Those canes are also good for hitting people to get out of your way.
I like my wheelchair, if there is a group of people that I don't think they
are going to move out of my way, I just stop and let them run into me. Then
they are the ones that look stupid.
TM has so many different degree of disability. Everyone need to use the
tools that they are comfortable to use to do more.
Hope everyone is able to do more today, than yesterday,
Todd in CC, TX
Kevin Wolfthal <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Robert,
I'm not going to tell you that you should use a cane, or do anything else
you're not comfortable doing
for that matter. Just want to relate my own experiences.
I went years without using a cane, with the feeling that I didn't want to be
looked at as 'different'.
But then I started losing my footing more and falling. So I sucked it up and
got a cane. It
helped me be more mobile, my goal, and I didn't notice anyone staring, or
didn't care if they
stared.
The next step was parking. I refused to get a parking placard. Uh-uh, not me!
So I would
park far away, and sometimes lose steam and barely get back to my car. One
day, one of
my doctors told me I HAVE to get a parking placard. He said it in a
supportive, "it's ok
to get one, you need it", manner. I got one and i was able to now shop in
stores that
I was just driving by before.
Last week I broke through another layer of feeling different-ness and got the
Hugo Rolling
Walker. I haven't had a chance to use it outdoors yet, but I am looking
forward to finding
out what it will allow me to do. And if I get tired it has a seat! No fear of
my legs locking
up! It will afford me a little exercise which I am woefully lacking.
I hope you can go forever without having to use any of these tools, but that's
all they are
is tools. You stated your concern about being bumped into in a crowd..I know
that
feeling well.
My 2c.
Best regards,
Kevin
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Dear Trudy,
You have addressed and brought up my favorite topic! My greatest
frustrations and anxieties have been caused by my condition! I have always felt
that no one understands what i am going thru. This includes my
wife,children,friends and most of my Doctors. In some cases this is because I
try not to share with people and in other cases they do not understand. Unless
someone has walked in our shoes they cannot understand what is in our heads. I
may tell my wife my legs are hurting me....what I really mean to say is that my
legs are hurting more than what is normal for me....my legs hurt 24/7....and
yet after 10 years she cannot or does not see the difference in what I am
saying...I hope I am not looking for sympathy( although that might not hurt
every now and then) simply understanding from someone who lives with me and
sees me everyday. She doesnt really understand and hopefully never will. I am
still terrified of crowds...I am able to walk but a small push or shove can
knock me off my feet......vanity keeps me from using a cane...I guess I feel
it is bad to be different and a cane makes me different and "less" than
normal.......this feeling may be rationally stupid...but I cannot help how I
feel and nothing anyone in the group says is going to make me feel differently.
Our condition makes our lives far more difficult and not being able to
talk about it makes it even harder. I appreciate the group and I know I can
talk here...even though our lives and how TM has treated us all very
differently makes each of our cases unique.
Knowing that even if I try (which I have) to explain how I really feel to
my loved ones,friends and co-workers, they will never understand truly
frustrates me! But in my experience (10 years) there is nothing we can do about
it. Hard as it seems we must accept this reality and accept we can do nothing
about it.
If anyone thinks I am wrong and or has a better way , than I am all
ears....but please do not tell me to have A "POSITIVE ATTITUDE" towards my
condition.....I am the one in this group who has always preached staying
positive and not giving in to the condition.....and I have not! But that does
not lessen the frustrations! I am 59 and have had this condition since one week
after my 50th birthday....and I still work full time.....but not one day goes
by where I don't long for the old me.....and the older I get I accept that the
cure (which is coming) is going to be to late for me.So I just do the best I
can everyday.....but that does not make the sadness and frustrations go
away...they simply become part of your life.
Rob in New Jersey
---------------------------------
From: Trudy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2007 5:09 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [email protected]
Subject: RE: [TMIC] Getting Humble...
I would strongly encourage anyone on this list to share with us whatever is
going on in their life. I and many others have vented to this group. Whether
it be about pain, husbands, wives, the children, the way others treat us in
the stores and restaurants and just life in general. Bernard Pelow certainly
shared his frustrations and pain as he watched his daughter go thru a
horrendous time in her life. I think he might have been overwhelmed by
e-mails
but we care... some know a great deal more (Our dear doctor F)
. and
some are the caretakers who also need to have a place to vent or share or
question
its a bit of a risk to put yourself out there
and sometimes
youre going to be misunderstood
but who else can really understand how you
feel
I am truly sorry to hear that this person is in constant, intense pain
He/She is in my prayers as are all of those on our TM list!
Trudy
---------------------------------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2007 4:37 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [TMIC] Getting Humble...
This is a subject that I have not seen debated in the five years I have
been a member of this exclusive club of amazing, diverse people brought
together by a common problem...TM.
I recently received an email from someone who has been on the list quite a
while. This person has troubles just like the rest of us and we help one
another when we can, but I only tonight found out that they are in extreme pain
and at times can only sit for a few seconds at a time. Yet, they take any
amount of time they can handle to use their knowledge to educate us and promote
dialogue between us, in spite of being racked by pain.
This person is one of the "walking wounded" and was, I thought, in pretty
good condition. Tonight, I learned that conception has not been true...and I
find myself amazed to find the depth of their disability.
Now, I am wondering how important it is for us to put on a happy face and
keep our infirmities to ourselves rather than getting honest and sharing our
limitations with the possibility of connecting with someone else, especially
new members in need of knowing that they are not crazy and other people have
the same problems that they do?
I believe that it is possible to maintain a positive attitude while
humbling ourselves enough to show others on the List the true person we are.
There are ways to share our pain, frustration, loss, etc. without sounding like
a whining baby.
Who believes that it is important to put our honest personage out there?
Does it help others? Does it help ourselves to talk about things? Or does it
serve others better to be stoic about our disease? I'd really like to know...
I love you all,
Jude T3 to T8, Complete para with no b or b control,
and not a lot of hope of ever walking again.
"Our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they
produce for us an immeasurably great Glory that will last forever"
2 Corinthians 4:17
NLT
---------------------------------
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