MS Status February 8

Nothing good to report. One of my friends that I met through the MS support group has been going through a terribly difficult time. Those with MS (all types) uncertainty on a daily basis that is much more heightened than a well person. As symptoms crop up we are plagued with wondering whether this is a permanent change or if it will fade. In my case when things show up it does get better but then goes back. This brings up this year and especially problems last night.

This year I have been plagued by increasing muscle spasms. I’ve had some for years but they have been bearable. Starting this year my arms and neck have had increasingly severe spasms that show up after I go to bed. My arms stick straight out, my palms turn outward and my shoulders contract toward each other. The same time my head spasms backwards in my neck and my body shudders. There have been times when this has woken me up and I could not sleep. I Had to have my wife put me in my chair so I could sit up until they passed. Until last night this usually took an hour. This is extremely difficult for her because she has to still get up for work the next day.

I had called my neurologist and told him of some increasing pain that seem to proceed these things. He provided me a medication that I have tried in the past. Long story short last night was over the top. I was almost asleep when the spasms started and the just increased in severity. This started around 10. I had my wife give me in my chair and I came out of living room and tried to relax after taking a pain pill. The severity increased and was not fading. I tried to cool off by opening the door to the outside and that seemed to help a little but then they would return. I realized this was more than I had ever dealt with before. My wife had offered to take me to the ER and so I agreed. The spasms and pain just kept increasing even until we were at the hospital. Our son Matt came over to go with us. Say file

At the hospital we had the same nurse, Gina, that we had had one other time. It was kind of funny. The doctor on duty was very good and they put me on a Valium intravenously. This relax me immediately and the spasms stopped. It wasn’t until I had a second dose that the pain in my neck decreased. As the first one started to kick in I got very groggy and tired since I slept little the night before. I guess I asked if my kitty was up there. My wife and the nurse looked at each other and just shrugged. You should build a take your pets of the hospital, right? They did blood tests and x-rays to make sure I didn’t have a more serious condition and sent me home where I was able to finally sleep. I talked to Myra neurologist today and he thinks the Valium is a good option for the future. Knowing that that is available should help me overcome my fear that I developed of going to bed. It is horrible waking up with the spasms. It also horrible to almost be asleep and have them start like last night.

I have to say I’ve been really struggling with my disease and its symptoms. I’ve tried to maintain a hopeful attitude but my last hospital visit and the pneumoniae had ever pushed me into an attitude of hopelessness. I feel bad about this attitude but as they used to say at LeFebure decades ago “if I didn’t have a bad attitude I wouldn’t have any attitude at all"!