| Once upon a time, I was a vibrant,
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| | had went through my rehabilitation, my
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| youthful teenager...My First
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| | employer 'let me go' because I was
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| EncounterDuring my first pregnancy, I had
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| | obviously unable to work. I attempted to
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| contracted chicken pox from my young
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| | go back to work as an office manager for
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| nephews and niece. Though it made for an
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| | a wonderful & understanding employer, (I
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| irritable time in my initial trimester, I
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| | figured it was light work.) and performed
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| hadn't given it much aforethought. In the
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| | fairly well for a few months. Suddenly, I
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| last part of my pregnancy, I noticed some
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| | was in a hospital emergency room - this
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| weakness in my legs and arms, but
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| | time, I came out in a wheelchair. Not
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| naturally assumed it was part of the
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| | only did MRI tests confirm I had a
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| gestational effects.It was after I gave
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| | herniated disc at the C-3/4, but I also
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| birth, that I began having more frequent
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| | had a spinal lesion (myelopathy) at the
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| physical difficulties, but again,
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| | C-1/2. Strange that workers compensation
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| attributed these nuisances to normal
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| | doctors coudn't find it, but numerous MRI
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| post-partum effects. As time progressed,
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| | tests this time, confirmed it.After
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| I began losing balance & coordination;
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| | seeing a few, reputable Neurologists, I
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| and even dropped everyday household items
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| | was additionally diagnosed with
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| such as glasses, keys, and other things
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| | Transverse Myelitis (TM) and a 'bulging
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| as well. I had finally had enough when my
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| | disc' (herniated disc). This explained
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| rib cage began to feel broken and I
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| | why I had been encountering all these
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| couldn't stand the pain any longer. Over
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| | unrelated physical problems.Giving UpI
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| a decade later, and after numerous doctor
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| | guess when I first sat in my wheelchair,
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| visits, MRIs and multiple lab tests; I
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| | I instinctively gave in to my physical
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| was finally diagnosed with
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| | condition. Why bother living anymore, I
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| Fibromyalgia.What is Fibromyalgia?
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| | thought. I couldn't function properly and
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| Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain illness
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| | felt like a complete invalid. How was I
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| that can cause musculoskeletal pain in
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| | going to make my household payments? How
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| various areas of the body, is
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| | was I going to care for my two, then
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| characterized by fatigue, and is often
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| | elementary schoolers? How was I even
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| associated with Restless Leg Syndrome,
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| | going to live? While all these thoughts
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| Migraine and rheumatism - to name a few.
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| | ran through my mind, I was becoming an
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| Additionally, attacks of fibromyalgia
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| | emotional wreck.Because of my health, I
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| seem to spontaneously come and go.At
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| | was taking so many medicines that I
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| first, I was treated with multiple 'pain
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| | couldn't tell if I was coming or going. I
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| aids' that did help with the pain, but
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| | would take one medicine for this, one for
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| made me even more tired than I was before
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| | that, one to counteract the effects of
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| I took the medicines. Eventually, I went
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| | another, and another to counteract the
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| off the medications and focused on my
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| | effects of a different one...and so on.
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| work and simply 'ignored' the illness. I
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| | And thanks to all of these wonderful
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| figured if I had to live with it, I might
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| | conventional medicines, I returned to the
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| as well accept it.What I Didn't KnowWhat
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| | hospital because one of them nearly
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| I didn't realize was that Fibromyalgia
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| | killed me. It was then that I knew I had
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| can weaken a person so much that
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| | to find a different way.Starting
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| sometimes, individuals can be more
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| | OverGoing against medical advisement, I
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| quickly injured or more prone to other
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| | literally stopped all of my prescribed
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| conditions than those without
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| | medicines at once. I became acquainted
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| Fibromyalgia. That's when I experienced
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| | with the International Disability
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| my first real encounter with its lethal
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| | Coalition and got into band,
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| effects. While at work, I wasn't doing
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| | strengthening excercises and virtually
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| anything too terribly physical. However,
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| | re-taught myself how to walk - without
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| it was the day in and day out repititions
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| | the help of any medical professional. I
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| of physical labor that not only added to
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| | also incorporated a 'mind-over-matter'
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| my condition but wrecked further havoc on
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| | attitude that I believe, enabled me to
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| me as well - and left me susceptible to
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| | step out of the wheelchair and back into
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| injury.On the Job InjuryThere I was,
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| | life.It's been about 3 years now, and I
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| performing my normal work activities
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| | still live daily with back, neck,
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| when, 'Ouch!' and 'Oh my God!' entered my
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| | shoulder and sciatic nerve pain. I
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| mouth. The pain was excruciating. Numbing
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| | sporadically suffer relapses where I
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| and impairing. With a simple maneuver, I
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| | can't walk, or I can't move my arms or
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| was incapacitated. Pain and tingling
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| | hands. BUT, I am no longer a walking or
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| numbness ran down my right side. It was
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| | wheelchair-bound zombie. I swim and
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| unbearable. Not only that, I could barely
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| | practice water exercises when the weather
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| make it to the office because I had to
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| | is warm to build muscle strength. And
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| drag my right leg to get to where I
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| | there are still times when my pain gets
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| needed to be.When I got to the hospital,
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| | the better of me and I still go through
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| I was told that "...you sprained your
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| | emotional ups and downs. And like most
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| back..." That was it. No MRIs, just a
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| | conditions, they flare up more often with
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| quick once-over to tell me that all my
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| | cold weather, emotional and physical
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| pain, my lack of feeling - according to
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| | stress, and lack of rest. BUT I am alive
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| workers compensation' doctors - was
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| | today, I am a survivor, and though I may
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| merely a 'sprained back.'I knew I had
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| | have fibromyalgia, Transverse Myelitis,
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| fibromyalgia, but it had NEVER acted in
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| | migraine, disc herniation, and restless
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| this sense. Not because I was 'weak,' but
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| | leg syndrome - these disorders do NOT
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| because my right side had gone totally
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| | have me.In ClosingLiving with my chronic
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| numb. It was frustrating to say the
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| | disorders and illness has taught me to be
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| least. Nearly 9 months after my injury,
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| | more patient...more loving...more giving.
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| and even working on light-duty while
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| | I now share my home with not only my
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| taking heavy pain killers, doctors
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| | human family, but have adopted several
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| FINALLY found that my right shoulder had
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| | rescue dogs - who I also compliment for
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| been subluxated (dislocated) and
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| | adding so much love and compassion to my
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| scheduled me for surgery. After the
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| | emotional wellbeing. And so long as there
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| surgery, I went through months of
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| | is a purpose on this earth for me to
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| agonizing physical therapy to get my
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| | exist, I will attempt to make the most of
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| right arm back into its proper range of
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| | it. Every hour. Every day.Living with
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| motion. But the numbness, the back pain
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| | Chronic Illness & Disorders: Are You a
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| and the lack of feeling in my legs still
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| | Survivor?
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| came and went without any signs of
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| | Copyright 5/2005 - All Rights Reserved
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| remorse.Shocking DiscoveryBy the time I
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| | by C.
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