Yesterday, I went for my 2nd follow-up with my neurologist for treatment of Chronic Pain Syndrome. We discussed the increased tightness of muscles in my legs and butt. We moved to an exam room & he re-tested my muscular reflexes and had me walk for him & then walk one foot in front of the other. Wow, I couldn't walk a straight line & kept reaching for the wall to my right.
We stepped back into his office where he proceeded to tell me that my reflexes had changed drastically since my original appointment August 2011. He then pulled information re spastic diplegia and started asking me questions about my childhood. Did I walk normal? Run normal? Was I clumsy?
We discussed my current medications (lyrica & cymbalta) and he added a Rx for baclofen. I'm starting on it slow - 5 mg. (up to 20 mg.) x4 daily. On the way out, his nurse handed me a printout on Spastic Diplegia.
On the way to work, I glanced at the printout. I was so surprised that the first sentence said "form of cerebral palsy". What? I'm 51!
After the shock, I continued to read and some things in my life began to make sense - especially my double knee replacement at 45. We could never come up with an injury in my past that would explain the damage to my knees. I was bone-on-bone on the inside of both knee joints.
It would also explain how quickly I was able to recover from the surgery. My muscles just tightened up & pulled everything together! I left my 4 week follow-up appointment with permission to walk without a walker or cane. The surgeon was amazed!
My mom insists I had a normal childhood. I was delivered after only 4 1/2 hours of labor. Walked at 12 months, talked at 13 months. Ran & played like all the other kids. And most importantly, she insisted, my pediatrician was very thorough. My only medical problem was a kidney that didn't function from birth & was removed at age 4.
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