Quote:
Originally Posted by Erin524
I shouldnt have read the last few messages in this thread. I have spinal lesions (C4 and T12), and only two little "white dots" in my left frontal lobe that "are not indicative of MS".
Now I'm going to be worried about those spinal lesions. I have to resist the urge to dig out my MRI reports and see if they're T1's or T2's.
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But Erin, like I said earlier:
Quote:
Originally Posted by lady_express_44
although many of us apparently have spinal lesions (something like 75%), for some unknown reason it seems that most people don't seem to EVER have ANY significant problems from the spinal ones.
(I don't know the % that does, but after being on the forums for many years, it seems a relatively small number . . .).
The reason the doctors mentioned "bedridden from the get-go, etc.", for me, was because I tend to have considerable inflammation with my spinal lesions, and the attacks are severe when they occur. The odds are not that great of full recovery from a severe spinal lesion attack . . .
In our case (with MS lesions), the amount of "permanent damage" from flare-ups is dependant on how high up the inflamed lesion is (C-spine), how severe the inflammation is when it occurs (how much of the spinal cord is damaged), and then how much recovery there is after healing.
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After all these years on the forums, I can only list off a handful of people that have had spinal lesion attacks like the ones I've had; THEY ARE THAT UNCOMMON! And, even though I've had them . . . here I am 17yrs later and still walking.
Some people are exceptionally curious about sourcing this information, and they ask the hard questions (about T1 vs. T2 vs. spinal vs. brainstem lesions, etc.) Other people find it frightening, but still want to know. Then there are those that find it stressful to know. I struggle with what to say to satisfy the questions, and of course it is only my interpretation of the way things are too (to be taken with a grain of salt). . .
The thing to keep in mind though is that there are no absolutes with this disease. We all know this isn't a great disease to have (without being subject to the nitty gritty details), but it is one disease where they are very motivated to find the answers too. As my doctor said a few months ago, there couldn't be a better time to have it then right now, with all the new technology and treatments on the horizon. There was nothing to help us back in 1991 (when I was dx), and we've come a long way since then . . .
Don't worry about something you can do nothing about, especially if it's never caused you any significant problem in the past. There are a few people who have bigger challenges, or perhaps somewhat worse odds then the majority, but these complications are highly unlikely. It's the same with anything in life; bad things happen to a few people. . . but we can't let that fear rule OUR lives.
Cherie
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I am not a Neurologist, Physician, Nurse, or Hairdresser ... but I have learned that it is not such a great idea to give oneself a haircut after three margaritas
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