingers are starting to stutter and my spell/grammar check is flashing all over the place.. LOL Kathy
[TMIC] Janice's questions
Janice.. In answer to your questions. 1. Since Tm I have always had a problem in the heat. Humidity included makes it very bad for me. I start getting a very weird feeling almost becoming very limp and weak and if I cannot control my limbs. The only way I can explain it to non-tm people is I get a floating feeling and when it happens I have to find a place to cool down. I use towel wrapped ice packs on my wrists, back of my neck, forehead and the back of my knees. Once cooled it seems the energy has been sucked right out of me. I like very warm showers (which give me the same effect) so I have been taking my showers right before bed. Works better than any sleeping pill ever made. LOL 2. I get banding in 2 spots. The first is around the bottom are of my chest. Right where the bottom of my bra sits. It is about 3 inches wide and goes right around my trunk. At times removing my bra help but other times it seems to want to stop me from breathing. Nothing but resting or sleeping helps this. The other banding I get is around my neck area. It seems to be right where the top band of a tee shirt is. I sometime feel like I am chocking. When I have it you will see me pulling at the neck of any top even if they are not even close to my neck. I have stretched out all my tops this way plus being a big Turtle neck fan in winter has stopped except on good days. 3. As for my marriage it is very good in allot of ways since my husband knew about my TM before we married. June 7th of this year was our 10th anniversary. Our sex life has steady gone downhill but we love each other and he is very understanding of my TM. At times we both get frustrated with it when I can't go to a wedding or family get together, when I can't clean or cook, or when I can't stand to be touch by even a sheet or clothes. Lyrica has helped with allot of this but right now nothing is helping. I am more angry, frustrated and sad that I can't do more while he remains patient and loving.
Re: [TMIC] Occupations
Hey All.. I have not written in to the list for a long time but I read everything that comes in. I have re-occurring TM . I am presently on my 3rd re-occurrence. Living in the USA with no health care means I am presently getting through this with consultations with my doctor in Canada. I struggled through 8 years with all this before being diagnosed with TM in 1995. I worked as a Counselor to sexually and physically abused women, children and men. With it being a HIGH stressed job I had to quit in 1998. Since then I married and moved to the USA. I have not worked since then. When I was diagnosed the doctor told me I needed a job with this description . I could not sit or stand for more than 15 minutes at a time. I needed to be wit in 25 feet of a restroom. I could take a day off with a moment's notice. I could leave at a moment's notice. I must be provided a place where I could go rest for 20 minutes two times a day. My job must be a stress free environment. All of this sounded impossible to me but I responded to him with .. " I guess I will have to get a Government job then." Kathy - Original Message - From: Janice To: transverse myelitis Sent: Friday, June 05, 2009 11:22 AM Subject: [TMIC] Occupations Hi Guys! I have been curious about something for a while and since things have kind of slowed down, want to ask you all what you did before TM hit and if you were able to go back to it or if you are doing something new. I am including even those who just read these emails and don't usually respond. I would like to hear from everybody and would think all of us would be interested. I will start: I was a school nurse's secretary/assistant in a large high school for 19 years. I absolutely loved it - everyday was different, as you can imagine working with high schoolers! Our school nurse was gone a lot to other schools we were responsible for, so I was left alone quite a bit and handled many different situations. I was well trained for this and it was great. Janice
Re: [TMIC] age at incident
I was 26 this past Feb. it was 20 years for me.. Although I did not find out what I had till 1994. Till then they said I was in the beginning stages of MS.. Kathy - Original Message - From: Tracey L. Black To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 8:55 AM Subject: RE: [TMIC] age at incident Ashlee was 11 Tracey L. Black Certified Insurance Service Representative Hockley & O'Donnell Insurance Agency P.O. Box 3039 132 Buford Avenue Gettysburg, PA 17325 Phone - 717-334-6741, x 29 Fax - 717-334-3414 Thank you for providing information to us. Please beware that no coverage is bound and no change to your insurance program is confirmed until verified by a licensed agent during regular business hours. If you do not hear from us within 1 business day, please re-contact us in case your information has not been retained. -- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 9:50 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; tmic-list@eskimo.com Subject: Re: [TMIC] age at incident I was 38. Barbara H. http://barbarah.wordpress.com/ In a message dated 6/5/2008 8:05:43 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I was 62 when I was nailed eleven years ago. A tiny infarction in the spinal cord at T9-10 dropped me in minutes. Barbara Alma said, I believe, that she was 48. Alton -- Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.
[TMIC] Dr.s name for Michelle
Clear DayI think it was Dr. McGillvray. He used to come to Thunder Bay every so often and at that time I went to Toronto for the MRI. I will make sure of the name when I get my medical file <>
[TMIC] Back on list
Clear DayHi my name is Kathy and I was on this list a few years ago. I left and am now finding my way back I will reintroduce you to my story of TM Growing up I had always had a pain, burning, weird numbness in my legs, it was diognosed as my veins expanding when I was in highschool around 1975/76. In 1979 I gave birth to my first child without a labour pain. Only the sensation that I had to pee. In 1982 with the birth of my second child same thing. I was worned when I was pregnant with the second because I never had pains with the first to get in at the first sign of pressure feeling. First labour was 47 mins. Second was 23 mins. I was glad I had not felt the pain but was curious as to why. Ask the doctor and he said some women are just that way. I continued to have the weird sensations in my legs but it was livable and only when I was tired or stressed. My mother whom I was very close to passed in Aug. of 1987 and I started school in Jan. of 1988, along with being a single mother, the break up of a 3 year relationship I was stressed to the max and ended up catching a very bad flu. I continued attending school but my legs were acting up worse and worse. The pins and needles (like when your leg has gone to sleep and is waking up) actually started lasting for longer and longer. One day I went to get up and fell so the teacher himself drove me home right there and then. A week or so after that I tried to get out of bed one morning and fell, I had no feeling from the waist down. My father came and carried me down 3 flights of stairs and to the hospital. The first hospital I went to the doctor told him to take me to a psch doc as it was all in my head. The second one where my family doctor worked knew I was not faking it and ordered tests right away. Within a month I was to have a lumbar puncture and myelogram (sp) and within a few weeks of that I was sent to a specialist in London Ontario. Point blank I was told I was in the early stages of MS, Just a note here, my sister had GBS when I was about 13-14 the specialist I saw all those years ago told me "my family had a pre-desposition for all this". I still wonder what he meant by that. I continued to see different doctors because mine was not satisfied with Early MS and after a MRI of my spine not my head I was told TM in 1995. This doctor from Toronto, Ontario was a GOD to me. I had an answer that was not "all in my head" but I went another few years before I finally found this organization and got answers I felt I needed to help me deal with this disorder. I am one of the lucky ones here. I still walk and have use of my arms. I have good days when I almost feel "normal" and bad days when it hurts to wear clothes. I have days when the banding is so tight I wake up choking at night and days when I feel like I could walk miles. The past 6 months I have been under allot of stress again and my "residual effects" (as I have been told they are) have started to really act up, I was put on Lyrica in Dec. and it really seems to help my hand and leg pain. My symptoms have not gone away on this but it sure helps me get thru the day. I came back to the list to help me deal with the depression I seem to suffer from more these days than before. Kathy<>
