Hello, I just finished watching the Montel Williams show. Yes, I did find it here in Calgary - just don't watch daytime TV very often so didn't realize we even got the show.
I was moved to tears when Allen Rucker described how he tried to get up from a nap and was paralyzed in 90 minutes. That is exactly what happened to me. However, I am fortunate that I am one of the 1/3 of TMer's who have regained some mobility. I am one of the walking wounded. I read his book (borrowed from the library) about a month ago. I am glad that I read it before I saw him. He and his wife struggled with his depression and he alienated himself from his family for a long time. It was interesting to see his wife for real. His story is not everyone's story but there are elements of each of us I'm sure in his story. If you can please try to find a copy and read it. I have been EXTREMELY lucky to have had unconditional support from my husband since day one. He was there to go through everything with me and came to the hospital every day and to therapy sessions after the hospital too. He did not pamper me though but let me do what I could, when I could and find my own ways to do what I needed or wanted to do. He watched this show with me. I hugged him very tightly and he hugged me back just as tight. I feel so very fortunate to have his love and support. He said we are in this together. I know that there are some of us with TM who do not have the help or support of a close family member and I realized today that much more how important we all are to each other here on this forum. We ARE a family of diverse backgrounds, lifestyles and personal family situations but are all bound up together in some small way with our life altering TM. Whichever 1/3 of TM we are living with full, partial or no recovery we are in this together. I know that I had a great medical care as well with health coverage, long term disability from work and access to physiotherapy. However, I am just a regular person who struggled as a single Mom for 13 years on my own until I met my 2nd husband. So life was not always easy and I'm sure the same is true for each and every one of us. Then TM came along and burst my happy bubble after only only 6 years with my husband. If anything I think that this has let me know just how much he loves me. For what it is worth this is my 2 cents (or more) worth. I am so happy to have found the Transverse Myelitis Association website way back in 2004. Gleaning all I could from the computer then 'bingo' finding the site really really helped put a lot of my fears to rest that I was the only one I would ever know with this condition. Thank You Thank You Thank You to Jim Lubin, the organizers and people who run the site and the organization. You have made our lives easier to live with all the great information and sites you provide for us. I so appreciate each and every one of you. Heather in Calgary Hope this is not too long winded for everyone but I am just speaking from my heart.
