Living Obliquely

Approximately 1400 people are diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) annually.
Similar to Multiple Sclerosis, it attacks your myelin, leading to painful and debilitating side effects.
About 33,000 Americans are currently disabled as a result of this rare neurological disorder.
Not one person with TM will ever know their prognosis.
I happen to be one of them.



I am a neurological soup. Since my TM diagnosis, I have developed encephalitis, MS, RSD/CRPS, Osteoporosis (I am 34, no 35, eek), and Chronic Anemia. Yeah...life sucks, but I still rock.



9.18.2009

Happy TM Anniversary to Me and Other Contradictions

Is one year of living with Transverse Myelitis something to celebrate? Probably not.

But considering that I live in a fantasy world called Mel Land, where rights are wrongs, and wrongs are rights, and left is the only political option, and any day of importance - whether heartbreaking, backbreaking, lifebreaking, or just fucking shitty - is reason to celebrate, why the hell shouldn't I celebrate. After all, I've survived (for the most part) one of the shittiest years of my life. And who knows where next year will land on the shit meter?

Breaking news: Just got a call from Dr. Schwartzmann's office. It's back to the hospital I go - 2 more weeks for inpatient plasmapharesis and who knows what else; starting off with surgery to place the permacath and possibly the portacath too.

Now I'm questioning my own determination to celebrate my 2nd year of survival. Because at this moment, I'm crushed. I just want to be free.
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1 comment:

  1. AnonymousSeptember 25, 2009 at 8:51 AM

    Melanie, One year on the 18th. Yes, these are anniversaries we would prefer not celebrating. My 5 year was 9/21, so I'm your older TM brother by 4 years! :)

    So sorry that you have to continue suffering through plasmapharesis. That is something that I have not had to endure.

    I wish I could tell you that it gets easier, but that is something that I do not know. There are periods (minutes and hours, not days) when I am not aware of my TM, but then other times when I think, "Five years so far. Can I really make it another five and then another and another five?" The pain does get old. But staying active and involved helps.

    Take care and stay in touch.

    Doug

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for sharing your comments on my blog. Please stop back soon or subscribe by clicking http://feeds.feedburner.com/NeuroDetour.

If you're a Philly-region person with TM, please consider joining the Transverse Myelitis Philadelphia network (http://www.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/group.php?gid=44446668472), a new social networking group that I started for people with TM so that we can meet and chat casually. It's only on Facebook for now, so, if you haven't already, join. It's easy.

Best,
Melanie

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