Why Am I Doing Better?

I helped paint a bathroom off and on all day. Taping, painting, painting again. Breaks. Like yesterday, I started off kind of rocky--it seems like mornings are the worst as far as my muscles cooperating. I am so STIFF in the morning. But evenings are worst for the nerve pain, pins and needles, etc.

Also like yesterday, I was able to do so much more than I have been able to do in the last few months. I am definitely on the mend for now.

I feel very strongly that the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. My health began a dramatic, upward climb on Wednesday, for no apparent reason. If I am on Avonex, that certainly would not be the reason. If I am on daclizumab, it is a little early for progress like that, and it was not a week after the shot, which I would expect based on natalizumab stories. If it were from the increased desipramine (as this upturn occurred as that medication began to help my pain), how is that possible? If it were PT, why now? And why so suddenly, after a sharp downturn in health the two previous weeks? There does not seem to be a rhyme or reason to it, except what I felt Friday night in the Lord's house: The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.

Sensory:

-Pins and needles: 1, woke up with them, then none all day
-Tingles: 0
-Dysesthetic pain: 3, also woke up with it, then not much all day
-Paresthesias: 2, woke up with the electricity in my legs

-Numbness: 2
-Vision: 0
-Nerve pain: 3, evening
-Hearing: 1

Motor:
-Walking: 1, stiff in the morning, better as the day went on
-Sore muscles: 2

-Spasticity: 3, in the morning, got better, worse as I was painting--my hand would suddenly cramp. OW! And at one point my leg cramped and went out on me, and I almost fell off the ladder.
-Weak muscles: 2

-Endurance: 4, I took breaks, but I did pretty well with the painting project. I did wilt pretty quickly when I was working near the hot lights, near the ceiling.

-Fine motor: 2

Cognitive:
-Processing: 1
-Memory: 0
-Attention: 0
-Confusion: 0

General:
-Fatigue: 4, but I was doing physical work--so pretty good!
-Balance: 0

-Sleep: 0

-Bladder: 1
-Proprioception: 1
-Swallowing: 1
-A: 0
-B: 8, ruined my evening

Emotions: Fine. Feeling a sense of wonder that I have not collapsed back into an MS heap from all this physical work. Part of the wonder is wondering when/if that is going to hit again.

Happy MS Clinic Day

Quick visit today, just vitals, bloodwork, shot, watching TV for an hour, vitals again, and last check on the injection site.

I also peed in a cup, because I mentioned that I have had some itching/burning/uncomfortability in my nether region. I wondered if it might be a yeast infection. They wanted to rule out a UTI, so I agreed to pee in a cup and have it analyzed ON MY OWN DIME. Not billed to the study. Whatever.

My leg was cramping last night and a bit this morning, then it was better most of the day. Started again at 4:30.

Sensory:

-Pins and needles: 0
-Tingles: 3, left hand, pink and pink side of palm
-Dysesthetic pain: 5, back of left thigh, side of lower left leg
-Paresthesias: 4, some more stabs in my left hand

-Numbness: 3
-Vision: 1
-Nerve pain: 5, left leg
-Hearing: 1

Motor:
-Walking: 4, slow, sometimes limping with spasms
-Sore muscles: 8 with spasms

-Spasticity: 7, spasms
-Weak muscles: 4, hate that limp noodle feeling

-Endurance: 5

-Fine motor: 1

Cognitive:
-Processing: 1
-Memory: 1
-Attention: 0
-Confusion: 0

General:
-Fatigue: 4
-Balance: 1, just early morning

-Vertigo: 0

-Sleep: 2, 8 hours

-Bladder: 1
-Proprioception: 1
-Swallowing: 1
-A: 0
-B: 7

Emotions: Fine, happy.

Cognitive problems

I have been reading more about MS cognitive problems, and I made notes of some of mine.
-Forgetting how to search for files on the computer (use Finder!)
-Thinking maybe put liquid hand soap on toothbrush
-Forgetting nighttime routine (wash face, etc.)
-Clicking car key button to lock house
-Forgetting names of familiar people
-Forgetting recent conversations
-Forgetting passwords
-Forgetting what to use to remove the pan from the toaster oven
-Forgetting familiar work paperwork
-Forgetting to do anything not written down the second it pops into my mind
-Forgetting to check the calendar
-Confirming psych session time then getting into my head it's at another time--late
-Taking wrong free exit because forgot where I'm going or thought it's the right way to go
-Forgetting how to get to a familiar place
-Hearing gobbledygook, needing to ask for repetition or figuring it out from context
-Difficulty following directions
-Forgetting new routine (stretching with PT Shandi)
-Saying the wrong word for what I mean
-Can't find word, stall
-Forgetting what I am about to do
-Losing my train of thought, often in the middle of a sentence
-Mentally freezing during a meeting, no idea what had just been said except to know that it was my turn to talk about what they had said
-Misunderstanding during meetings, making comments that get me odd looks
-Using the wrong part of speech
-Difficulty giving directions to kids
-Difficulty explaining how to do something
-Making spelling errors
-Making typos that are totally different words
-Difficulty understanding scriptures and quotes read aloud during church
-Losing track of characters in a book
-Forgetting grocery items
-Difficulty explaining technical information, synthesizing information, making connections (to parents at meetings)
-Frequent word retrieval problems in ASL (not my first language--used for work and at home)
-Forgetting that my car needs gas to run
-Forgetting which day it is

Sensory:

-Pins and needles: 0
-Tingles: 1
-Dysesthetic pain: 5
-Paresthesias: 5, the tingle in my left hand has turned into pain. Sharp pain. It is on the side of my index finger knuckle, thumb side, running down toward thumb. (NEW symptom)

-Numbness: 3
-Vision: 1
-Nerve pain: 5
-Hearing: 1

Motor:
-Walking: 1
-Sore muscles: 1

-Spasticity: 1
-Weak muscles: 3

-Endurance: 3

-Fine motor: 0

Cognitive:
-Processing: 1
-Memory: 1
-Attention: 0
-Confusion: 0

General:
-Fatigue: 3
-Balance: 0

-Vertigo: 0

-Sleep: 1, 8.5 hours

-Bladder: 1, just the medication-induced trickle in the morning. No incontinence, whew.
-Proprioception: 1
-Swallowing: 1
-A: 0
-B: 6

Emotions: OK. Nothing exciting.

Poor Little Pinky

I have a pinky problem. It seems to be infected. It has been red, swollen, and tender for a few days. Today it was warm. Then I noticed a bit of hard skin--like a dying cuticle--sticking out of it. I clipped it off, painlessly, and began my makeup routine. Sick! Pus was bubbling out of it. I cleaned it and put on Neosporin and a Band-Aid. And called Dr. Rob. They are trying to squeeze me into the packed schedule tomorrow.

I also emailed Alyssa about it, because I know that they want to know every little thing that goes on with my health. She said it sounds infected and let her know what happens after I see Dr. Rob.

I was super busy today from 10:00-8:30, and my energy level was good. I was happy that I was able to make it through such a long day.

Sensory:

-Pins and needles: 1
-Tingles: 0
-Dysesthetic pain: 0 all day until evening 3
-Paresthesias: 3, some electricity in my left leg and some buzzing in my back--right mid back. Same area where sometimes (especially right after a shower) I feel a pulling sensation.

-Numbness: 2
-Vision: 0-1
-Nerve pain: 0 all day until 7 evening
-Hearing: 1, most a problem night and morning--maybe the only time quiet enough to notice

Motor:
-Walking: 1
-Sore muscles: 3
-Fine motor: 1
-Weak muscles: 4
-Spasticity: 3

Cognitive:
-Processing: 1, funny word-finding problem: "photo machine" for camera
-Memory: 0
-Attention: 0
-Confusion: 0

General:
-Fatigue: 1
-Balance: 2
-Sleep: 2, eight hours
-Bladder: 0
-Proprioception: 1
-Swallowing: 1
-A: 0
-B: 0

Emotions: Fine. Calm and confident during my many meetings today.