Marieke, I really admire you. I don't know how you do it! I would say that you really deserved the award you received. My fatigue is better since I started taking amantidine and L-Carnatine 2X daily. While the two have helped, I find that I overdo and then crash for a day or 2 - this is better than before because I would crash for 2 to 5 days - depending on what I had done. I have also been able to cut my afternoon nap down to 2 hours instead of the old 4 since starting the amantidine and L-Carnatine. I only take tylenol x-strength daily since I started using my TENS unit. I was taking hydroco 2 or 3 X a day along with the tylenol in-between! I still take the zanaflex and zoloft. Some days the depression of what I can/can't do gets to me but most of the time I stay up beat or try to! Enough about me.
CONGRADULATIONS on your achievements Marieke! Candy K. -----Original Message----- >From: marieke dufresne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Aug 8, 2007 5:33 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED], [email protected] >Subject: Re: [TMIC] A new member Jim Belz,and his wife Carol, active Secretary > >Hi, >I should introduce myself too. I am 31, I was 28 when I got TM in March >2004. I was paralyzed from the breastbone down too, at T1. I spent 10 weeks >at the Montreal General as I managed to get C.Diff and had some GI problems >after that that had to be sorted out before I was strong enough for Rehab. I >then spent 8 months at the Montreal Rehab Institute where I went from being >in a wheelchair to walking with a long leg brace and a walker, to the leg >brace and canadian crutches to where I am now, a Cane and the brace of >course! > >I went back to work 6 months after being paralyzed, taught pre-k from my >wheelchair. That February 2005 I got a GI problem again, partially brought >on by stress, by fatigue, and the flu and ended up in the hospital for 3 >weeks again! When I got out I decided that's it, I am going back to school >to do what I really want! Nursing. Sounds crazy right? I was still in a >chair, was able to walk and stand but not for any long lengths of time. I >applied and got in to Dawson College. All they knew what that I used a cane >and a leg brace and of course the reason why I was paralyzed. > >When June rolled around and school ended on the Friday, I decided that by >Monday I would NOT use the chair anymore, UNLESS it was for the mall or any >long distance type thing. And that Monday that is exactly what I did. > >I started nursing school in Spetember 2005 and am about to start my 3rd and >final year! I do 8hr clinical days just like the others, no special favours >or treatment. I do everything my classmates do and they even come to me for >help! I won an award last semester for clinical work and for being a >helpfull, compassionate classmate. It was an award that means a lot to me as >it was chosen by my clinical group mates. We were all asked to nominate >someone and they all chose me, it menat so much because I still sometimes >feel as if i have to prove myself over and over again. > >Nursing is NOT easy when you are healthy, the hours are bad and long, you >often work hard and no one tells you thank you, but when they do it feels >great! Now try nursing when you have a disability, take Neurontin, Baclofen, >Zanaflex which all make your BP drop, have to self-cath and have a slow >bowel so must wake up 45min earlier that you should have to, and have to >take BP meds to increase your BP to be able to function while on your feet! >(Yeah, I take 2 types and so far mediocre results). > >In my spare time, I blog about my life, moderate the TMA site and a student >nurse site.. and sleep... >Anyhow, I wrote a book! Sorry about the long read! >Marieke :) >http://nurse-to-be08.blogspot.com > > >>From: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], [email protected] >>Subject: Re: [TMIC] A new member Jim Belz,and his wife Carol, active >>Secretary >>Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:16:32 -0400 >> >>Welcome, >> >>I know how you must feel. I had retired from medicine and was doing a >>little writing, living the good life when TM hit me in Aug 2000. When I'm >>"down" I dig up all those activities I'd seen myself doing in my retirement >>at 53 y.o.. >> >>It could be a lot worse!! >> >>Count your blessings!! >> >>F >> > >_________________________________________________________________ >Former Police Officer Paul Gillespies TAKE BACK THE INTERNET tips and >tricks, watch the video now http://safety.sympatico.msn.ca/ > Candy K.
