Sorry for any confusion. I was diagnosed with TM at age 18. As strange as it
may sound TM has provided me with many blessings and helped make me the man I
am today.
I found the TMIC just a little over 10 years ago. You folks have been a second
family to me since then. I have laughed, cried and prayed with several of our
family over these past ten years and hope to continue doing so. With a 14 year
old around the house I don't have much time on the computer right now so I
check the archives instead of getting the daily mails.
Below are the first few paragraphs of "my story" which is located at #304 in
the TMIC members stories. The things that have changed is that I no longer work
with children. I am a social worker at a small psychiatric hospital in
Oklahoma. (my father likes to tell people that he always knew I would end up in
a psych. hospital, he just didn't think I would be the one with the keys!) I
still sail but not as much as I would like. I don't walk as much as I should.
My hands and shoulders are arthritic after so many years of excess use and I
fear falling. My wife & I are raising one of our grand daughters and our great
grand daughter. Having them here keeps us busy and active.
I've been taking provigal for the fatigue that many of us suffer from and
neurontin for the pain. Early in my TM experience I discovered I am one of
those that can't take narcotics. Well I could, and did but they got way out of
control, eventually controlling my life. I have been off of them for 19 years.
I've been a member of a 12 step recovery group for over twenty years and doing
so reminds me of who I am. I still hurt sometimes and that's okay. I may have
to slow down or stop. But at least I can feel and I am here to experience life.
Larry in Oklahoma who is just happy to be here!
Twenty four years ago todayLarry Throne (lbthrone(AT)hotmail.com)Sun, 27 Sep
1998 15:58:58 PDT
I had been working for a construction company for just a couple of months. I
was eighteen and it was my first really good job. We were building a power
plant in southeastern Oklahoma, they were behind schedule and had us working
seven days a week, twelve hours a day. I was young, healthy and making good
money. I thought I had nothing to worry about.It had been a wet rainy summer
and everyone on the crew had been fighting a summer flu, I was just beginning
to feel the aches and pains on friday morning when I went to work. (hmmm) On
saturday, I just felt terrible. My head was pounding, i had no energy and I was
perspiring profusely. I went on to work but shortly after lunch I had a
fainting spell. My boss sent me home. I went to bed at 2:00 pm and slept
straight through to sunday afternoon when my father came in to check on me. It
was after 5:00 pm. When I awoke, I couldn't urinate, my bladder was distended
and I had a fever. Dad took me to the E.R. and I was catheterized. The ER
doctor sent home and told to return the next day for testing.The next morning
our family Doctor was calling , he had talked with the E.R. doc and was
concerned, he wanted me there at the hospital asap. Over the next 24 hours
everyone at the hospital in Ada Oklahoma had poked, prodded and examined me, I
think the janitor even had his turn. They did a spinal tap (those sure are nice
aren't they!) When I woke up the second day, I was paralyzed from the waist
down.I was transferred to Oklahoma City, St Antony Hospital. In the next 4
weeks, I went from being a strapping 190lb construction worker to a 130lb
paraplegic.The first week or two, I was really sick. My fever got so high they
packed me in ice to attempt to break it.I remember coming in & out of a coma
and the pain was unbearable. It felt as though a spike was being shoved up my
spine. Luckily I don't remember everything from that period. Everything was
getting dark and I remember telling my brother something was sitting on my
chest. I just couldn't breath. I vaguely remember having the respirator placed
on me, I remember the fear I had of not knowing what was happening, and not
being able to see or speak.Late that night, an overwhelming feeling of comfort
and reassurance came over me, it was God telling me to trust in him and
everything would be okay.
Below is the link to the members stories page four.
http://www.myelitis.org/tmic/archive/page4.htm
Date: Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:24:32 -0700From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: [TMIC] 34th TM
BirthdayTo: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; tmic-list@eskimo.com
Happy "Birthday" Larry........
you might let them know you've had this since your youth, cause 34 years sounds
like you might be on your last leg!
Hasn't this weather been great!!
I'm so ready for cooler temps!!!
Again, hope you're doing well, and to have had this stuff around that long,
still working,
you're a great example for the rest of us!
janh Stillwater, OK
