A Super Day!

Two years ago today I had my first symptoms of Transverse Myelitis.  Of course, at the time I thought I had just slept funny.  My left arm and fingers did not feel the same and neither did my left leg and foot.  On 2/7/09, I went to the ER to be sent away w/ a normal head CT (thankfully) and the diagnosis of "atypical migraine".  I finally got an MRI a week later and was on IV steroids soon after that.  I'm feeling very thankful for my good health even though I'm currently nursing a cold and hoping it won't get worse.  I had thought that I would honor this milestone with a long walk but unfortunately it will have to wait.  The two year mark is huge!!!  I remember when I first heard about TM, my coworker, Keelia, a nurse, googled my symptoms and said, "I think it's transverse myelitis and it says that you could be back to your baseline (normal) in 2 years."  At the time, it was just one more idea of what the diagnosis might be but I remember thinking, really?  2 years?!  I want to feel "normal" now.  But, thank God, 2 years have passed quickly and I am as "back to normal" as I would've hoped or dreamed.  I still have some strange sensations (parathesias) at times but I've accepted them and they are part of my post TM body.  I can live with that.  So, my outcome is as good as anyone could have ever predicted.  I believe that I did so well ultimately because my onset of symptoms was so subtle,  I thought I just had slept wrong.  The research on TM shows that if you have dramatic onset of symptoms, the outcome is not as good.  I also owe my good outcome to my own persistence and resourcefulness.  I kept telling people that "something is wrong" and thankfully I "know people" in pediatric neurology at MCV and that is ultimately how I got into MY neurologist sooner than later.  I also owe my outcome my neurologist, Dr. Waterhouse.  She was supportive and took time to explain everything to me and my family.  She was open to listening to the research I'd done and was more than willing to work with the TM expert from Johns Hopkins and prescribe anything he recommended.  I owe my great outcome to having amazing health insurance!  I never had any issue with medications or treatments (even IVIG) or tests being covered.  I did well because I knew I was loved and supported by so many people.  Chris, Meg, Amanda, Mom, Dad, Shirley, and all my wonderful friends were where I found support, concern and love.  Most of all, I owe my great outcome to my precious children who needed a mommy who was able to take care of them whether I felt like it or not.  They kept me going and I wanted to be better for them! 

Yes, it is the day we celebrate the Super Bowl (the Green Bay Packers just won), but I have much more to celebrate.  I'm celebrating being back to "normal" and enjoying this wonderful life.