Re: Fw: [TMIC]

[kimr1999]

My turn................

My name is Kim Harrison

I live in Atlanta, GA and was 45 in 04 when I got TM. I was on a business trip to Dallas, TX when I was stricken with this disease. I went out Sept 4^th, 2004 and was to only be there a week. I was scheduled to come home to GA on Oct 8th, almost made it home.

 

I got up the morning  of October 6th and my right foot was asleep and tingled, I keep taping my foot on the floor to wake it up. I figured I slept wrong and pinched a nerve by 9:00am I could not walk at all the tingling had move up past my knee cap and when I tried to walk I kept walking into walls and falling down. The crew there keep telling me to go to ER, and I just laughed at them, for my foot being asleep, please!, well my 10:00 I can't walk at all and was carried to a car and off to the ready care.  Doctor there did a few quick tests and sent me straight to the ER. (He thought I was having a stroke). When we got to the ER 5 miles away they were waiting outside for me. I kept laughing that they offered curb side service. They rushed me to a room and there started the "Barrage of Test" by 3:00pm  I had 2 MRI’s, 3 CAT scans ER Doctors are totally baffled can quote from the ER Doctor was “We can not figure out what is wrong with you and have never seen anyone present in the ER with such rapid case of paralysis. Now the "tingling" and paralysis has moved up past my thigh, and I can no longer move my right leg at all, not even wiggle my toe!

I was admitted to the hospital, by now my husband back in Atlanta is totally freaking out and I am still making light of the whole situation. Lucky for me I had family close by and some one was with me until my company few my husband Brian out. When I woke up the next day my left foot started to tingle and I knew at that point something was really wrong. It took the neurologist until Monday 5 days latter to finally tell me I have Transverse Myelits which mean nothing to me, as far as I understood when we left he very well could have told me I had cooties and it meant the same. After all the test it was the doctors labeled my onset of TM as Idiopathic, to this day they can not tell me how I got this.

 

I was in the hospital a little over a week and then moved to a rehab faculty next to the hosp (more like old folks home) I was the young kid there at 45 years old, I was in patient rehab for a week and finally sent back home to GA. I went back to work a month after getting out of the hospital.

I use my walker around the house and wheel chair in public. My right leg still drags like I've had a stroke; the "banding" pain around my waist and the burning in my feet would be my two primary issues with this. I can not wear pants unless they have elastic so I can pull them up over my belly button due to the banding pain, I also can no longer wear shoes, socks even hurt my feet due to the burning and stinging in my feet. This makes it hard to use my AFO's because I can't take shoes on my feet.

 

It is so hard to explain to people that I in no way saw this coming. That I got up one morning and with in 8 hours I was paralyzed. But life does go on and it’s just the adjustment we all have to learn to deal with daily regardless if you have TM or any other medical condition. You work and live life with has been dealt to you in the most positive way you can.

 

Kim Harrison

Atlanta, GA

-------------- Original message from "Janice" <jan...@centurytel.net>: --------------


> I am going to tell my story because I feel "odd man out"! Also because
> you all have already been so giving and including of me. I thank you so
> much.
> The 2nd week in January, 2007, I had weakness in my legs. I did water
> aerobics, so thought I was exercising too hard. By Saturday, the 13th, my
> legs collapsed and my husband got me to the ER. I never had the striking
> pain so many of you talk about when myelitis first hits. During the 1st
> week in the hospital I was a Code Blue because the catheter gave me an
> infection and it went systemic. After that my body just kind of fell
> apart. I developed a "bleeder" in the colon and they almost didn't find
> it soon enough. After colon surgery I was kept in a "sleep" state for 3
> days. My family had no idea if I would survive. Every 3rd day after that
> something else happened to my body. My doctors would not leave town. I
> spent 9 weeks in the hospital, part in rehab, and needed 19 ppints of blood.
> I have a colostomy and still have some trouble with my bladder. I self
> cath twice a day. But, if you would see me today sitting down, you would
> think I was the picture of health. I use a cane to walk and because of
> the feeling in my legs coming back with nerve pain, I have a stimulator
> implanted in my back. It helps cover the pain. I have a
> wonderful husband, my hero, and a loving daughter, son-in-law, and 4-year
> old grandson. We have many really good friends that have never left my
> side and we do many social things - love that! Well, that is my story.
> Hoping to get to know all of you.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:
> To: "Janice"
> Sent: Friday, March 06, 2009 7:23 PM
> Subject: Re: [TMIC]
>
>
> > Hi Janice
> > I just turned 59 a week ago. TM hit me 5.25 years ago when I was 53. My
> > lesion was at C4 thru C6 level and it affected me from the chest down,
> > however, you wouldn't know it looking at me when I'm sitting down. I use
> > a cane to walk and have an ankle foot orthotic (AFO) that I seldom wear
> > due to my burning feet. Most of my body has the searing/burning pain. My
> > right side still shows some signs of the original paralysis and I type
> > with one finger and thumb on each hand.
> > I worked full-time as a bank manager until the Wednesday I went to work
> > and tried to work thru various muscle spasms. I went home at 2:30, went
> > to ER and that was the end of my "career". There were times I truly
> > thought I was loosing my mind and will never know if it was the
> > medications I took or the stress of TM. TM gave me some bowel and bladder
> > problems, but I only wear a heavy duty panty-liner now. So I'm doing well
> > compared to some on the website. Some of us have shared some real
> > personal info in order to help others understand TM.
> > Don't be afraid to ask or share - it's the way we help each other.
> >
> > Patti - Michigan
> >
> > ---- Janice wrote:
> >> I am anxious to get to know everybody and hear about their "stories" and
> >> how
> >> they are doing.
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From:
> >> To: "Janice" ; "transverse myelitis"
> >>
> >> Sent: Wednesday, March 04, 2009 7:30 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [TMIC]
> >>
> >>
> >> > You reached the TM internet club site. Welcome to a great bunch of
> >> > people
> >> > who are eager to help each other with questions and answers regarding
> >> > Tranverse Myelitis.
> >> >
> >> > Patti - Michigan
> >> > ---- Janice wrote:
> >> >> This is a test for correctness of address. Please reply.
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>