May 14th 2013

Today is my *anniversary* of my TM onset... Five years ago today....at about this time, I was laying in a hospital bed in the trauma unit at Hamot Hospital in Erie,PA. The doctors were trying to figure out what was wrong with me..... I was in so much pain, I couldn't move my legs, I was being poked, prodded, asked question after question.... The one thing that was good out of all of this.....was the fact that my wife and I were in Erie visiting my mom and my wife had a place to stay....and my wife and my mom and her friend Kathy would come to visit with me....and I had a couple of visits from a good friend of mine, Kyle Busch, who passed away last June... I remember so much of all this past history, like it happened yesterday.....Seriously...these memories are burned into my mind....and I doubt that I've ever forget them... This was the most traumatic experience I have ever been through...When my TM onset started, I truly thought I was dying. Thankfully that wasn't the case. So.....five years have now passed.....I'll say this...it's been one crazy roller coaster ride.... Fortunately I have not had any set backs in the past 5 years....but, I really haven't had any progress to speak of either.... I mean sure, I've learned to adapt to things much better.....how to work around my disabilities, but I haven't really regained much strength, my pain levels are still pretty high for the most part, I still have bowel and bladder issues, I still have my overheating issues where my head sweats like a river... and so on and so on.... But....I'm thankful that I'm still alive. In the last couple of months I've had follow up appointments with my doctors and I'm now dealing with high blood pressure....something that I've never ever had a problem with before... So, I'm on a new med for that....I hope and pray that it works...I really don't want any added stresses on top of the other things.... I'm working on losing some weight....I know that weight can have some affect on blood pressure....so, I'm working on that....and now that they warmer weather is here, I'm going to try and walk more.... I don't know for sure that the pace that I'm able to walk at, will provide any assistance with exercise...but it can't hurt. Whatever type of exercise I do, I have to do something that keeps me from overheating....When I overheat, it's one of the most uncomfortable things I go through.....especially because of my head sweating... It's just plain gross..... Anyway, yesterday I was wondering how today was going to go....I've had "anniversary's" in the past, where I've had a real tough time with things and was terribly melancholy...... I was almost afraid that this was going to happen today.... So.....this morning when I got up...(3:00AM) I started my normal routine...I took the dogs out to potty, I came in and made my morning cup of coffee....and then sat down on the couch and started to watch TV.... My "anniversary" started to cross my mind....and I started thinking...."I really don't want to have a downer day today....what good would it do..?" So, I proceeded on with the rest of my day with the thought that there is no reason that I need to be all bummed out... Yesterday evening I made a post in my group, to everyone and let them know that today was my anniversary and that I was hoping that today was going to be a good day.... I got so many great positive posts this morning, back from the members that it really made my day.... So...I have those wonderful folks in my TM Folks group to help pull me through this.... They really are a great bunch.... So....that's about all for now..... For my music post today.....something from the 60's.....a band called The Troggs....with one of their hits..."Love Is All Around" Their vocalist Reg Presley just passed away this past year.... and one more music post too.... Something else from The Troggs...."With A Girl Like You" Have a great day everyone.... ......Till Next Time......