Amanda, I have chills from reading your story and I think they started when I read that you can wiggle your toes. I hope you continue to acquire movement and will keep us up-to-date on your accomplishments. I was still "healing" at nine months and pray that you are too.
Patti - Michigan ---- Amanda Diskey <adis...@yahoo.com> wrote: > ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Amanda Diskey <adis...@yahoo.com> To: wllo...@tampabay.rr.com Sent: Tuesday, May 5, 2009 12:33:53 PM Subject: my transverse myelitis story Hello, I am Amanda a 30 year old single mother of two awesome kids, and this is my story about the worst day of my life! I got up that day and helped my boyfriend clean his daddy's house, we ate lunch when we were finished, and I went outside for a smoke. While smoking my cigarette I started having chest pains, and my right arm was hurting so I went back in and laid on the couch. About an hour later, or maybe more, I decided to go to the ER in case I was having a heart attack. They took me back immediately, but they could find nothing wrong with me. After six hours of tests I told them the chest pains were probably caused by my GERD (acid reflux) because it had happened to me before, and I wanted to go on home. After I left i noticed one of my knees buckled every time I took a step, but I didn't think much of it. I went to bed early cause I just didn't feel good, and I woke up about 11 p.m. because my back was on fire like it was sunburnt. There was a > rash across my shoulders and down my spine. I was feeling really bad, and I > told my boyfriend I needed to go back to the hospital. When I went to get out > of bed I almost fell in the floor, but he caught me. I could not stand so he > had to carry me to the car along with both kids. So here we go, I have to > stop on the way and started throwing up over and over again. I finally get to > my second hospital of the day only to run tests until 6 a.m. and finally > admitted to a room where they left me lay for 12 more hours without even > monitoring me. When the neurologist finally came at 6 p.m. I was paralyzed > from the shoulders down. He said that 2 more hours I could have died! He > transferred me to ICU at another hospital and I was 3 points away on blood > oxygen levels from being put on life support. It was 2 days before I was > diagnosed with TM at C6-T3 and also T9-T10. I received 5 days of IVIG, and 10 > days of solumedrol, and an antiviral. I stayed in ICU for 8 > days, 2 days on the neuro floor, and 6 weeks of inpatient rehab. I still go > to therapy now. I got a partial recovery, my arms returned but not so much my > hands. My trunk and legs remain paralyzed but I can wiggle my toes! It has > been 9 months now and who knows what could happen! Maybe they will figure out > a cure one day!!
