Susan Cox is one of those people who simply defines optimism. At 57, that character trait has carried her through the worst of times with a constant smile and a firm belief that things could be a lot worse and that they one day will be a lot better.
It was nearly four months ago on a Tuesday morning when life changed for the energetic wife, mother and grandmother from Dexter.
"I was getting ready for work and felt some discomfort in my upper left side and ribs," she recalls. "I went on to work, but as the morning progressed, I began to feel the same discomfort on my right side."
By noon, she was feeling worse and told a co-worker at Select Therapy, where she has been employed for more than 20 years, that she couldn't feel the back of her legs while walking. She went home and tried to rest, but felt continually worse and eventually called her husband, Doug, at work.
"I asked him to take me to the emergency room," she says, "but, I then felt so badly that we called for an ambulance."
In short order, Doug and Susan Cox found themselves at Saint Francis Medical in Cape Girardeau with an abundance of questions, but few definitive answers. Blood work and CAT scans showed no abnormalities. She was eventually sent home with what she was told was a urinary tract infection, but two days later, she could not stand without her legs buckling under her. Her symptoms prompted another ambulance ride to Saint Francis where she underwent spinal taps, MRIs of her spine, neck and brain and had more blood work completed.
"That's when they diagnosed me with Transverse Myelitis," says Susan. "I'd never heard of it, so I asked the neurologist to write it down so that I could research it."
After five days under the care of Dr. Andrew Godbey, Susan was transferred to Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, given that she was not responding well to steroid treatments.
Susan remained at Barnes from Oct. 9 through Oct. 13. There were more spinal taps which involve the collection of small samples of cerebrospinal fluid. The colorless liquid helps "cushion" the brain and spinal cord or central nervous system.
Among the doctors Susan met with in St. Louis was Dr. Emily Evans, an MS specialist who concurred with the Saint Francis diagnosis of Transverse Myelitis or TM.
"They released me with orders for aggressive therapy," Cox says.
With her diagnosis in hand, Susan and Doug Cox made a trip to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The facility is noted to house "the pioneers" of TM.
Doctors in Baltimore agreed Susan had TM, but they confirmed it was no longer in the "active" stage. She was assured it would not occur again, but she was left with the symptoms.
TM is defined as rare neurological condition in which the spinal cord is inflamed. The inflammation can be caused by infection, immune system disorders, or damage to nerve fibers, by loss of myelin sheaths. The result is decreased electrical conductivity in the nervous system.Transverse implies that the inflammation extends across the entire width of the spinal cord.
Susan was left with no feeling from mid-ribcage to her toes. She does not recognize hot from cold below her chest. She has undergone intense therapy -- ironically at her place of employment -- and is beginning to work this week with an electrical stimulation machine which is intended to strengthen her muscles.
For someone whose habit it was to walk and/or run five miles every day, the adjustment to walking with the aide of a walker or a cane has been Susan's greatest challenge. After steadying herself once standing, she is able to walk around her office fairly well, but when out and about, an assistive device is usually within reach.
"It's been hard for the grandkids to understand. They're used to seeing me up and going all the time," she says.
Family and friends have been her stronghold.
"I think sometimes that this has been harder on Doug than myself," she smiles. "He kept telling the doctors that I was running at the park the night before this happened. That's how quickly life changed."
The damage to Susan's spinal cord is permanent and will not heal, yet she has a positive attitude about her future.
"The nerves that were not affects will get better," she says. "In the meantime, I get a little frustrated because I cannot walk as fast as I once did. I want to be back at the park one day, and I'll get there."
Doug and Susan Cox are hard working folks and have consistently been among the first to come to the aid of friends -- even strangers -- in their time of need. Doug is known across the area for his skills at the grill and often offers his skills for local benefits. The two are a team, and where there is a need, they are consistently front and center, organizing and giving of their time and talents.
To be on the receiving end has been another significant adjustment for Susan Cox, but friends recognize the expense that trips to Cape Girardeau, St. Louis and Baltimore have incurred and the occasional work days still missed. She returned to her workplace six weeks following the onset of her illness. Doug is a familiar face to much of Dexter, having worked for the Street Department for many years. A diagnosis of Transverse Myelitis comes with an abundance of incidental expenses, and friends of the Cox family want to help with that. A benefit for Susan Cox is planned for Thursday, Feb. 8, at Wesley Hall, part of Dexter's First United Methodist Church. Tickets for the event, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. are available at Gregory's Two East in downtown Dexter and are $25 each. Finger foods and beverages will be served, and musical entertainment will be provided by local artists. They include Maggie Thorn, Arlan Taylor, Mary Ruth Boone and Jansen Williams. A silent auction will also take place at the event. Items and monetary donations will be gladly accepted at Gregory's. For additional information, contact Gregory's Two East at 624-4554.