Volume 5 Issue 2
Page 25
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In Their Own Words In each issue of the newsletter, we will bring you a column that presents the experiences of our members. Their stories are presented In Their Own Words by way of letters they have sent us. We are most appreciative of their willingness to share their very personal stories. It is our hope that through the sharing of these experiences, we will all learn something about each other and about ourselves. It is our hope that the stories will help us all realize that we are not alone. You may submit your stories by sending them either by e-mail or through the postal service to Sandy Siegel. Kathy Kerby
I was stricken with TM while on vacation in Florida in October 1998 at the age of 46. I was taken to Celebration Hospital in Kissimmee. I did not know what was happening to me, and neither did the ER physician. I was totally misdiagnosed as having an inflammation in the lining of my lungs. Even though I could not walk when I left the ER twelve hours later, I thought it was a result of too much muscle relaxing medication. After returning to my home in West Virginia, I visited my family doctor. She did not have any idea what was wrong and sent me to a neurologist. He thought I had MS. After the usual tests (the MRI and the spinal tap), MS was ruled out, but no one seemed to know what was wrong. I began to suspect that the ER physician or nurse from the Florida hospital had given me too much muscle relaxer or had damaged a nerve when injecting it. I was referred to a doctor who specializes in pain and rehabilitation therapy in Parkersburg WV. As soon as this doctor examined me, he said, "you have Transverse Myelitis," but didn't give me much information about it. He wanted to do more tests to determine the amount of nerve damage. I declined, but I did take the series of steroids which did not help. It was probably too late, since three months had now passed. It was a shame that it took three months for me to find out what was wrong, but I am thankful that at least I finally did learn the truth. I raced home and searched 'Transverse Myelitis' on the internet. What a surprise I was in for as I saw all of my symptoms described to a 'T.' I spent a lot of hours on the internet; I had a lot of learning to do. Thank, G-d, for Deanne Gilmur for founding the TMA, and for you and others who serve to make this information available to us. I always look forward to the newsletters. I did not make a full recovery from TM, but I did make a partial recovery, for which I am very thankful. When I was stricken, a minister from our church came and prayed for me. Also, my husband began immediately pouring large doses of vitamins and minerals into my system to help my immune system (even though he did not know what was actually wrong with me). He figured my immune system needed help. Warmest Regards,
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