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LATEST: Living locked in but not locked out

by Colby Robertson

ANTIGO (WAOW) -- For the past ten years, Scott Tatro of Antigo has lived literally locked inside his body.

In 2000, Tatro was having some back pain. During a visit to the chiropractor, his neck was twisted causing him to have a brain stem stroke. Now he's sharing his story and what it's like to live with Locked-In Syndrome.

Scott Tatro's story is one of strength, courage and determination. Ten years ago a visit to the chiropractor changed his life. He had a brain stem stroke and since he's suffered from an extremely rare condition called Locked-In Syndrome.

Ann Tatro says, "Your mind is there, but it's locked in your body. Your mind is working, but you can't make anything else in your body work. Your hands won't work, nothing. You have complete feeling, but you can't make anything work."

Literally locked in his own body his wife Ann translates what words he's able to mumble.

Scott Tatro says, "I can move a little bit, but very little."

That little movement allows him to use this headstick to type.

Ann Tatro says, "Even though you're maybe handicapped and can't do something there's always something you can do and he's learned to communicate on the computer."

It's opened up a whole new world for him. For the past eight years Scott has spent hours upon hours writing his story, his thoughts, feelings and the ups and downs of living with Locked-In Syndrome.

Scott Tatro says, "In the book, I point out a lot of stuff that we take for granted. Even I took them for granted."

His book Locked In is now published. With no statistics out there about the rare condition he and his wife hope people will learn from this book.

Ann Tatro says, "I wish I would have had a book like this because you wonder okay what is life going to hold for us. Can we go places? This way I hope people can realize yes, even though you're in this situation you can have a life."

In it he writes with a positive outlook that he's accepted living locked in, but not locked out.

Scott Tatro says, "I'm okay with it."

Locked-In is available online at www.scottslockedin.com and in some area bookstores including Janke Bookstore in Wausau and Bookworld in Antigo.

Online Reporter: Colby Robertson