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By Jean Kinsey 

Sheryl Andre's favorite quote is: "God never puts more on us than we can bear." Repeating this familiar adage gives her strength to face her problems when life gets hectic. "That's what I try to remember when the whole world seems to be falling apart," Sheryl says.

As a youngster, Sheryl experienced symptoms of syringomyelia (SM) before most of the medical profession even knew the degenerative disorder existed. She was known as a "clumsy child," and her mother constantly reminded her to stand straight. By the time she was an adult, her right foot began to drag and her right hand became weak. Doctors had no idea what was wrong with her. One said nothing was wrong, another admitted he didn't know, and still another said it was a "woman thing."

By 1974, Sheryl had given birth to two children and her symptoms progressed after each birth. She went through exploratory surgery, with still no diagnosis. The next few years were difficult for Sheryl. She suffered added pain and the continued loss of body functions, plus the break-up of her marriage. Yet, this determined lady from Ames, Iowa would not be defeated. She still managed to continue with her data processing career and parent her son and daughter.

Finally, in 1984, after the progression of SM and scoliosis intensified, the new X-ray technique, the MRI, gave Sheryl's disorder a name. The MRI showed a cavity in her spinal cord filled with cystic fluid. She was diagnosed with syringomyelia. At last, she knew her maladies were not mental. After twenty years, she had an illness with a name, an illness she feared, an illness she would fight. Her first step in the constant battle against SM was having a surgery that placed a shunt in the cyst to drain away the fluid. This helped for a while, but Sheryl soon had to leave the work force for total disability.

Yet, Sheryl Andre did not give up. After her forced retirement, Sheryl organized a local Committee For The Disabled. She became an active member of the Committee for the Disabled and Human Relations Commission. Sheryl is quick to admit, "Volunteer work is what got me interested in living again after I had to leave work."

She is a source of encouragement to the ASAP listserv. Newly diagnosed SM patients often join the listserv, seeking information about syringomyelia or just to be in contact with others who have this rare disorder. Sheryl greets every new member and offers comfort or information to anyone seeking help. She says she finds comfort for herself in helping others

In addition to helping others over the Internet, Sheryl has found the web to be a source of learning and leisure for herself. Sheryl enrolled in Internet classes for creative writing and genealogy. She has traced her family tree back to France in the 1600's. Now she is trying to obtain as many photographs of her ancestors as possible and put them in the family history book she is writing. She wants to leave her children as much family heritage as she can accumulate.

Although the shunt surgery helped in some ways, Sheryl's health continued to decline. She lost one of her kidneys because she could not recognize the pain of a kidney stone. She has been hospitalized for pneumonia on numerous occasions. She wears a body brace. Her legs and right arm became too weak to function properly, which causes her to depend on a scooter in order to be mobile, and left her unable to continue her volunteer work. She has, however, learned to use her left hand for writing and keyboard use.

Sheryl still carries on the battle against syringomyelia, refusing to let it conquer her spirit. She loves it when the day comes for her pool therapy. You can hear the smile in her voice as she describes the pleasure the pool offers. "When I am in the water, I can walk all by myself like everyone else," she says.

Sheryl confides that she gets much of her strength from prayer and her faith in God. She says, "I can't lie down and go to sleep unless I have somewhere to leave my troubles at the end of each day." Nightly Bible reading is a ritual and church on Sunday with her daughter sustains her.

Sheryl's mother moved in when Sheryl became disabled and has been a lifeline for Sheryl, doing her cooking, cleaning, and caregiving. Her daughter lives nearby and extends love, help, and support. Sheryl says her church peers offer her friendship and comfort. She feels lucky to have a wonderful family and good friends, both private and online. Her family and her friends are also her strength.

Sheryl says now that her life is not rushed with the busyness of work and commitment, she has gained a new relationship with nature. She has more time to smell the fragrance of spring. She can admire the colors of the flowers and delight in the exquisite plumage of the birds as they feed on the flowering trees or fly through the air. 

Each new day brings a new challenge, and Sheryl bravely meets each of these challenges one day at a time. She tries not to worry about tomorrow. She wants to concentrate on today and how she will meet her present challenge, or how she might help a friend or a stranger adapt to living with SM. 

When asked how she copes with all her infirmities, Sheryl likes to quote from the Bible, " 2 Cor. 12:9 ... for my strength is made perfect in weakness..."