Update

January 27, 2011

I got a text from one of my "fans".... so this is for you, Jean.

Since my last post, I've had a few changes. Still all on my right side. I continue to have the same symptoms, but some are constant with different degrees, and some are intermittent. Sometimes my muscles feel like mush. Sometimes my arm hurts so bad I cannot sleep. Randy rubs it for me, which relieves some of the pain, but as soon as he stops it starts hurting bad again. It feels like the whole arm from shoulder to fingertips are one giant muscle cramp that does not let up.

Sometimes my leg feels the same cramping pain, but in spots. I have not experience my whole entire leg in that much pain yet. I hope I never do. It is bad enough when it is just my arm.

I have also fallen or stumbled three times since my last post. My leg just forgets to work right. I put my left leg out and then my right doesn't follow, but my habit my left leg thinks it is its turn again and that is when I fall. I have not fallen at work, which is a very good thing. When I did fall, I just got bruised knees (mostly my right knee that I had surgery on), and palms. Nothing to worry about. I also cannot stop the car with just my right leg. My left leg has now been trained to help the right, since I cannot untrain my right leg to not do what it has been doing for 35 years. Basically, I use my left leg to brake, but my right leg is automatic. It is okay because it does not get in the way.

In the same manner, I have learned to grab things with my left hand. For example, when a waitress hands me a glass of tea - I mean water (Randy and I have pledged to drink only water at restaurants), I take it with my left just in case my right is not behaving. I have almost dropped drinks, as well as other objects, that have been placed in my right hand. I also eat left-handed when my arm is hurting.

My most embarrassing symptom to admit is I have lost control of my urgencies (yes, I just made this word up...got a problem with it....) and bowel movements - not always, but only about three times. The first time was on August 3, 2010 - the day Phoenix was born. I was waiting in the lobby for mom (we had come in separate cars from my house) and I was suddenly wet. No urgency or nothing, just one minute I am fine and dry and the next minute it was "where did that come from?". The same day while we were at Lubys, I felt my bowels move and fortunately we were very close to the restroom because I barely made it in time. But I had no control to stop it, nor start it. It had a mind of its own. Now, I go to the bathroom often so I do not have many mistakes. It does not happen often - maybe once a month or less, but I try to avoid it. At least I can feel when the bowels are moving and get to where I need to be before it is to late. So, when I say excuse me and leave in the middle of some one's sentence, don't take it personal.

Some of you know I graduated from the University of Phoenix October 17, 2010 with a AAFB. I was scheduled to start my BAB November 2, 2010, but did not. It was to hard for me to work all day and do school work every day for several hours. I get fatigued to the point my mind shuts down and I have no option but to sleep. The physical pain is also hard to bear when I have to type an essay, or other homework. I feel some relief that I do not have another two years of constant studies, but miss learning and wish I could have completed my goal of obtaining the degree I set out to get.

Okay, there you have it. Nothing held back. I will probably be silent again until I go to the doctor in May. If I get a whole lot worse, I may let you know, but if no other changes occur, then I will see you again in May, or June, or when I get around to it... :) Just kidding!

I love you all - All of my four fans!