Hi Amy, Thanks for sharing your TM story. It's stories like yours that make me furious with how TM so drastically changes lives. I like your last line. You rock!
Patti - Michigan On May 23, 2013, at 8:40 PM, amy shultz <mic...@hotmail.com> wrote: > My TM story began in March of 96. I was 19 yrs old and had graduated from > High School and had a soccer scholarship to Notre Dame. While having an MRI > on my jaw for TMJ the doctors said I had an "unrelated" seizure. After waking > up in the hospital my arms were really heavy and had horrible pain around my > mid section, and couldnt move my legs. By the next morning I couldnt move my > arms or legs, couldnt talk. Couldnt breathe. I endured test after test after > test. They kept thinking MS as my mom has MS but they couldnt confirm it.I > was in a rehab hospital and a nursing home for a total of 14 weeks. After > many weeks I was finally diagnosed after a second MRI showed lesions on my > spinal cord at C 4-5. Due to it being so long since I had had the initial > attack and doctors not familiar with TM, I was not treated with any steroids > or any other treatment. After intense therapy and many prayers after about 8 > months I got use of my arms. Not 100% but some. My arms came back very > slowly. I was in therapy for months and months. I have yet to show any > improvement with my legs and am ventilator dependent. I had a neurogenic > bladder and bowels. I had my bladder removed in 03. I havent show much > improvement after the one year mark. I hold on to hope that one day there > will be treatment for us, or others like us. I deal with horrible pain and > spasms daily. Something I wouldnt wish on anyone. I have been unable to > return to school. It seems I am in and out of the hospital so much it makes > doing anything nearly impossible. Last year alone I was inpatient 13 times. > Not counting ER visits. I am on over 30 medications a day. I get exhausted > very easily and nap alot. But I still enjoy having fun and hanging with > family and friends and this TM will NEVER stop me from being me. > > Amy Shultz > Columbus Ohio > > From: heyjude48...@aol.com > Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2013 23:09:12 -0400 > To: tmic-list@eskimo.com > Subject: [TMIC] Re: Transverse Myelitis > > Hi Everyone! > > It's Jude Hoops. I was just reading the quad list and they are talking about > their injuries at what level they are injured, how it happened and when it > happened. Do you think that that would be something we could do too? > > I think it might be interesting to know how we were all injured or got sick > and how long ago it was. We've all been on this list for a long time now and > I was wondering whether any of us had gotten any better over the years. > > Let me know what you think. Just write a small paragraph about how you came > to have TM, what level your injury is at and if you have seen any improvement > over the years. > > I love you all so much and have been thinking of you. > > Hugs, > Jude (TIAD)
