[TMIC] my story

[Gerry Surette]

HI; My name is gerry; someone asked me for my "story" why i do not know 
anyway here goes. I am 60 years young. I first contact mt at the age of 21. 
I paralysized from the lung cage down. including a 2month stay in icu I was 
in the hospital for approximately 5 months. I had to learn to walk again 
etc. three years later I had another episode this time lasting two months. 
full recovery until 2001 when the symtoms returned. I now have constant pain 
24/7  I have no circulation to speak of My brain can not g9ive my body 
correct temperatures. sometimes I feel cold when I am actually quite warm 
and sometimes I feel warm when I am actually cold. This event is certainly 
brought to the forefront when I cuddle up to my poor wife in the middle to 
the night. and wrap my cold hands around her body. since last Saturday I 
have slept but 4 hours. I get these muscle spasms which hurt like hell 
pardon the expression. There is nothing to be done for them . I take quinne 
but it doesn't seem to help. These last from a few minutes to 6 hours as it 
did last noth. soemtimes I get five or six a night. I take wellbutrin for 
depression,gabapentine for pain and a whole bunch of othere pills to help me 
walk. Yes I am fortunate that I can still walk . Every step is pain galore. 
I use a cane but have a walker and wheelchair for the very near future. Last 
week I was diganosed with ITP ablood cell disorder whereby my white blood 
cells are killing each other off. Next Monday I will be enteing the hospital 
for chemo , radiation and a bone marrow transplant. Oh my life is far from 
dull. Every day brings new challenges, new adventures,. Every morning I pray 
for strenght. Every day I try to accomplish something whether its laundry 
preparing evening meals or just cleaning up the apartment. we have a cat ; 
Astray I picked up .She feels right at home. She sleeps at the foot of the 
bed. I love cooking; barbequing; walking; Yes I force myself to walk  and 
when the weather is bad I walk along the corridor sometimes climbing up and 
down the stairs. but most of all I love my wife. it is scary but she reads 
my mind. She is my caregiver; my soulmate. I don't know what i would do 
without her. I thank God almighty for sending here to me.I too will need 
your prayers for next week. many thanks. gerry