Hello, For all of you who have recently joined the list, you need to know what a huge asset that Jim Lubin is to the TM community. Without Jim, none of us would have met each other, as he started this list.
If you have a few days to spare, please check out this website http://www.makoa.org/jim This site lists Jim's accomplishments and publications where he has been featured. He is an inspiration to us all, that you can take whatever life throws at you. Jim is the ultimate example of somebody being thrown a huge lemon tree and making lemonade for the entire world. Jim is the only officer of the TMA that works at this job full time. He spends his days at the computer, looking up links to share with us for improving our lives. He is constantly updating the TMA website (www.myelitis.org) with the latest articles that Dr. Kerr and his entire staff are publishing. He has even made the website easy for anybody in the world to read, as it is translated into many languages. If you are curious about the flags across the top of the main page, click on one of them. The page will be translated into the language of that country. Jim is probably one of the best website builders in the world, and I think he would blow Bill Gates out of the water:-) And to know that he does all of this just using his sip-and-puff straws to maneuver around the screens is truly unbelievable until you have seen him in action. Thank you Jim for your years of service to all of us with TM, and we hope that you will be serving us for many, many more years! Love, Debbie ----- Original Message ----- From: Jim Lubin To: tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Saturday, May 17, 2008 2:15 PM Subject: [TMIC] 19 year TM Anniversary On May 17, 1989, I became paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on a ventilator to breathe due to Transverse Myelitis. I was 21. I woke up with a pain in my shoulder. Went to work and about 30 mins later the pain got very intense. I suddenly could not stand then stopped breathing. I later found out that my heart stopped and it took awhile for them to stabilize me to even transport me to the hospital a few blocks away. The doctors had no idea what had happened to me. initial thought were possibly a stroke, lyme disease, or Guillain-Barre Syndrome. I was in and out during that time, could not talk, only remember bits. After about 2 weeks I had a MRI and was given the diagnoses of Acute Transverse Myelitis. I was in ICU until July 31 then transfered to rehab. In rehab I was treated as a person with a spinal cord injury. I had physical therapy which consisted of giving me range of motion and practice driving my sip and puff operated wheelchair. In speech therapy and occupational therapy I learned morse code to access the computer. I practiced typing and played tetris and chess. In October, I was able to leave the hospital for the first time and went to see the Batman movie. I started going to movies about once a week. The nurses always tried to get the other patients to go out when I went because I was the only vent dependent high level quadriplegic and enjoyed going out. Others were paraplegics, having problems dealing with their condition. I was in rehab until January 31st. I've been paralyzed most of my life. Wow how time flies. ---- Jim Lubin [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://makoa.org/jim disAbility Resources: http://www.makoa.org
