Hi Mindy,

How sad your story is, and so common nowadays, it takes a great Dr to
sort you out. I have been very lucky, and have been sent all over
England for answers, my bladders was the first problem then all the
rest have just been added to.

I have severe arthritis in my spine and so find it very hard to walk
etc. I do have a wheelchair, but I hate using it and only do if I am
desperate.

I was a nurse before I was ill, so it has been hard for me to accept
what has happened, but now I feel so blessed that Like you I am
happily married and have a fantastic husband that looks after me
brilliantly and makes me laugh day to day and luckily enough I have
managed to laugh at my self as well, I like you am young only 40, and
I think that makes things harder to bear.

Being grateful for what you have and accepting is half the battle,
and laughing is the other half.

Good luck, and keep your chin up, I know this is hard, and especially
in pain.

I wish you lots of love.

Jackie --- In womenwithsci@yahoogroups.com, "mindyme39
<mindyme39@a...>" <mindyme39@a...> wrote:
> --- In womenwithsci@yahoogroups.com, yea_yea02 <no_reply@y...>
wrote:
> > Hi. I am also new here. I have an incomplete C5 and just got home
> from the hospital after being in rehab for 25.
> I was misdiagnosed for a year and a new dr just found that I had
> herniated 5 discs 3 in the C5-C7 and 2 in T6 and T7. The spinal
cord
> was 98% cokmpressed at C5-C6 and it has left me an incomplete quad.
I
> have worse weakness and limited movement and senastion on the left
> side with the right showing significant lower extrem weakness and
the
> right arm is about 30% functional.
> I am married for 16 years and have 2 teenage sons. They are the
> caregivers. Learning to adapt and trying to not think of what I was
> or what i lost. Too depressing. Still I feel isolated and even
though
> I have freinds they seem to be moving at speeds i can't keep up
with.
> The simple things in life like combing my hair or putting on makeup
> is almost too difficult. I am trying to put on a happy face since
> others are worse off than me but I still feel like i was cheated
out
> of a quality life that I planned for.
> Love to talk to others. No support groups where i live and eve3n
the
> ones they do have in nearby counties are geared toward the aged ,
not
> a 40 yr old.
> I live in Naples so most of the dr's just thought i was crazy for a
> year. they never ever checked my spine even though i am a nurse and
> told them all the symptoms. they just thought it was typical 40 yr
> old issues like stress, depression, anxiety. etc.
> I still am so angry that they didn't listen to me.
> I have no satisfaction in saying I was right because I am left to
> live like this.
> Mindy