HEY YALL'
MY NAME IS JOHN HOLDEN I WANTED TO TELL ALITTLE ABOUT MYSELF AND CANNOT
FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO MY PROFILE SO I CAN DO IT THIS WAY. I AM NOT SCREAMING,
JUST LIKE TO USE CAPS.
I AM 47 YEARS OLD FROM NJ AND NOW LIVE IN TEXAS. I WAS PARALIZED FROM
TRANSVERSE MYELITIS AT AGE 14 ON APRIL 13, 1974. I WAS WALKING AROUND EARLY AT
A FLEA MARKET FOR HOURS. I CAME HOME AND MY LEGS WERE TINGLING AND IT FELT
LIKE I HAVE SOMEONE TAKING A KNIFE INTO THE SIDE OF MY LEG FROM MY HIP TO MY
FEET ANT IT WAS BURNING.
I WAS AT MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE AS MY MOM WAS KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT
AT MY AGE OF FOUR. SO MY FATHER AND GRFANDMOTHER RAISED ME.
I THOUGHT MY LEGS WERE JUST TIRED SO I TURNED DOWN LUNCH AND WENT TO LAY
DOWN.
I HAD A 104 DEGREE FEVER AND MY LEGS WERE TINGLING FROM MY KNEES DOWN
WHEN I AWAKENED. I HAD NO BLADDER CONTROL AND WET MY PANTS. I ATTEMPTED TO
WALK
AND KEPT FALLING OVER.
MY FAMILY DOCTOR WAS A FRIEND ALSO AND HE TOLD MY GRANDMOTHER TO TAKE ME
TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IMMEDIATELY.
WE HAD HAD A HURRICANE AND GRANDMA LIVE OUT IN A RURAL DIRT ROAD AND ALL
TREES FELL DOWN AND WE WERE CUTTING THEM DOWN CLEARING THE ROADWAY OF TREES.
THE DOCTORS FELT I MAY HAVE BEEN BITTEN BY SOME INSECTS AND MAY HAVE
CAUGHT SOMETHING.
I HAD HAD ALL OF MY CHILDHOOD VACCINATIONS, POLIO, ETC.
I HAD A FOREIGN DOCTOR INTERN I WAS GIVEN ALCOHOL RUBS. DR. RAUSCHWERTH
WHO MISDIAGNOSED MY SPINAL VIRUS AND SENT ME HOME WITH DARVON . ( "YOU KNOW
THE OLD STORY, TAKE 2 OF THESE EVERY 4 HOURS AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING").
WHEN THE NEXT DAY I WAS RUSHED BACK TO THE HOSPITAL PARALIZED FROM THE
CHEST DOWN WITH HEART MURMURS. AND A 106 DEGREE FEVER.
I WAS ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELTLY THROUGH THE EMERGENCY ROOM
. MY FAMILY DOCTOR HAD THE INTERN ER DR. FIRED AS HIS NAME WAS OFF THE ROSTER
WHEN I RETURNED TO THE HOSPITAL. MY FAMILY DOCTOR WAS ON THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS AT THE HOSPITAL.
I WAS GIVEN ALCOHOL RUBS AND PACKED IN ICE IN BED AND WAS THEN STARTED
ON ANTIBIOTICS AS THE VIRUS FED ON THE PROTEIN IN THE SPINAL FLUID. IT STARVED
AND KILLED THE NERVES. I WAS GIVEN SPINAL TAPS AND MYLEGRAMS EVERY FRIDAY
FOR 8 MONTHS TO CHECK THE SPINAL FLUID PROTEIN LEVEL TO FIND IF THE VIRUS WAS
GOING AWAY.
THE NURSES WERE LAZY AND LEFT ME LAY IN MY EXCREMENT AND I DEVELOPED
DECUBITI ULCERS OR BEDSORES ON MY SACRAL AREA AND IT HAMPED MY REHABILITATION
FOR MONTHS WHILE THEY HEALED. I THEN WAS DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL WALKING
ON LEG BRACES WITH QUAD CRUCTHES. I FELL AND DISLOCATED MY RIGHT HIP AND HAD 2
UNSUCCESSFUL SURGERIES TO REPAIR IT.
I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL AND FINSHED HIGH SCHOOL AND TECHNICAL SCHOOL AND
RECEIVED MY ELECTRONIC TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION AND HAD MANY JOB AND LATER
WENT INTO POLICE 911 OPERATOR JOBS. I JUST RETIRED AFTER 25 YEARS ON
DISABILITY
WITH NRE BACK AND NECK INJURIES.
I MARRIED IN 1982 AND AND DIVORCING AND ON DEPRESSION MEDS AND NEURONTIN
AND ZANAFLEX NOW. I RECENTLY MOVED TO TEXAS AND AM MOVING ON WITH MY LIFE.
I USED TO TEACH IN SCHOOLS ON 911 AND DISABILITY AWARENESS WITH GRAMMER
SCHOOL CHILDREN. I DID EMERGENCY VOLUNTEER WORK WITH CB AND AMATEUR (HAM)
RADIO. I WAS A LT. COL. IN CIVIL AIR PATROL AND WAS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATION
FOR CIVIL AIR PATROL.
I AM NOT DOING MUCH NOW BUT KARAOKE HERE AND THERE. WELL THAT'S MY STORY.
JUST REMEMBER MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS ALWAYS HAPPEN. THEY DID NOT HAVE
MRI'S OR CATSCANS THEN. MIRACLES HAPPEN AND SOMEDAY THEY WILL BE THERE FOR US.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL INCLUDING ALL INVOLVED IN MAKING THIS WEBSITE
POSSIBLE AND FOR STARTING THIS INFORMATIVE GROUP.
PEACE AND GOD BLESS AND GOD SPEED TO Y'ALL.
JOHN HOLDEN LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS
Contact The Transverse Myelitis Association
If you are interested in becoming a member of The Transverse Myelitis
Association, receiving information about TM, _please fill out the membership
form._
(http://www.myelitis.org/memberform.htm)
If you are interested in contributing to the efforts of the TMA, please
contact Sandy Siegel, President of The TMA:
The Transverse Myelitis Association
Sanford J. Siegel, President
1787 Sutter Parkway
Powell, OH 43065
Phone: (614)766-1806
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Your tax-deductible contributions to the TMA are greatly appreciated.
Please send contributions to:
The Transverse Myelitis Association
Paula Lazzeri, Treasurer
10105 167th Place NE
Redmond, WA 98052
The TMA is a registered not-for-profit organization with tax-exempt status
under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS tax code.
For more information log onto The Transverse Myelitis Association Web Site
at:
_www.myelitis.org_ (http://www.myelitis.org)
ALSO SUPPORT: MY BROTHER FRANK HOLDEN IS A POLICE OFFICER IN NJ AND HOLDS
FUND RAISERS IN NJ FOR THE VICTORY JUNCTION GANG CAMP LISTED BELOW. PLEASE
SUPPORT OUR CAUSES LISTED ABOVE AND BELOW!!!
(http://www.victoryjunction.org/aa_home/private/private.php)
VICTORY JUNCTION GANG CAMP
_WWW.VICTORYJUNCTION.ORG_ (http://www.VICTORYJUNCTION.ORG)
COPYRIGHT © VICTORY JUNCTION, INC.
_CONTACT US_ (http://www.victoryjunction.org/aa_camp/camp08_directions.html)
| _FAQ_ (http://www.victoryjunction.org/aa_faq/faq01.html)
(336) 498-9055
If you have more questions concerning holding a fundraiser/event please
contact:
Jennifer Poole, Coordinator of Partnership Development and Events.
336.495.2010 (phone)
336.498.9090 (fax)
[EMAIL PROTECTED] _ (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED])
NOVEMBER 17-19
Transverse Myelitis
Welcome to OZ
VICTORY JUNCTION GANG CAMP FACT SHEET
The mission of The Victory Junction Gang Camp is to enrich the lives of
children with chronic illnesses by creating camping experiences that are
exciting, fun, physically safe and medically sound.
Founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam, the camp is
scheduled to open summer 2004. Also Al Unser's Daughter Cody has Transverse
Myelitis.
There are over 237,000 children in North Carolina, South Carolina and
Virginia who would benefit from a medical camping facility. These children
have a
medical condition that limits their physical activity, and many of these
children cannot attend traditional camp programs.
The Victory Junction Gang aims to serve children who are suffering from:
arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, genetic disorders, heart
disease,
hemophilia, HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, liver disease, sickle cell anemia and
spina bifida.
No child or family will be charged to attend The Victory Junction Gang Camp.
The Victory Junction Gang Camp will be located in the Piedmont Triad of
North Carolina on 75 acres surrounded by hardwood forests. The land was
generously donated by Richard and Lynda Petty.
In its entirety, the camp will be comprised of 36 buildings which will
include a state-of-the-art medical center, a dining hall, a performing arts
center, an arts and crafts building, 16 camper cabins and a sports and
recreation
center.
The camp will have a racing theme with the sight, sounds, look and feel of a
race track, making even a simple trip to the Fuel Stop (Dining Hall) fun and
exciting for kids.
Campers and families attending the camp can take part in all kinds of
activities like boating and fishing, swimming, arts and crafts, horseback
riding
and more.
The Victory Junction Gang Camp will have year-round programming. The camp
will address the needs of the whole family by providing family and sibling
retreat weekends, as well as special camper reunion events, September through
May. Summer camp will consist of eight week-long sessions for 125 children
each
session from June to August.
The Board of Directors has embarked on a $24 million capital campaign to
build and endow the camp. Of that amount, $20 million has been raised. (March
2004)
The Gang’s hope for all who visit and participate in the camp is that they
will “Feel Your Heart Race.” The Victory Junction Gang is a member of Paul
Newman’s Association for The Hole in the Wall Gang Camps. As Co-founder Paul
Newman hopes that kids who come to The Victory Junction Gang Camp will ‘kick
back and have fun.”
Victory Junction Gang Camp operates solely on the donations of wonderful
corporations, organizations and individuals. Children that attend Victory
Junction would not otherwise be able to attend a camp because of their medical
needs.
Victory Junction is a year-round camp that serves children, ages 7 to 15,
with a variety of health issues. During the summer we offer week long disease
specific sessions with up to 125 kids per session. During the Fall, Winter and
Spring we offer family weekends with up to 32 families per weekend.
The children we serve may have any of the following health issues:
arthritis, asthma, cancer, epilepsy, hemophilia, immunology
deficiencies/HIV, sickle cell disease, spina bifida, gastrointestinal disease,
heart disease,
kidney disease, liver disease,
neurological disease, skin disease, burn survivors, cystic fibrosis,
diabetes, autism, craniofacial anomalies, physical disabilities, kids on
vents,
transverse myelitis
Victory Junction now serves North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia,
with approximately 15% of campers coming from other parts of the country.
P.S PLEASE EXCUSE THE USE OF COPYRITED LOGOS.
