Michelle needs our help

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Michelle Knapp of Connecticut. Michelle's email is jmsns1989@aol.com. Michelle says:
"I am looking for any and all information I can collect about what I have been diagnosed with. I am confused, because from what I have read, all of the treatments that I have been put through seem to make things so much worse, yet doctor after doctor seem to make me repeat all of the same things over and over again. October 13,2009 will be one year that I have been experiencing my symptoms.

I suddenly awoke at 3am to being completely numb from the waist down, once I changed position, I got "pins and needles" and the feeling came back slowly. I went back to sleep and when I woke up that morning I was struck with some of the worst pain I ever felt in my life, to this day I am still in pain, there seems to be no relief ever.. I am afraid of becoming depressed.. I have so much difficulty even doing simple daily tasks like laundry for my children, I am no longer able to go out for walks and play with my kids.. I am losing hope.. I am scared, and feel very much alone.

My husband of 10 years is very supportive, although I still feel that no one understands and I need to hide my pain so as not to upset my family. I have been taking pain killers for months, I try to limit myself taking them so as not to become dependent on them. However; there are days that I simply cannot muster the strength to get out of bed without them.

I do not understand how or why this happened to me, I went the majority of my life without ever having any sort of serious injury or illness. The most I have had was a common cold and an occasional flu. How does one simply wake up with this one morning?

I am going to start a third round of physical therapy tomorrow. I am afraid of it, because the last two rounds caused me to become so overwhelmed with pain I lost conciousness on more than one occasion. My life is falling apart, my children are suffering right along with me because they do not have the mother that they did one year ago... and they do not understand where she went! I feel I am going to become more and more of a burden on my husband and parents. I have always been an active self supporter, very upbeat and positive.. and now I feel as though I may be heading towards a serious downward spiral. I need someone who understands what I am going through, someone to tell me how to regain my spirit. Please help me!"

From LWA: Michelle, please go to our members page and reach out to other members. Also sign up on our Facebook page. You are not alone.