Odd mini-relapse

What a strange experience I had the last couple of days. On Monday I noticed that my tounge didn't feel quite right. I thought nothing more of it... until Rich asked me later if I had toothache as my jaw looked funny and my voice sounded strange. I then noticed that yes, my voice did sound strange. Reason - the end of my tounge wasn't doing what I was telling it. All muscle control vanished... only from the tip - which meant that I couldn't form 'L's or 'R's. Rich told me I sounded like Elmer Fudd! I told him it wasn't kind to mock the afflicted.

After a great deal more mocking at work the next day I rang my MS nurse and asked her whether this latest strange development was caused by MS. Possible she told me, but extremely unusual. If it isn't better on Wednesday she further told me, I'd better come and see the Neuro.

Fortunately this morning I woke up and my tounge was back as it should be after about 36 hours of odd behaviour the tip was freed from being tied to my lower teeth and I could poke out the end of my tounge again! All's well that ends well. Very strange though, not at all in the normal order of things.

Muscle pains

Last week for about the third time in as many months I was suddenly afflicted by an inexplicable muscle pain. I was standing brushing my hair in the morning when the opposite shoulder (the one not involved in brushing my hair) started to hurt. It felt like I'd pulled a muscle, without actually doing anything. As the day went on the pain got worse and worse... nothing helped; not heat, not cool, not painkillers.

I spent a horrendous night not able to find a way to lie and be comfortable and eventually fell asleep in the wee small hours through absolute exhaustion. The next day I rang my MS Nurse; described my symptoms and asked if it could be caused by MS. Were the muscles hard, she asked. Like a rock, I told here. Muscle spasms she told me. Can last for seconds or for hours or for days. I asked if there was anything to be done... tablets that have to be taken all the time to work or for short term relief Valium. Really can't face the thought of any more medication (already three tablets a day plus the Avonex) and don't much like the idea of Valium either... so guess I'll just wait and see where this takes me.

No internal thermostat

Like a lot of people with MS I don't look forward to the hot weather. Whatever is going on with my MS gets worse when the mercury rises.

Lucky for me I'm not suffering a relapse at the moment and all the problems I have are the ones that seem to never go away. The annoying little ones. The itching the numb bits. The fact that I can't cool down.

I never had much of a problem with Summer before. Quite enjoyed a day out in the warm and sunshine. Not anymore though. As the Summer arrived and I put away my jackets I noticed that I cannot take even the lightest exercise without absolutely melting. I sweat buckets (no matter how much anti-perspirant I wear) my feet get blisters (even in my most comfy shoes) and my face, as well as glowing with sweat, goes red and blotchy. I think I must get about ten degrees hotter - even when the sun isn't shining and it is only about 17 or 18 degrees.

As for night-time, even if I feel cool when I go to bed I wake up having thrown off all the bed-clothes and turned my PJs and bed-clothes to damp rags. The portable air-con (which are really giant fans with trays of water in the base) have been pressed into service and sit looking like R2D2 in the corner of the bedroom and the living room.

My Tuesday-Thursday office has no air-con (it broke down) but I do have a desk fan to try and keep me cool. Lucky my Monday & Friday office is fully air conditioned (oh joy) so that is something at least. All I can say now, and I'm sure I'm not alone, is roll on Autumn!