Thanks, Jude, for the idea to hear stories about TM experiences. They do vary yet have areas in common.
In 2004 I was working around my house remodeling our kitchen in the morning before my 2nd shift custodial job at a school. I had been on a ladder and thought the numbness in my left leg was due to climbing up and down. At work, though, I had some awful pains in my neck and began getting weaker and weaker. I decided to come home early just to lie down. Since I was rarely sick or missed work my wife knew something was wrong and was convinced I needed to go to the emergency room. I maybe shouldn't have, but I insisted on coming home to take a shower. After getting to the hospital I got terrible "banding" and then came the horrible spasms. Of course, I stayed in the hospital and had test after test and finally two days later came the diagnosis of TM. I believe the lesion was at C-3. The only prescription drug I take due to the TM is Valium when I have spasms. After I got out of the hospital we began a study of what vitamins to take to keep me going despite the fatigue. I was off work a couple of weeks but a month sooner than the doctor predicted. It is not easy getting through the day working, keeping up a house, helping my elderly parents but I am making it, so feel I am fortunate, especially as I read some of the stories of others with TM. I saw a neurologist for a while and was getting "routine" MRIs but there has been no change so only see my regular doctor every six months. My balance is not the greatest due to the spacisity in my legs, have to deal with other issues as far as bowels and bladder being slow. As I get older, I sense a little bit of increase in the symptoms, but hope to keep working for a while.
