Bruce's Personal PN Story Line

IT WAS 1991, A WARM DAY IN ATLANTA, AND I WAS BACKING DOWN THE HILLY DRIVEWAY AT MY HOUSE, GOING TO MEET MY DAUGHTER TO PLAY A ROUND OF TENNIS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I NOTICED I COULDN'T FEEL FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CAR KEPT GOING BACKWARDS, MIRACULOUSLY WENT BETWEEN TWO TREES ON MY ACROSS THE STREET NEIGHBOR'S LAWN, AND THEN THROUGH THE CLOSED GARAGE DOOR INTO THEIR EMPTY GARAGE.

LUCKILY, I WASN'T INJURED, EVEN THOUGH THE TOP WAS DOWN.

I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A NEUROLOGIST, SINCE I REALIZED THAT BOTH FEET WERE NUMB, AND I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE. SINCE I WAS AN OUTSIDE SALESMAN, DRIVING A CAR WAS A NECESSITY.

THE FIRST THING THE NEUROLOGIST ASKED ME TO DO WAS STAND UP AND CLOSE MY EYES. IMMEDIATELY I STARTED TO FALL DOWN. HE GRABBED ME AND TOLD ME I HAD SENSORY PN.

HE EXPLAINED THAT IF I COULDN'T SEE MY FEET OR HANDS, I WOULDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE. WEIRD!

I WENT ON DISABILITY. THANK GOD FOR INSURANCE! ALL THE BILLS WERE HANDLED BY DISABILITY AND MEDICAL INSURANCE.

MY WIFE BECAME ILL WITH RENAL FAILURE. SHE COULD DRIVE, AND I COULD PUSH HER WHEELCHAIR. AS LONG AS I COULD HANG ON TO SOMETHING, I COULD WALK ALL RIGHT. I TOOK TO USING A LONG ALUMINUM POLE USED BY HIKERS TO KEEP MY BALANCE WHILE WALKING.

I WENT THROUGH THE USUAL NERVE CONDUCTION STUDIES, AND A COMPLETE WORKOVER AT CLEVELAND CLINIC.

THEY CONFIRMED MY DIAGNOSIS. PREDNISONE, PLASMAFORESIS, IVIG. CHLORAMBUCIL--NOTHING SEEMED TO HELP. NORTRYPTILENE SEEMED TO LESSEN THE TINGLING, BURNING SYMPTOMS; ALTHOUGH THERE WAS VERY LITTLE PAIN. THE NUMBNESS WAS PRESENT IN HANDS AND FEET. BALANCE WAS GETTING WORSE.

MY WIFE FINALLY PASSED AWAY IN 1995 OF COMPLICATIONS DUE TO RENAL FAILURE.

I LEASED A NEW CAR FROM CHRYSLER THAT ALLOWED FREE HAND CONTROLS. I FOUND THAT WAS A LIFESAVER GETTING AROUND ATLANTA. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH AT FIRST, BUT FINALLY NECESSITY CONQUERED FEAR.

A BIOPSY OF THE SERAL NERVE ON MY ANKLE SHOWED MYELIN DETERIATION. I WAS TOLD I HAS CIDP PN.

RECENTLY I HAD IVIG,. 40 GRAMS PER DAY FOR 5 DAYS IN SUCCESSION. AFTERWARDS, I FELT GREAT. I WALKED AROUND WITH GOOD BALANCE. IT LASTED JUST A COUPLE DAYS, AND THEN WORE OFF. NOW I'M DOING IT ONCE A WEEK UNTIL IT TAKES. IT'S DONE AT HOME, AND MY INSURANCE COVERS IT.

I'M CLOSE TO 69 NOW, BUT LEAD A GOOD LIFE. I HAVE 3 DAUGHTERS, 7 GRANDCHILDREN, AND LIVE ON PENSION, SS, AND WHAT I HAVE LEFT IN THE BANK. I LIVE WITH A VERY UNDERSTANDING WIDOW WHO HAS 3 BOYS WHO LIVE ALL OVER THE U.S. LUCKILY, ALL MY KIDS LIVE NEARBY.

WE TRAVEL A LOT. I USE A WALKER FOR BALANCE. IN THE PAST 4 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ON MEDITERRANEAN CRUISES, GLOBUS BUS TOURS OF ITALY, THE NATIONAL PARKS OF THE SOUTHWEST AND JUST GOT BACK FROM ACAPULCO AND MEXICO CITY.

I STILL DRIVE A HAND-CONTROLLED CAR, AND USE A WALKER; BUT LIFE IS GOOD.

BRUCE
brhimelf@juno.com

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