This is what I started to do after I had my onset of Transverse Myelitis. I was making myself and my wife crazy because I wasn’t able to work and I had to find something to do to keep my mind off of the pain.
How It All Started
14 May 2008 I was hit with a rare disorder called Transverse Myelitis….basically my own immune system attacked itself and attacked the covering of the nerve along my spine in my tailbone area. This happened at 1:00 am and woke me from a sleep with burning pain. Within a couple of hours I was paralyzed from the waist down.
Now, through a year of physical therapy and some recovery I can now walk with a cane and that kind of brings me to this..I can no longer work a typical normal job because of certain physical and mental limitations as well as some of the medications I’m on for pain. So that brings me to this…when I started walking with a cane I went to the drug store to try and find something that was somewhat “stylish” as I don’t typically like your normal run of the mill things…I’m pretty eccentric when it comes to my tastes in many things.Well, that cane lasted about a month before I decided that it was too boring and I had to do something about it.
One day I was at the store and saw a wood carving magazine with an article about wood spirit carving. I got the magazine and read through it and then went on the internet and found some more info and as luck may have it, I had a set of wood carving tools from long ago. So, I broke out the tools and dug around in the back yard for some acceptable wood and went to work.
I’ve always had a knack for working with my hands but it has always been on mechanical things…although I’ve always enjoyed and appreciated the beauty of carved wood. Well, here’s my chance to give it a go.
Things are still a work in progress but I must be doing something right because I have had very positive remarks from everyone that has seen my canes and carvings. I even had some very positive comments..comments that my carvings are “handsome and strong” from an artist that I know in New York that also has TM.
I’ve found that carving and making the canes and other things have not only brought me some peace of mind but also a feeling of worth too because I’ve made some canes for people as far away as Finland.
Kevin Weilacher
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