Where have I been?

It has been over 5 months since I have posted anything to my blog. I have done only a few crafty things during that time. The last card I made was for my mom's birthday in January. I had every intention of posting a picture of it, but I landed in the hospital.

Ed took me to the local hospital, and I was taken by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington. By the time I arrived, I was paralyzed from the neck down. I spent around two weeks at Sacred Heart, where I regained the use of my left hand and arm. Then I spent around 8 weeks at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute. There, I regained most of the use of my right arm and hand, some strength in my left leg, and there was some movement in my right foot. I learned how to use a wheelchair and I was almost independent by the time I left. My diagnosis was Viral Myelitis. I was an incomplete tetraplegic, and the paralysis was caused by some random virus. I was OK with it, and I planned to continue to work hard at getting better at home.

We were home for 3 and a half weeks, and I was getting stronger, due to physical therapy. Then I woke up one morning and I didn't know where my right arm was. Ed checked, and there was no strength in my right arm or right leg. We headed to the ER, I was admitted to the hospital, and I was given steroids. That afternoon, I lost the vision in my right eye. We then headed back to Sacred Heart. I was there for 15 days, and that was followed by 3.5 weeks in rehab. My vision is returning, my right leg has some strength, and I am able to move it a little. I still cannot feel my right arm and hand. I have to propel the wheelchair with my left arm, and to keep from going in circles, I steer with my left foot. I am still an incomplete tetraplegic but the paralysis was caused by an autoimmune disease, which we are calling Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO), also called Devic's disease/syndrome. I tested negative for the antibodies, but 30% of patients with the disease test negative. So, I now have a disease that can relapse and paralyze me again.

I am home again, and I hope to stay here. Through drugs, we hope to prevent relapses. Meanwhile, I will adapt to being left-handed. I hope to be able to craft again.