That sounds wonderful. Janice
From: Barbara Alma Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 10:45 PM To: jan...@centurytel.net ; tmic-l...@eskimo.net Subject: Re: [TMIC] Living life on your own terms - accepting TM??? For all who love the beach: we have found that there are some beaches that have very large wheelchairs that have huge plastic wheels that go very well on sand. We've seen these in San Diego, Florida and on private islands that the cruise companies have in the Bahamas. It makes it possible to be at the beach at least, they can go into the water also. Picture a Lily Tomlin chair made of PVC pipe, quite fun! I loved it. I have tried in the past walking in dry sand on my crutches and it moves too much for me so I couldn't do it. I've walked with 2 men holding my arms and that's very hard, but once I get on the hard, wet sand I'm in better shape and can do better with help. It only takes a very weak and I mean the weakest kind of wave you can imagine to knock me over unless I get into at least waist high water, but I love it. The caribbean water is the best, nice and warm and clear. It's worth it all to me to be able to experience the beach. Hugs, Barbara A in Auburn CA -----Original Message----- From: Janice Nichols <jan...@centurytel.net> To: j.d...@shaw.ca; tmic-list@eskimo.com; Barbara Alma <balmat...@aol.com> Sent: Sat, May 22, 2010 8:58 am Subject: Re: [TMIC] Living life on your own terms - accepting TM??? Janet, you are right on the money. I, too, used to think "is this really happening?" Life is not the same, but it is life and I am surrounded with a great family and great friends. I am adjusting to the fact that we will not be doing any more beach vacations. Walking on sand would be too difficult and exhausting. But, we are thinking of other places that we can go. It took 3 years to get to where I could travel and I love it, but I have to be picky about what we do. I hate this more than I can say, but I do still have a life and I still do things - dinner with friends, movies, etc. Pain level is not so bad right now, but there is no warning when the legs will give out on me. Life is truly full of surprises. Love you all, Janice From: Barbara Alma Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 2:05 AM To: j.d...@shaw.ca ; tmic-list@eskimo.com Subject: [TMIC] Living life on your own terms - accepting TM??? Janet, I have to tell you that for so many years, and I've had TM for 12 years, so I cannot remember exactly how many, I honestly thought that I may just wake up one morning and it could be all gone. It was a very nice thought, but never happened. It really felt like I was living in a bad dream for so long, so thought I'd wake up and I would be out of it. Talk about not living in reality? Jeron, I believe that you have a right to decide how you live your life, with or without medications. I know that the brain fuzziness is no fun, but I enjoy the pain relief that it gives me. Without it, I have absolutely no energy and I am a mental and physical wreck. I personally cannot live without my family support, but you've decided the way you want to handle your life, which is between you and your family. I couldn't handle it, although I do admit to hiding out in my room when I'm having a bad episode of spasms so nobody has to see me like that. Still, they know I'm in there and can check on me. I hope that you will be able to find a balance between what you want to do for yourself and how to include your family in your life as well. Hugs, Barbara A in Auburn CA -----Original Message----- From: Janet Dunn <j.d...@shaw.ca> To: tmic-l...@eskimo.net; tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: Fri, May 21, 2010 9:10 am Subject: RE: [TMIC] alive What I am really wondering is if one ever really gets to the point of accepting this thing? It has almost been six years (August) and daily I have to decide whether to get up and work with it, fight it, or give into it. Most of the time I fight it. Working with it would make my life easier I suppose, but darn it, I am with Jeron . It has taken a lot away. One of the things that I have discovered after fighting it so hard for five years – to get back to where I used to be before being struck with TM – was that either way, TM or no TM – I could not regain my former self. It would be like suddenly becoming 30 again. It isn’t going to be. I would have aged 5 years whether I had TM or not. That made it much easier for me to realize that life is going to go on, I am going to grow older, and with age comes limitations, TM or not. That might not make sense to others, but it sure helped me quit fighting so hard, and to accept the down days. It also enabled me to lift up my head, look around, and realize that my friends and acquaintances all have their own struggles with growing older, they are just not as visible as mine. Most of them deal with pain every day, in one way or another, just as a matter of course of growing older, and what that in itself can do to the body. But, Jeron, I do totally get where you are coming from. And I wish I could go scuba diving today too – especially since there is a heavy snowfall warning in effect for my area. On May Long weekend no less! Janet
