That was the word I was looking for "myelopathy"--thanks Debbie.
I did find in aWebster's Dictionary under "itis" that not only is it an
"inflammation or illness" but also a "malady arising from (an inflammation)" so
if that is the case, it is still proper to call our "aftermath" Transverse
Myelitis--but (in my opinion) Myelopathy would be more accurate.
Oh well, we know what it is!
Gary in Michigan
----- Original Message -----
From: Carol
To: tmic-list@eskimo.com
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2007 10:15 AM
Subject: Fw: [TMIC] Do we still have TM?
I think this is a GREAT explanation. Thank you, Debbie!!!!
Carol in Culver, IN
----- Original Message -----
From: Deborah Nord Capen
To: Carol
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2007 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: [TMIC] Do we still have TM?
Carol,
"My-el-itis" is an inflammation. You can think of other illnesses, such as
tonsil-itis, appendic-itis, to name a few. It is an inflammation, that causes
a person to become severely ill, with death as a possibility if the
inflammation is not corrected. A person with appendicitis has surgery to
remove the inflamed appendix. A person with chronic tonsillitis has their
tonsils removed to get rid of the tonsils that are causing chronic inflammation.
Obviously, since myelin is surrounding our spinal cord, we can not have it
removed to get rid of the inflammation. The doctors either use medical
treatment, such as IV steroids or plasmaphoresis, or other therapies, to reduce
the inflammation before it does too much damage to the myelin sheath.
Once the inflammation has gone, we are left with the residual damages that
the "itis" caused to our spinal cord. We now have "myelopathy". There are
varying degrees of damage, such as permanent paralysis, mild paraplegia,
sensory deficits, motor deficits, bowel/bladder dysfunction, and in hundreds of
different ways, in thousands of people.
So, technically, we no longer have transverse myelitis - we have the residual
damage from an attack of transverse myelitis. In other words, you can say you
have transverse myelopathy. I tell people that I am living with damage caused
by an attack on my spinal cord called transverse myelitis.
Hope that helps.
Take care,
Debbie
----- Original Message -----
From: Carol
To: tmic-list@eskimo.com
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2007 2:14 PM
Subject: [TMIC] Do we still have TM?
I know this question has been put out here before, but I can't find it. So
I ask again, do we still have TM or did it come, destroy and leave and we are
left with the aftermath?
Your comments please....
Carol in Culver, IN
