Visit to the GP.

After a lengthy discussion, and some pointed questions, a course of action has been set up.
As it's not the brain, but nerve pain, I don't have to ditch other medication, but it will be shelved for a while.

For now, I am on a regimen of Lorazepam and magnesium. I might end up a bit groggy, or in need of a nap on occasion, but you know something, i can live with that. 

Within an hour from taking the first dose, I noticed that the tingling and tightening feeling had faded, and two hours later, I took a nap. AND I didn't have an seizure/episode when I changed position or got up.

2nd dose will be later this afternoon. And if I sleep through the night, fine. If not, the next day take one lorazepam prior to going to sleep.

Will be on this protocol for 4 weeks.

After this, I will be seeing a counselor, along with the medication, because stress, lack of sleep, and a few other non-neurological/brain issues can cause dystonia.  

Dear Fuq Up Fairy, find someone else to bother, please?

About two weeks ago, I woke up with what I thought was just a bad cramp/charley horse, from my right foot, straight up to my right hand. The pain was intense. My foot arced and the toes curled, and my fingers dug into the palm of my hands.  As I was 'stuck' in one position by closely snuggling cats, I thought it was just because I was in one position for too long. 

Then, 5 days later,  it happened twice. Once when I got out of bed, and the second time when I was walking out to the car.

Two days later, Monday, it happened 4 times.  I called GP, and was informed I would be told to go to the ED/ER, so I called a cab.  Had another 'cramp' before the cab arrived, and another when the cab dropped me off at the hospital. The ED doctor got to witness one of the 'episodes', and I was admitted to the Neuroscience wing of the hospital for a possible seizure disorder.

Four days, lots of blood tests, (geeze, people how many times do I and the tests have to tell you that I am NOT diabetic!) a CAT scan, an MRI, and having the daytime floor staff seeing a 'seizure',  I was hooked up to an EEG and a seizure was recorded and videoed.

The goodish news: Dr B, the neurologist, told me I don't have any tumors, lesions, clots. Nor do I have any signs of Parkinsons, Alzheimer's, or other degenerative brain disease. EEG didn't record any epilepsy or other seizure disorder.

What I do have i 'idiopathic hemidystonia'.  Something, for whatever reason, is causing these seizures-not-seizures. It's my brains' way of handling.. something. They are painful, and outright frightening. That feeling of loss of control is terrifying.  But I remain alert, aware, and even during them, if given a phrase or question, I can answer it or repeat it back.

There is also this wonderful (sarcasm there) kenetic component. In other words, certain body movements can bring one on. (Example, after reflex testing in both the ED and my hospital room, getting up and sitting back down would cause one) I've been having a few every day since being discharged from the hospital.

As awful as these are, they aren't life threatening, so I was allowed to go home. I made an appointment to see my GP, to see what the next step should be.

Recovering from Pneumonia and Battling Tendinopathy

The biggest issue right now, is the smoke from controlled burn offs making my chest all tight, and being short of breath again. Asthma, pnemuonia and smoke.. not a great combination.

After three visits with the physio (ow) and some targeted exercises (again, ow) I have been slowing getting back up to the time I was logging in on my stationary bike. Matt said don't try to do 30 minutes. He recommended (and I followed the recommendation) I start with 10 minutes, and then add a minute a day. After two weeks, I'm up to 25 minutes.  I’m also using my rolling pin as a massaging tool on the tendons around the knee.  It seems to help with over tight feeling around the kneecap.