I've lived with my disabilities since I was a teenager and was diagnosed with a rare, cancerous tumor of the cervical and thoracic spinal cord. As a result of close to a dozen surgeries and radiation therapy used to treat the tumor -- a grade III astrocytoma -- and the side-effects and complications that went along with them, I've lost a good deal of the use of my legs and have no feeling in my right arm and hand. Medically, my condition is referred to as incomplete quadriplegia, but it's really just being a crip.

In 2001, I began receiving Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy (IBT) to help manage my spasticity. IBT involves implanting a computerized pump into the abdomen to deliver liquid Baclofen directly into the central nervous system through a permanent indwelling catheter in the lumbar spine. Even though I am still trying to find the correct dosage, the results have already exceeded anything I could have hoped for -- I have better strength and control of my legs, am able to stand for longer periods and walk a little further than before, I can sleep without having my legs pull up to my chest, AND I'm free of all the side effects the oral meds caused. I am a huge fan of this technology -- the life-changing benefits far outweigh the inconveniences of the surgeries needed to implant the pump or replace it when the battery expires (every five to seven years), and trips to the clinic to have the pump refilled (usually four to six a year, depending on the dosage). If you're interested in finding out if you could benefit from IBT, the Medtronic web site includes a list of doctors who provide IBT.