I loved this, Dalton. Luckily I had already retired from teaching so I didn't have to work after I got TM. I have too many issues to work anyway. A fellow teacher who worked with me had spina bifida and was in a wheelchair. She asked our new principal for a teacher's aid and he refused. She quit her job and stays at home, drawing disability when she could have been productive. I suppose my biggest regret is not being able to be productive in some way. My hands are paralyzed, and that makes it difficult to do much. Church, the internet and tv are my life; I need to find something more to do to feel like I have a purpose. Suggestions anyone?
Have a wonderful day! Peachy From: Dalton Garis <[email protected]> To: PAMELA S <[email protected]>; [email protected]; TMC Group <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 7:41 AM Subject: Re: [TMIC] Extent of your TM? Pins and Needles Reminds me of my last semester at college; Since my arms were almost as weak as my legs and torso, I got the idea of using my office chair, which was on casters, to glide around the halls to and from classes and other appointments. But the Dean didn't like it. He was (and likely still is) an anglophile. That's someone who worships the old upper class British orthodoxy. I think he fancied himself some kind of colonial boss. Anyway, he saw me gliding on my office chair getting into the elevator and stopped me. "Dalton, you can't go around like this." "Why not? It works and allows me to attend to all my duties." "It's not acceptable. Get a wheelchair, then." "My arms are just as weak as my legs. I couldn't use a wheelchair." "Then get one of those electric scooters." "I teach on two campuses a half-mile apart. Who's going to load and unload the beast from my car?" "I don't care. I can't have one of my professors rolling around the halls in an office chair. It's just not acceptable. What would people think?" Not proper, ay? What do they know? They should have some regard for the end that awaits all of us. I didn't last another semester. They got rid of me. But in truth, I could no longer do the work. That's when I understood the difference between a team and a family. A team eliminates weakened members while a family supports them, nurses them back, or takes care of them until they pass on. The workplace is like a team, I guess. But our country should be like a family toward its citizens. There I go again. Dalton From: PAMELA S <[email protected]> Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 18:41:50 -0800 To: <[email protected]>, TMC Group <[email protected]> Subject: RE: [TMIC] Extent of your TM? Pins and Needles Resent-From: <[email protected]> Resent-Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 18:45:00 -0800 Jim, I could walk all along...but by holding my legs or joints stiff and swinging from the hip and I didn't get far. After steroids I was very weak, and couldn't tolerate any weight or get far for about 4 months. then I had a complete recovery over about a year except for occassional fatigue and spasming. In 2000, I lost it for 11 months and recovered over another year. I had progressive weakness starting about 2008 until August 2010 when I couldn't do anything let alone sit for more than an hour. I'm now getting around with orthotics and a brace for walking. But, I have a lot of muscle weakness and easily get pain aside from "pins and needles, and burning" with any exertion. Also, my hands and arms are now involved. But, I still get around pretty good if I can pace myself. Pam > > >Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 11:55:22 -1000 >From: [email protected] >To: [email protected] >Subject: [TMIC] Extent of your TM? Pins and Needles > > >From the discussion of Pins and Needles it seems that most of you are able to >get around and have some use of your legs. I have pins and needles from my >feet to my belly and no use of my legs at all. And they weigh a ton. Been >like this since day one. Did any of you lose the use of your legs and then >get them back? If so, how long did it take and how did you do it? > >Jim
