Kathy,

I'd strongly suggest talking to a counselor too, but it's sometimes
difficult to find one who deals well with disability issues.  Too often, the
counselor assumes that all of our problems are related to our disability.
Since you say yours are related to your disability, that can be tougher,
because many don't have the degree of experience with disability you might
need.  Even if your not working with vocational rehabilitation, you might
want to call them to reccommend a counselor if you decide to go that route.

How long have you been taking the medicine?


On 10/2/07, Kathy Pink <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> I'm starting to feel better!  I am trying to do this without a
> counselor.  I
> am on medicine.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 10/1/07, Kathy Pink <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > Did this make it to the list?
> >
> > On 10/1/07, Kathy Pink <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > >
> > > I have been very depressed and suicidal because I have CP.  Is this
> > > common?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On 9/30/07, Cleveland, Kyle E. <[log in to unmask] >
> wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Manuela-
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Like several other folks on the list (Kat, Ken, et al) CP hit me
> with
> > > > a glancing blow.  I'm a left hemi, but I wasn't impaired much
> growing up-no
> > > > speech or cognitive issues and my spasticity was more of a cosmetic
> issue
> > > > than a disability.  In high school I ran cross country and let's
> just say I
> > > > was not always last in the races.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > CP became an issue for me in my late 20s and early 30s-the over-use
> > > > problem that Kat wrote about.  The first indication that I was
> having
> > > > problems was in 1992 when I was training as a cyclist for the
> Paralympics in
> > > > Barcelona.  I tore my achilles during a qualifying ride.  During my
> > > > recuperation I had an MRI that showed a lot of joint damage on the
> affected
> > > > side-left hip, knee, shoulder.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > My mobility really declined from 1992 to 2000.  The biggest problem
> > > > was fibromyalgia.  I was treated with opiates for the pain and did
> not have
> > > > any other therapy.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I live near Columbus, Ohio and I found a great doctor at the Ohio
> > > > State University's Physical Medicine department.  He got me off of
> the
> > > > opiates and started me on a PT regimen that consisted mostly
> of  warm water
> > > > therapy and myofascial release.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Today, I feel like I am back to the point I was twenty years ago.  I
> > > > wear an articulated AFO on my left leg, get Botox (300 units) in my
> left
> > > > medial hamstring every three months and exercise daily with a strict
> > > > routine-and I stretch, stretch, stretch.  Each day I ride a
> stationary bike
> > > > for 20 minutes, 100 rpm with minimal resistance and then do a cycle
> on the
> > > > weight machine (work one muscle group to exhaustion and then
> immediately
> > > > work the opposing muscles-minimal weight, high reps).
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I am very fortunate to be able to work with a PT who had worked with
> > > > head-wound soldiers coming back from the current conflicts in Iraq
> and
> > > > Afghanistan.  He was able to flip from Active Army to the Guard and
> he's now
> > > > working on long-term programs for these kids.  Some TBI (Traumatic
> Brain
> > > > Injury) patients have symptoms that mimic those of either athetoid
> or
> > > > spastic CP.  His big focus is on stretching.  He's also taught my
> wife the
> > > > myofascial release techniques which do wonders for my fibro pain and
> gait.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I don't engage in any sport that would involve high impact to the
> > > > major joints-no running, jumping, etc.  My sports, if you want to
> call them
> > > > that, are cycling, fly fishing and target shooting.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > You'll find in our CP sphere that adults are left with the short end
> > > > of the stick.  All of the research funding is spent on juvenile
> studies and
> > > > little regard is given to those of use who are aging with CP.  Ours
> is the
> > > > first generation that lived to middle age and beyond with the
> condition, so
> > > > we are, and probably will remain an enigma to the medical community.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Kyle
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ________________________________
> > > >
> > > > From: Cerebral Palsy List on behalf of kat
> > > > Sent: Sun 9/30/2007 4:57 PM
> > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > Subject: Re: Hello again
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Hi, Manuela,
> > > >
> > > > I'm Kat and am one of the list mods - I have CP and work and live in
> > > > North Carolina.  I participated in sports when I was younger, like
> > > > volleyball, football (soccer), racquetball and horseback riding as
> > > > well
> > > > as hiking and camping.  Unfortunately no one warned me about the
> wear
> > > > and tear on my joints so I didn't protect them as well as I should
> > > > have
> > > > and consequently got osteorthritis at an early age.  This is not to
> > > > say
> > > > to keep from doing sports, etc, but to increase the stability of the
> > > > joints by proper exercise and stretching.
> > > >
> > > > FYI,, I'm 54 so I grew up with physical therapists who were of the
> > > > "more
> > > > you use it the better" school - from the polio treatments.  Polio
> > > > victims went through the same sort of regime and now many of them
> now
> > > > suffer from post-polio syndrome from the overuse of their muscles
> and
> > > > joints.
> > > >
> > > > Kat
> > > >
> > > > Manuela Shepherd wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Thank you guys!
> > > > >
> > > > > Can someone tell me about physical activity in your life?. Is
> > > > anybody perfroming a sport? Are you all going to the OT or PT? Does
> it help?
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Manuela
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> > > > > Von: Cerebral Palsy List < [log in to unmask]>
> > > > > Gesendet: 30.09.07 04:08:37
> > > > > An: [log in to unmask]
> > > > > Betreff: Re: Hello again
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > How much does your insurance covers for all the medication? You
> can
> > > > give me a % if you want. Do you pay 100% out of your own pocket for
> the
> > > > insurance or does your job pays for it 100%?
> > > > > Manuela
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> > > > > Von: Cerebral Palsy List < [log in to unmask]>
> > > > > Gesendet: 30.09.07 03:49:32
> > > > > An: [log in to unmask]
> > > > > Betreff: Re: Hello again
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Yeah, Lyrica either works or it doesn't.  At least that's what my
> > > > doc said.  Luckily it works for both of us, eh?  Still a bit pricey,
> though.
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > The aneurysm wasn't too bad pain-wise.  I was semi-comatose for
> five
> > > > days, so if it hurt I either didn't feel it or didn't care.  The day
> I got
> > > > out of the hospital we drove 500 miles to Philly for my daughter's
> college
> > > > graduation.  THAT was an experience!  LOL!
> > > > >
> > > > > Oh yeah, on the way back home we got in a car accident on a bridge
> > > > exactly over the center of the Ohio River.  We were rear-ended by a
> guy from
> > > > West Virginia who was himself rear-ended by a guy from
> Pennsylvania.  The
> > > > Ohio State Highway Patrol and the West Virginia State Police argued
> over
> > > > whose jurisdiction we were in (neither wanted to write up the
> accident on
> > > > their turf).  Then we had to deal with the insurance companies and
> the
> > > > insurance laws from Ohio, WVa., and PA.  We're still involved in
> that
> > > > mess.  At least no one was seriously hurt--that's the important
> thing.  Cars
> > > > can always be replaced--people can't.
> > > > >
> > > > > Kyle
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > ________________________________
> > > > >
> > > > > From: Cerebral Palsy List on behalf of ehthiers
> > > > > Sent: Sat 9/29/2007 8:28 PM
> > > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > > Subject: Re: Hello again
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > I love my Lyrica and find it helps a lot better than cymbalta
> > > > without the
> > > > > side effects, I don't have CP nor diabetic neuropathy (still
> trying
> > > > to find
> > > > > out the reason for my neuropathy).   The aneurysm sounds extremely
> > > > painful.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > Beth t.
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >> -----Original Message-----
> > > > >> From: Cerebral Palsy List [mailto: [log in to unmask]]
> > > > >> On Behalf Of Cleveland, Kyle E.
> > > > >> Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 9:57 PM
> > > > >> To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > >> Subject: Re: Hello again
> > > > >>
> > > > >> OK, so how's everyone doing CP-wise?  As for me, I've found
> > > > >> Botox.  Anyo= ne else have any experience with this stuff?
> > > > >> It's been a godsend for=  me.  I get shot about every 3
> > > > >> months or so and a heck of a lot of stret= ching in between.
> > > > >> I guess we're going to start using some drug called=
> > > > >> "Myoblock" next time around.  Apparently the body doesn't
> > > > >> develop the=  same accomodation to the botulin toxin.  I also
> > > > >> found a kick-butt ortho= tist in town that built an
> > > > >> incredible AFO for me--makes a night and day=  difference in my
> > > > gait.
> > > > >> =20
> > > > >> Last year I had an aneurysm pop somewhere in my gut and came
> > > > >> pretty clos= e to going 'casters up'. The net result was that
> > > > >> I lost about 30 pounds=  in the hospital and have managed to
> > > > >> keep it off.  That helps enormously= .  Every pound you lose
> > > > >> is one pound less to carry on a battered old fra= me.
> > > > >> =20
> > > > >> I've also found a new med called Lyrica (pregabalin).  The
> > > > >> stuff origina= lly was prescribed for folks with diabetic
> > > > >> nerve pain, but they are disc= overing it helps with a host
> > > > >> of CNS issues.  My pain load has dropped=  remarkably.
> > > > >> Lyrica and Zanaflex (tizanidine) at night are the only two=
> > > > >> CP meds I'm taking now.  I'm doing better than I have been in
> > > > years.
> > > > >> =20
> > > > >> Enough about me, what about everyone else?  Bring me up to
> > > > >> date on every= thing.
> > > > >> =20
> > > > >> Kyle
> > > > >>
> > > >
> > > > -----------------------
> > > >
> > > > To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here:
> > > >
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> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > -----------------------
> > > >
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> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
> -----------------------
>
> To change your mail settings or leave the C-PALSY list, go here:
>
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>



-- 


Kendall

An unreasonable man (but my wife says that's redundant!)

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one
persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress
depends on the unreasonable man.

-George Bernard Shaw 1856-1950

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