Janice, this is the FIRST time I have responded on this list. I have
had TM since October 3rd 1988 (almost 21years) Since 1983 I have been
employed in the financial services industry with the same company. I
am a Certified Financial Planner. I help folks invest their money.
I work eight hours a day five days a week. I have told my wife of 34
years that of all the functions I have lost
( sensation,walking,bladder,bowel,sexual etc. ) I would give anything
to have normal BOWEL function and to not deal with FATIGUE!!!
I also have a PAIN issue I call FIRE BOTTOM which I think contributes
to my fatigue. When I was paralyzed at age thirty-six I spent 2 1/2
months in the hospital. I seriously considered suicide. People that
know me as a FUN-LOVING GUY would never believe I would think of that
as an answer. Well I did but I CHOSE to LIVE and almost twenty-one
years later I am GLAD of that decision. My wife and I have raised
our only child, a son, who was two and a half years old at the time.
We had planned to have a second child but TM took away that option.
As we know this is an EXTREMELY difficult disease to deal with and a
HUGE LIFE- CHANGER. When I was going through this I failed to
realize the impact on the Care-Giver(My Wife). I did not treat her
well! I was focused only on my issues. Looking back over these past
twenty-one years there have been some EXTREMELY TOUGH TIMES but also
some GREAT TIMES! I thank GOD daily that my wife CHOSE to stay with
her husband which required TREMENDOUS change on her part .I remember
in rehab the statistics on spouses sticking around after a spinal
injury or illness and the statistics were not favorable. My room-
mates wife divorced him while he was going through rehab. My wife may
not agree but I believe WE are closer now than before the illness.
This might sound corny but if the Lord allows me to see the SUNRISE
today I will do the BEST I CAN TODAY. MOST DAYS I FAIL miserably but
I tell myself I will try to do better tomorrow. I admire ALL of us in
this group who FIGHT DAILY and DO NOT GIVE UP! Janice, after my LONG-
WINDED reply I bet you are SORRY you asked the question. I am glad
you did. TAKE CARE!!!
On Jun 5, 2009, at 12:22 PM, Janice wrote:
Hi Guys!
I have been curious about something for a while and since things
have kind of slowed down, want to ask you all what you did
before TM hit and if you were able to go back to it or if you are
doing something
new.
I am including even those who just read these emails and don't
usually
respond. I would like to hear from everybody and would think all
of us would be interested. I will start:
I was a school nurse's secretary/assistant in a large high school
for 19 years. I absolutely loved it - everyday was different, as
you can imagine working with high schoolers! Our school nurse was
gone a lot to other schools we were responsible for, so
I was left alone quite a bit and handled many different
situations. I was well trained for this and it was great.
Janice
