Katherine,
Thanks for the info. Do you still take the Echinacea & vitamins? I have
never used marijana for the pain. Actually, don't have access to any - if I
did- I think I would try anything.
It kills my husband to see me in such pain and have to leave home time and
time again for 20 years to go to the hospital, as in 1987 I was injured in a
car wreck and lived w/ 3 cracked discs before I went to the world's largest
spinal clinic for them to find out what I had. Chronic to severe pain many
times had already set in; even after surgeries, still the pain remained.
Finally, many years later it got better and then I started having back pain;
many steriod shots; burning of nerves helped L4/L5; but then I woke up one
morning feeling like I had a watermelon in my rectum. My back was hurting
terribly also. My spinal surgeon in Little Rock, an hour from here diagnosed
me w/ a herniated disc at L5/S1; after lst surgery I developed instantly Cauda
Equina Syndrome, and had a neurogenic bladder; learned to cath then; and still
the rectal pain progressed to the front of my pelvic floor. I had 2 other back
surgeries in same area and finally the 3rd one he had to fuse it.
He couldn't cut it down anymore. Finally, life for my husband and I looked
bright for once in 20 years and out of the blue I fell one night on the
bathroom floor returning to bed and could not walk on one of my legs (not the
leg I feel on - strange). Within days, I was hospitalized in the ER in L.R.
and saw my spinal doc. He said it's not your fusion Natalie, even tho it
shifted just a little - something else is going on. I went to a terrible rehab
for 2 weeks while he was on vacation and went back in to the hosp. when he
returned. Had to having immediate surgery to have my dorsal column stimulator
removed that was 14 years old, so I could undergo an MRI. Results my dr.
thought I had Transverse Myelitis, by now both legs were paralyzed. A
Neurologist there thought I'd had a stroke. Baylor Rehab. did 2 MRI's while I
was there and both confirmed it as Transverse Myelitis. Back to severe pain
and now being paralyzed. I handle it well when my pain is not at a 8 to
10 or beyond. My husband doesn't. I asked him last night why is he so quick
to cuss anymore over small things that happen like when I'm getting into my
showever chair or toilet chair like last night my shoe feel off and he said the
GD word. I said I don't like you saying those things. He said I'm not saying
them to you - it is to what is going on at the moment. Finally, he looked
right into my eyes and said "I am so angry that you are in the shape you are &
I can't do anything to reverse it." So, I get mad now on little things easy
Natalie. It touched me greatly. However, I told him; you have to get over the
anger in order to go on with happiness in our lives. Making bright days
brighter and don't recall the bad days. They are gone. Forget them as you
can. Sorry for the novel. Natalie
the_anti_fan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hi, Natalie-
I have experienced the same type of pain in which you described. I was
stricken with TM in October, 1998. Western medicine has its' limitations. I
began to utilize 'alternative' parishioners to manage pain. I had started a
business that was doing well, in home pet care, two years prior to the onset of
TM. I had no family to fall back on and I HAD to get better and back on my
feet. Accupuncture has been a TREMENDOUS help to me regarding pain. I also
tried golden seal and Echinacea along with really good (not from a drug store)
vitamins with trace minerals) and even marijuana all made a significant
difference in pain management. Accupuncture is tremendous.
Hang tough. and know that you are not alone.
Katherine in Chicago.
---------------------------------
Shape Yahoo! in your own image. Join our Network Research Panel today!
