CJ... wow, that's a real shame about the door and your knee. I would think
that your previous doc would confirm that you used to be ambulatory, and
thus have something to compare your current situationn..  I hope you do sue
the college! And of course I hope and pray all goes well in surgery!

And, happy birthday!

Hugs, mag

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please ask your Congressperson to vote FOR the MICASSA bill, this
will allow medicaid funds to pay for community supports
instead of isolating the person in a nursing home or institution.
HR 910 is the bill number
Senate version of MiCASSA (S 401).

Oakland Mayor's Commission on People with disabilities
~Tamar Mag Raine~
[log in to unmask]
IM: tamarmag48
Yahoo IM Tamarmag56


> [Original Message]
> From: <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 4/28/2005 3:44:55 PM
> Subject: The big update ~CJ
>
> Hiya,
>       I'mmmmm baaaaaaaack. Aren't you  thrilled? I've had a lot of big
stuff
> going on lately thus the update. I know  there have been a lot of emails
and
> atempted phone calls from people wondering  if I'd fallen off the face of
the
> earth.
>
> Unfortunately, I've hit an unusally rough patch the past few  months.
While
> I've always been convinced that April is a black whole, things  have been
> actually going down hill since Feb. Because of all the health issues
I've pretty
> much failed my school semester and will have to repeat it. I've also  had
to
> stop with the volunteering and mentoring programs for now.
>
> I continue to sturggle greatly with headaches and have been in and  out of
> the ER more often. Along with constant dizzy spells which make it hard to
focus
> on anything. A few weeks ago we went to my allergist and found out that
> because of my severe allergies, to everything green or even slightly
spring
> related, I am only breathing at 70% of my total lung compacity, which
totally
> explains the constant dizzy, falling down thing. So we had to start meds
for  that
> and fight to get the meds covered because medicaid and medicare are really
> really bad about covering prescriptions. So, obviously everything is
taking
> more  time to get started.
>
> For those who don't remember, in Jan. 2004 I suffered a major knee
injury on
> my college campus. I got my left leg caught trying to get my  wheelchair
> through a non automatic door and ended up tearing my knee. We have  been
trying to
> sue the college for not following ADA law in regards to having  enough
> accessiblle entrances.  For that purpose we've been  fighting to locate a
doctor who
> would treat me. Most orthopedists wouldn't treat  the knee injury because
> they wanted to blame it on my Cereral Palsy. As a  result I basically
lost my
> mobilty and have become 95% wheelchair bound. We also  had to drop the
lawsuit
> because we couldn't get a doctor to say that the tear in  my knee was not
a
> result of cerebral palsy. I literally called all over the  country to
find a
> doctor who sess Cerebral palsy patients as adults. There are  sooooo few
as it is
> still largely mislabled as a pediatric condition.
>
> Anyway we finally found a fantastic doctor and saw him a week  or so
ago.. He
> did confirm that my knee was torn as a result of the door injury.  That it
> has nothing to do with my cerebral palsy and that my fuction tests are
> decreased to the point of almost zero function on my left leg. This is
great  news for
> going forward with the lawsuit. The bad news is, I now need major knee
> surgery to help keep my knee from collapsing whenever I stand. They will
take my
> outer knee muscle, stretch it so it's pulled tight over the bone. Then
take
> donor tissue, and wrap it around the muscle tight to re-inforce it and
then
> screw it to my bone with 2 metal screws. It's a pretty big deal. They
doctor
> said 3-6 months of rehab PT again everyday, casting, leg bracing, and
pain
> management. We're not sure what the end result will be because the tear
has  healed
> incorrectly. We just have to pray that I can regain my mobility. Our
house
> is not by any means accessible and if I became totally  wheelchair bound
there
> is no way my mom or anyone could take care of me here.  The knee surgery
is
> now scheduled for May 16th and will of course require a  hospital stay.
Knee
> surgery means no summer classes and no  trip for my oxygen therapy in May
as we
> had hoped.
>
> I also went to see a new ENT doctor because of all the breathing  issues
I've
> been having. I've basically been on antibiotics non stop for 2  months
now.
> It turns out that they need to do a sinus reconstruction on me. So  more
> surgery. We scheduled that for May 2nd. I'm not to thrilled about the
date  since
> that's the day we found out about my father's death, but I'm  trying not
to
> believe in bad omens.
>
> I really just need to stay positive and pray a lot about all  of this. The
> main scary thing is that I don't handle anesthesia well. Everytime  I have
> surgery they have trouble bringing me out. When I was 7 I slept for 48
hrs. At 12.
> I didn't come out  for 16 hrs, and when I had my last surgery I  coded on
the
> table and was legally dead for 2 mins. Still I know these surgeries  have
to
> be done.. and soon with all the medicaid/Medicare cuts. It's jut going
to be
> a pretty painful spring and summer.  I know I'll be fine and get  through
it,
> it's just a little daunting at the moment.
>
> I'm sorry if all of this sounds like one droning, depressing  medical
report
> but this is my life right now. School, voluterring, work, and  social
things
> are all just imppossible right now with so much going on. As  always I
thank
> god for the internet. Even though it's been a yr or more since  I've seen
any of
> my friends at least we can stay in touch this way. As always I  pray that
one
> day I'll be able to travel and see everyone again under happier
> circumstances.
>
> This Saturday, April 30th, is my 24th birthday. If you pray or just  hope
> it'd be great if we could all share in the hope that all of these medical
> procedures will lead me to a much healthier next year of life.
>
> Oh one more thing. Due to lack of funds I have disconnected my  house
phone.
> Feel free to call me on my cell anytime. (314)  550-1419
>
> I love and miss you all more then I can say and I pray for your  good
health
> always!
>
> CJ aka Christina Jo
> "Blood to blood I summon thee. Bring back the power  of three!" ~Piper
> "Charmed Again"
>
> Believer  in the only TRUE power of 3... LOVE, COMPASSION, STRENGTH