Blog

Background

See Part 1.

4/21/24 Sunday

Improvement is happening! The strange sensation in my feet remains; however, there are some mornings when I wiggle my toes to find out if they feel normal yet. Nope, they are still affected, but I’m getting there.

I’m excited to have more energy, so I’m increasing my walking each week a little, gradually trying to return to my previous mileage from before the Transverse Myelitis reared it strange head. I was able to attend our church’s annual Women’s Retreat last weekend and walk around the camp unhindered. I specifically chose an upstairs cabin so that I’d get some exercise on stairs.

Although my energy is almost back to normal, fatigue will still hit me now and then. The key is to keep an eye on my activities and to guard my sleep.

Common questions I get asked:

• Q: Is the pain improved?
• A: I’ve never really been in pain. The sensation in my feet and legs was weird, but not painful.
• Q: Are you walking yet?
• A: I’m so grateful that my ability to walk was never impaired. Even when I was in the hospital, the nurses teased me that I was walking around the neurology floor more than they did. (I know a few nurses, so I know how totally NOT true that statement was!)
• Q: When will you be healed?
• A: Good question! Even my neurologist doesn’t know the answer to that question. Since we don’t know what triggered the condition, it’s really hard to say. I’m four months out from the initial onset of the symptoms, and I’m about 90-95% back to normal. I need to keep doing my physical therapy Pilates exercises so that the muscles and nerves in my legs can learn to communicate normally once again. It’s quite amazing at how even a week of neurological disturbance can cause a long-lasting effect in the body.

Praises and Prayers

Praises

• Symptoms and energy are almost back to normal.
• Fatigue only hits when I overdo it, and I’m learning to guesstimate better when that will happen and rest accordingly.

Prayer Requests

• Continued sensitivity to the need for rest as needed.
• Faithfulness to do my exercises and wisdom for my therapists.
• Complete healing and that no further complications will occur.

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and outpouring of love.

See part 11.