Because the disease is rare, many medical professionals are
unfamiliar with it, even today. The night Jen’s parents took her to the ER
because she couldn’t move her legs, doctors thought maybe her symptoms were
psychosomatic or she was faking it to get out of going to school. Because many
doctors have no experience with TM, many people choose to become their own
advocates to teach family, friends, employers, and even doctors more about the
condition. TM affects people of all ages and backgrounds without respect for
gender or race and as far as researchers can tell it doesn’t have a genetic
component. There is no cure for TM, and recovery, if it happens at all, can
take months or even years. Treatment for the disease includes medication to
alleviate symptoms and make people with TM more comfortable. Jen was lucky that
after several months of intense physical therapy she was able to walk again
with the use of first a walker and then braces on her legs. Throughout her
journey, which has included several surgeries on her feet, Jen’s mom has been
her rock and spent countless hours ferrying her to and from doctor’s
appointments and therapy.
Jen acknowledges that her journey with TM has affected not only her life, but the lives of her friends and family on whom she has relied for support and encouragement. And now Jen is ready to pay it forward to other’s who are on their own journey with TM. Jen plans to volunteer her time at a camp for children diagnosed with TM. She is also participating in the Massachusetts Walk-Run-N-Roll sponsored by The Transverse Myelitis Association. The Walk is scheduled to be held in Danvers, MA at Endicott Park on Saturday October 13, 2018. NTI is looking forward to participating in this and other events as part of our ongoing advocacy efforts for disability. For more information about the walk for TM visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MAWalkRunNRoll/.
Jen acknowledges that her journey with TM has affected not only her life, but the lives of her friends and family on whom she has relied for support and encouragement. And now Jen is ready to pay it forward to other’s who are on their own journey with TM. Jen plans to volunteer her time at a camp for children diagnosed with TM. She is also participating in the Massachusetts Walk-Run-N-Roll sponsored by The Transverse Myelitis Association. The Walk is scheduled to be held in Danvers, MA at Endicott Park on Saturday October 13, 2018. NTI is looking forward to participating in this and other events as part of our ongoing advocacy efforts for disability. For more information about the walk for TM visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MAWalkRunNRoll/.
Many people diagnosed with transverse
myelitis do find relief is possible through medication and therapy. With
lifestyle changes and the support of friends and family, symptoms can be
managed if not completely eliminated. For those who want to work from home in
order to reduce stress, there are options available. NTI helps those diagnosed
with transverse myelitis and other disabilities find suitable employment. If
you would like to learn more about NTI’s job services call us at 877-248-8912
or visit www.NTIcentral.org.
Kate Brouse lives in southwest Florida and works as the Public Relations Administrator for NTI. A sometimes author and an avid reader, she is the frequent recipient of choice gestures from drivers who find her stationary vehicle an annoyance at green lights as she is finishing a paragraph at a light that moments ago had been red. Follow her on Twitter @Outreach_NTI.