[Distelrath]

Well today was an eventful day. I'm the new guy here and if you didn't read my previous post I will recap how I got this way. 55 days ago I woke up and was a C6 quad on my right half and C7 on my left. The docs tried various treatments to no avail (plasma phresis, steroids, etc). There are two lesions on my spine. One at c6/c7, and the other at t3/t4. The docs think it is either strokes on my spine, an autoimmune disorder, or transverse mylittus. If its strokes, I will be c6/7 complete. Otherwise incomplete.

So earlier tonight two things happened. I found out that I can comfortably sit in a low back chair AND push it (neither of which the physical therapists said was possible), and heres the best part... my hands are paralyzed, but earlier I tried REALLY hard to make a fist w/my left hand, and my pointer, middle, and ring fingers moved about 3/4"!!! For the first time I have hope of recovery. I'm so happy I had to share. Thanks for reading.

-Ryan

[Ches]

Hey Ryan thats great news! I hope things continue to get better for you. In my rehab I came across lots of stroke victims. It seemed to me that every stroke victim I got to know eventually gained back use in various spots.. some recovered fully. I cant think of a single stroke victim at that time, in the hospital, that wasnt improving. I dont mean to bring false hope. I hope you catch my drift. so yeah again congrats and good luck. Keep working.. it's a constant battle in recovery.

[wheels5894]

Well done, so far, Ryan. You ahve some to go but keep working at it. If TM is your diagnosis then there is cause for hope. Sufferers roughly divide into thirds - one third recover completely, another third recover incompletely and the rest are stuck with it. you ahev a 1 in 3 chance of complete recovery if it is TM. [I am the last third by the way!] have a look at this forum and this information page.

Of course, your diagnosis is not done yet and this could be completely wrong so you will have to see how things go.