Deb your story mirrors mine. My 2 year anniversary will be June 22nd (our wedding anniversary how about that!) I am able to walk somewhat with a cane in the house, but use a walker when I go out. I also purchased an electric scooter so I can go to more things that entails a lot of walking. The scooter was the best purchase I could have made. Last March my daughter and 2 granddaughters wpent 5 days at the Mall of American, and I couldn't have done it without the scooter. I am fortunate that I don't have as much pain as a lot of TMers. I refuse to let it get the best of me. We just moved to be close to my daughter, and the move and all the unpacking, etc., does get me down, but each day it gets better. It is just so depressing when I can't do all I could before. Thank God for family.
Take care, Patti - Wisconsin On Sat, Jun 5, 2010 at 4:35 PM, Jan Hargrove <jmh1...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: > Deb, > > It seems to me you're doing great things!! Your pushing to do is so > positive.......... > your hubby's understanding and support are so important......keep pushing > for > the smile to return!! > > I'd love to watch you at your martial arts workout!! I can just imagine > what fun > you make for your 'class' mates........my one daughter and 2 of her kids > are > black belts in ti kwan do (spelling?) which I've been to meets and I can > see trying > to get in to that. (HA!!) I'd be there to keep the folks laughing!!) > > Keep up the good work......and do your pressure-relieving talk whenever you > need...we understnd!!! > > jan OK > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Deb Monteleone <aiki...@optonline.net> > *To:* "Towery, Ruben Dale" <rdtow...@southernco.com> > *Cc:* TMIC <tmic-list@eskimo.com> > *Sent:* Sat, June 5, 2010 10:50:09 AM > *Subject:* RE: [TMIC] How to deal with isolation > > Hi Ruben, > > Not sure how your upper body is, but I installed hand controls in my car. > It was a wonderful feeling to know I can get up and go. Although the go > part is still not so great, not too many places to go. I still work so it > gets me there and I got a scooter to put in it. Compared to staying home > all the time, it is great. Still miss all I used to do, but trying to go > forward and find ways to at least feel I have some freedom back. > > I woke up two years ago today (just realized today is my two year > anniversary) with numb feet, 5 days later up to waist, 5th day Primary care > Doctor sent me to neurologist that day. > My neurologist is a wonderful man (knowledgeable, friendly, returns calls > and emails, sympathetic, funny). He diagnosed TM right there, sent me that > day for 3 days of outpatient steroid infusions, then oral for a week, then > after another week went into hospital for 5 days of steroids 4 times a day > (at this point I could not stand or take a step, bladder and bowels weren't > working either). Then rehab for almost 3 weeks. Just kept pushing after > that. Now I walk with a cane (not in house) for short distance or scooter > for longer. > > I still grieve for all that I lost, sports, kayaking, woodworking, > gardening. Slowly I am working myself back to some of it. I pick a weed > now and then, who knew weeding would be so enjoyable. Just purchased a > stool with wheels and a footrest so I can try my lathe and some small wood > projects (hope it works out). I am a black belt in Aikido, had been > practicing for 18 years before TM. Every now and then I go to class and do > the movements (not gracefully) and throw people around with a big smile on > my face (one of the few moments that I am happy and feel like my old self). > I tire quickly, rest, throw etc... For bike riding I got a three wheel > bike, don't go very long but I am out there riding a bike which I so > enjoyed. > > Going to a MS support group helped, oh yea, it was finally diagnosed that I > had MS which caused the TM. As is this support group, it is nice to speak > with people who really know how you feel, the MS support group is in > person. My husband reads all these emails so he has a good understanding of > what I feel and he knows it's for real since so many others have the same > pains. He is a wonderful man on top of that, don't know where I would be > without him! He even accepts and deals with the fact that I don't laugh or > smile like I used to, I have gone within to try and deal with this pain and > loss. I think I am slowly getting back to my smiling face. > > Keep moving forward, reach out to people, think out of the box as to how to > enjoy some of the things you did, look for new things to do. Keep > conversation with your doctor to try different concoctions of medicines. > Cry when you need to, it is a great reliever. > > Sorry this is so long. I guess I needed to relieve some of my pent up > thoughts. You are all wonderful, brave, kind and sharing people on this > site, even though I don't write much, what I read re-enforces my sanity. > > Stay strong, feel better. > > Deb > Long Island, New York > >
