Greetings,
Jonathan here in New Jersey. My wife lives with TM. I hope my two cents will
reinforce that TM isn't an isolated affliction and that people live beyond it.
Rita (Ohio) asked:
> Has anyone onset been from a virus?
> Another thing I experience that my neurologist
> thinks is something other than TM is if I am out
> in and it is windy or cold and tense up almost
> as if to shiver, my legs stiffen up and I have a
> hard time walking. Has anyone experienced that?
My sweetheart had her attack when she was a teenager. She was told that her TM
was caused by a multiple virus event. I get the impression that the doctors
back in the 80's really didn't know. She went through several years of therapy
and regained some of the affected areas. She now walks with crutches (which I
affectionately call her 'sticks'- 'cause she'll nudge me with them now and
again {grin} ). When there's lots of walking required she uses her wheelchair.
As far as the weather and temperature- we both have difficulty with cold. Jen
doesn't feel temperature below her waist, she's a T-8 / T-9. She does however
experience stiffening and sometimes loss of muscle control on occasion. (I
have some arthritis in my back so I usually know when the weather's changing.)
Tracey (Pennsylvania) mentioned:
> I personally have not been "inflicted" with TM,
> but my daughter has. She was 11 at the time
> and is now 14. She had her anniversary on 2/1
> (3 years). I think she is probably the youngest
> person that we talk about on this site.
> I basically stay involved on this site b/c I want
> her and the rest of our family to know what her
> future might bring. She has been very lucky,
> she doesn't have any where near the issues
> that most on here do and I believe that is due
> to her young age.
Tracey, I would like to tell you about my sweetheart, Jenny. We met after she
graduated college. It wasn't until she returned to NJ that a mutual friend
introduced us. Jen had TM years before we met and actually had her therapy
about three miles from where I grew up.
She was inspired by her medical experiences and got her degree in Speech
Pathology and now works for the very same hospital that treated her years
prior. She works with children and I'm in awe of her patience and talents.
Long story short, we've know one another for ten years, been married almost six
and our son is going to be two years old this spring. I traded in my 'job' to
be a stay-at-home daddy while Jenny maintains her career. John Lennon had it
right, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."
Wendy and Cole:
> He was 6 months old, it will be 7 yeasr for him
> on the 15 of march. Cole is paralyzed from the
> chest down. He has autonomic dysreflexia and
> osteoporosis all because of TM.
Just wanted to say- don't give up. Jenny helped coach some of the wheelchair
athletes through her workplace. They do track and field events as well as
swimming. Many of the kids have various physical maladies that they adapt to
and conquer. There are so many people out there doing so many amazing things
despite not fitting the definition for 'normal' or 'healthy'. Our family
doesn't think twice about challenges we face- we just do what we have to do.
Give our best to everyone, --Jon
--Jon ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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