Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS)

At first, the doctors thought I experienced a secondary reaction to the meingitis called Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS).   This occurs when the body attacks its own nerves, damaging the myelin sheath, the fatty covering of the nerves. 

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a rare condition, which affect only about 1 in 100,000 people.  The victim suffers paralysis starting from the feet and works its way up, sometimes leading to respiratory failure.  Most people recover from GBS, but it takes time. I was told it would take about two years, the first year in a wheelchair, then learning to walk after that.   From what I read, movement starts to return between 4 - 6 weeks, after that, chances for a walking recovery start to get slim.

I had not moved after 6 weeks.  One doctor admitted that was bad for my recovery.  Around this time, the tests to confirm GBS was inconclusive, and over the next several months, I endured more tests, and in the end, the doctors don't know what caused my spinal cord injury.  The best guess was that it was a virus. Perhaps even just a common cold virus that worked its way into the wrong place.

Regardless of whether the spinal cord injury came from GBS or from a virus - the resulting condition was the same, the treatment and timeline were pretty much the same. 

It's been about a year, and I walk normal enough. The other issues seem to be improving.  So, I "recovered" in about half the time as far as walking is concerned. 

GBS can occur over a few days, or in a matter of hours.  Either way, it is weird how the nerves can be damaged to the point that one cannot walk in a short period of time, but how long it takes to get repaired.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Dreams

It took about a month and a half after I fell ill to remember my dreams.  I had two recurring dreams.  One was that I dreamed I was in the hospital, paralyzed from the waist down, and unable to walk - then I would wake up and realize that wasn't a dream.  In the other dream, I would be running, and feeling good that I was able to run again; then I would wake up, see the bed rail, and know that I was still in the hospital, unable to walk.

In December, two days before Christmas, i had a dream that one of my friends visited me at my parent's house.  It was time for her to go home, and I offered to walk her to her car.  "That's all right," she said.  "No, I can do it," I replied.  When we reached the car, I said, "See, not even a limp."

Last night, I had two dreams - one in which I walked with a cane, and one in which I ran without a cane, and the dream had no mention that I ever walked with one. 

It seems my dreams have evolved. The early ones represented my denial of my inability to walk.  Then, it was confidence that I would walk again, normally.  Now, it seems that I accept my less than normal walk, but confident that I will be able to run again without any signs that I was once confined to a wheelchair, or needed the aid of a cane to walk.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Frustration

Recovery isn't a straight shot, it's got peaks and valleys and it ebbs and flows.  One of the most important mind-sets I've learned to have is to view progress not always by day, but by weeks, or even months, or even by year.

A year ago last year, I was still in the hospital, using a sliding board to get in and out of a wheelchair, using a catheter to urinate, and being digitally stimmed to defecate (and I couldn't do it myself because I wasn't flexible enough at the time).  Now, albeit very slowly, and with a cane, I can walk a mile, urinate and defecate naturally.

I had videoed myself when I first started to move my feet, and at that point, i could only wiggle my feet, wiggle my knees and slide my leg down the bed.  I happened to videotape my movement exactly a month later, and I was able to lift my feet a few inches off the bed, and pull my knee up, even if it was only for a fraction of a second. 

With all the improvements I've made over the past year, frustration sets in because i have not recovered fully - and I want to be fully recovered, now.  But all I can do is work each day at recovery, and know that I am, even if I can't see the daily improvement.  It's a slow process, but eventually, I know I will fully recover.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Training Update: I jogged a little today

I went to the beach today - and normally, when I do, I walk on the sand to work on my balance.  Today, I tried to jog and met with some success.  More form than actual jogging, but I think in the 13 blocks I covered on the sand, I jogged about 2 of them - on and off, of course.  I could only jog a short distance before I felt I would lose control and fall, and could not move very fast, but it was on the soft sand, after all.

I'm pretty happy with the way my walk went today - perhaps, soon, I will walk further on the sand, and maybe jog further and faster - maybe even have a sprint.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Inspirational Person #3 Manny Rios

Manny Rios is a young man who graduated from high school this year.  But he's an exceptional and inspirational young man. When he was 14 years old, he fell off his bike and suffered Traumatic Brain Injury.  He vowed to walk at his graduation.  And that he did. This year.  I won't go into details, because the youtube video says it all.

He hopes to be more independent now that he is out of high school and his family is hoping to get him a service dog. 

Here is the YouTube video Graduation Walk

And here is the link if you'd like to donate to help his family get him a service dog. 
Youcaring.com - Manny

Friday, July 26, 2013

The Care Cure Community

I was going to post today on another embarrassing subject - digital stimming.  And those of you who go through it know what that is.

Now, that i have something else to write about today, I won't get into that, except that I had to go through that for about 4 months daily before I got some normalcy back, and after five months, it became 80 -90% normal.  But that 10% of the time when I can't control the function is embarrassingly scary.

Anyway, while doing some research, I found a fantastic set of message boards called the Care Cure Communty. It seems like it is maintained by Rutgers University - and its a set of message boards for Spinal Cord Injury. 

Check it out http://sci.rutgers.edu/

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

When Will I Pee Again?

Sorry for the title, but one of the most frustrating area of recovery has been my bladder.  Not being able to urinate was the actual trigger that caused me to go to the emergency room.  They inserted a Foley catheter, and that remained in me for about a month. 

I thought when it came out, I would be able to urinate naturally.  I wasn't.  So, the nursing staff started cathetrizing me manually 6 times a day, manually.  At least I had the urge, and was told that was a good sign.  Before it was time to cath, I tried all sorts of positions, on the side "sitting up," and nothing helped.  In time, the nursing staff told me I would have to learn to cath myself because I'd have to do it myself once I was discharged from the hospital.

I did learn, and not only did I have to learn to do it in bed, but also while sitting in a wheelchair just in case I would have to go while outside.  But, in truth, I had no intention of leaving the house for any length of time until my bladder problems improved.  Of course, it wouldn't turn out that way, because I had to go to physical therapy as an out patient. Fortunately, I timed my catheterizations well, and did not have to cath while out in public.

While in the hospital, I used a cath kit, which was an all-in-one, and easy to use. However, this was expensive and the insurance company didn't cover it for home use, so I had to use a standard cath tube and re-usable urinal.  I had to learn how to use this before I left the hospital.

I was discharged on August 1, 2012.  By October 1, I was still using the catheter. I would pray to the Saint, usually St. Jude, and ask for the ability to urinate naturally.  I made an appointment to see a urologist.  By the third week of October, I was really frustrated.

Then one day, while I was doing my stretching exercises, I leaked. I went to the bathroom, and I dribbled.  And I dribbled constantly.  About 5 or 6 times within a 5 minute period, then 10 minutes later, another 5 - 6 times, then 10 a ten minute reprieve, before having to go again another 5 or 6 times within a five minute period.  This went on for a couple of months.

Then I started wetting the bed while I slept.  The male guards I would wear wouldn't always absorb all the urine.  I then discovered vynal undewear, which usually kept my outerwear dry.

Slowly, the control has returned, but a sneeze or a cough sometimes will set off an accident, and I still have accidents in my sleep almost nightly, but now it is usually confined to between 3:30 - 5:00 a.m. 

I used to have accidents within walking two blocks, but that has now lengthened to about ten blocks.
If I carried something heavy, that was a automatic trigger for an accident, but I now find myself carrying heavier loads for longer distances.

It's okay if I have to go after ten blocks, sometimes, before I got sick, there were times when I had to go after walking a few blocks - the prblem now, is that I can't hold it in - but that, too, seems to be getting better ever so slowly.

If I had to put a percentage on it, I'd say I'm about 80% better now in this area, but with a 20 % "error rate," I can't say I'm ready to acclimate back into society "normally."  It requires a lot of adjustments, and timing.

It's an embarrassing subject, but this is one of the reasons why I decided to write a book about my recovery - it is really difficult to find information regarding this issue - and I still haven't found any satisfactory information.  My experience is the only reference point I have, so if I can provide some information of the chronology to someone else who is experiencing this, then I'm happy to be able to provide my experience as information.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

One Two Three

I am writing a book, a memoir, about this recovery process, and originally, I was going to title it, "One, Two, Three."  This is because  during the entire time of  I was in the hospital, I really could not move much - and had very little strength to push off my leg.

Turning over was something I could not do. In order for me to turn over, I would hold my arms out, and turn my upper body over a little, then "roll back" turn my body over a little more on the second count, then, on the third count, use all the momentum to roll over onto my side - sometimes it worked, sometimes, I couldn't roll over.

And so it was with everything: Transferring onto a wheelchair, into a car seat, things I don't remember doing anymore - everything was based on a count of three.  

Now, I don't have to do that - I can roll over, get into a car, etc.  I can even do planking exercises.  That's progress.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Feels like arthritis to me

A couple of years before baseball player JT Snow retired, he explained how, when he was young, could field ground balls easily, but now that he was getting older, fielding ground balls was tough on his back.  JT Snow happens to be my favorite baseball player of all time - a story I will post tonight in my blog, http://authorstevefujita.blogspot.com/ 

I'm a couple of years older than Snow, and when I was in my mid/late thirties, when Snow made that statement - though I don't play professional sports - I remembered back joking with one of the supervisors at work stating that when you pass 35 years old - sometimes you just wake up with the back hurting.

How does it realte to my spinal cord injury.  When I woke up from my coma, I couldn't make a fist.  Part of the reason was because my fingers were swollen like crazy. I don't know what the other reason was, but the effect was that my joints hurt. And once I was able to make a fist, it hurt to make one.  Until October, it hurt each time I made a fist.  Around October, the pain started to subside, and it only hurt in the morning, and now, it doesn't hurt when I make a fist.

My knees hurt now, kind of the way my knuckles did last Fall.  Six months ago, when I first started walking outdoors for longer than a block, my quad muscles and knees would ache after taking a couple of steps.  This went on for months.  Over the last three weeks or so, the pain has been gradually reducing to the knees and not as intense.

What does the pain feel like? Kind of what I expect arthritis to feel like - the joints hurt whenever I bend them - and the muscles are stiff.  And I can't move my legs very fast - I walk like a stereotypical elderly person with a cane. 

I thnk the key is to move around a lot, and loosen the muscles and joints.  I take at least one daily walk during the weekdays, and 1  - 2 walks on the weekends.  I think stretching out these muscles has helped me improve tremendously.  And how do the knee joints feel now - it feels like my knuckles in October.  I believe in a couple of months, the knees will be as flexible and pain free as my hands.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Getting off the Trach

So, I have this tube sticking out of my throat - which causes me pain each time I move, and my nerves are on fire, which causes my skin to hurt anytime someone comes near me.  I have tubes sticking out from several places., and IV plugs in several places.

Each time something was removed was a step in the right direction.

The tracheostomy caused some complications, but overall, having the procedure done became the turning point in my recovery. 

I was still on the respirator, but each day, the respiratory therapist tested me, and my lungs were getting stronger each day.  I was able to get off the respirator a day earlier than expected. 

About a week after the tracheostomy, a plug was replaced and I was asked to speak.  I was able to do so.  One of trhe first things I said was, "I'm hungry."  After that, I was tested to make sure my body still knew how to swallow correctly - that the food would go down the esophogus to my stomach, and not the windpipe to my lungs.  I passed this test also.

Once I got transferred to the rehabilitation unit, I was told that if I could maintain my breathing while wearing a different cap.  I would be scheduled to have the tracheostomy tube removed.  I would have passed this test, but I started bleeding out of the throat, and removal was delayed.  A week later, I was tested again, and I passed.  By this time, however, I had also been taken off respiratory therapy, and my coughing fits had become rare.

So, several events took place before the tube was removed: 1. I was taken off the repirator, 2. I learned to eat solids, 3. I had to be able to breathe easy with a different cap placed on the tracheostomy tube.

It took a few days for the positive effects to manifest, but it does seem to mark my turnaround in condition.  I spent most of my hospital stay with the tube inserted into my throat - inconvenient an all, but worth having the procedure done.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Inspiring Story, number 2: Rolf Benirschke

I read about his story when I was in high school.  I never forgot about it, but I hadn't remembered too much of the details, except that he had lost a tremendous amount of weight, and suffered some form of IBD.

Recently, I came across a book he had written in 1996.  He was the place-kicker for the San Diego Chargers during the mid-70's to the mid-80's.  He fell gravely ill during a cross-country flight after a game.

To make a long story short, eventually, he would have ostomy surgery and would have to discard body waste through a pouch attached to his body.  And within a year of this operation, was back playing NFL football.

I read this, and I thought, geez, I only had incomplete spinal cord injury, along with a temporary disfunction of urinary and bowel functions, and now at the mal-function stage, but improving little by little each week. I'm probably about 80% recovered for bowel and bladder issues, but that means 20% of the times I still have issues, usually translated into 3 hours of the day where I'm prone to having some sort of bladder or bowel (usually bladder) accident due to lack of control.

I am grateful because I am confident that I am continuing to improve and will improve further, but I'll take the 80% recovery in bladder, bowel and walking over what he experienced. I would hate to have had my colon and/or intestines removed and have to discharge into an external pouch for the rest of my life.

The fact that he had to live through all the pain he did before the operation, then wake up to find out he had to learn to maitain his discharges through a pouch - and then to get back to the point of playing professional football again - it is a very inspiring story.

In the book he makes reference about he feels lucky that he went through this rather than spinal cord injury, but I feel the opposite.  But that is a commentary for another post.

Benirschke's book is called, "Alive and Kicking."



Friday, July 19, 2013

Tracheotomy

When I came out of a coma, among other things, I could not speak, and I was on a respirator to help with my breathing.  I vaguely remember the doctors asking if it okay to perform the operation, and having me "sign" a release.  I remember them saying that the tube would only be in approximately a week.  The tube remained for about 5 to 6 weeks. 

Now that I think about it, it was after the operation that I started coughing.  I think what it was was that the tube they inserted into my throat caused a build up of mucous, which had to be drained every few hours, or in other words, every time I moved.  To drain the mucous, they would put a narrow tube into the trach tube, and suction the mucous out like a vacuum - my job was to cough to get as much mucous out as I could.  But, sometimes, the mucous would really be thick and get stuck.  Often, this routine would be extremely exhausting. 

Another really annoying thing about the tube was that it jutted out from the throat, so whenever someone had to reach around me, like the therapists and nurses when I had to get in and out of bed, or when I was doing a therapy session, invariably, the tube would shift temporarily, or it would get hit.  And that hurt.

And I don't know whether this was good or bad, but I thik it might have been a good thing.  At the end of June/early July, I had developed a blood clot right above the ankle. I was on two different medications of blood thinners.  One day, the therapist who was scheduled to work with me said, "Do you know you are bleeding?"  I answered, "No."  He said, "Yes, there is blood coming out of your throat."  He retrieved a nurse who called some doctors, and pretty soon, I was surrounded by several doctors, and had emergency surgery done on my throat. And I was awake the whole time.  I'm sure they gave me local, but it still hurt while they operated on me.   I think bleeding out of the traech was a good thing because who knows, I might have had severe internal bleeding if this hadn't happened.

This operation did delay the traech tube coming out, which eventually, it did, but they had to test me in steps.

Was I glad I had this operation done?  You bet.  It was after this was done that marks when I started improving pretty rapidly as far as my breathing, energy level, memory, and mental functions. 

More on that two posts from now. Tomrrow's post:  Inspirational Story #2.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

My pre-hospitalization symptoms

I was cleaning up my desk today, and I found a torn out sheet of a memo pad in which I had written down the symptoms I was experiencing the week before I went to the emergency room.

Sunday evening - headache
Tuesday forward - Fever, but had dropped by 3 degrees by the time I went to the hospital
                               Fatigue
                               No appetite
                               Constipation
                               Muscle Aches
Tuesday - Saturday - facial pain
                                  nausea
Tuesday and Wednesday - vomiting

I went to urgent care on Thursday and received some antibiotics, but on Friday, I developed:
chills, and the difficulty in urination began.

On Sunday, the day I went to the emergency room, I experienced dizziness, and was unable to urinate. Thank goodness I went, for five days later, i fell into a coma.

U[date on 7-19-13: This is an example of my memory problem - not really detrimental, but annoying - I hadn't realized that I wrote a similar post a couple days ago.  I don't know if I am referring to the same sheet of paper.  But I think I am.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Sue Grafton "C" is For Corpse

I'm currently reading, "C" is for Corpse, by Sue Grafton.  The victim in this book, is also the one who hires the private eye.  He dies almost mid-way through the book (which is no secret because this part is told in the synopsis on the back of the book), but the first part of the book really hit home.

The victim suffered severe injuries as a result of being run off the road.  When we meet him, he has recovered remarkably, but walks with a gait, has memory issues, gets emotional, and is self-conscious.

My issues aren't exactly the same, but Grafton has captured the essence of what it is like for someone who is recovering from physical injury. 

I had meant to read Grafton's "alphabet" mysteries for a long time, but wanted to start with, "A."  I came across "A" through "D" a couple of weeks ago, and finished "A" and "B." She's almost done with the alphabet - if not already, and I intend to read the entire series, but I have a feeling this one will be my favorite.

Dragging Feet

I've always been a foot dragger, but even as I walk "normally" indoors, now, the foot dragging has gotten more pronounced.  Specifically, it's my fourth toe on the right side.  Sometimes it doesn't lift, and when I shuffle forward, it stays behind, doing two things: 1. Makes me off-balance so I work to keep from falling (which I guess can be seen as a positive thing in a way), and 2. With the other toes facing forward, and this one, pinned between my foot and the surface, I end up with a bruised toe and pain for a few days.

This is something that prbably won't correct itself on its own, so while foot dragging didn't really have much of a consequence before I got sick, it does now.  I have to remember to consciously lift my feet up when I walk, enough so that each toe is off the ground, and won't get pinned between the floor and my foot.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Short-term memory loss

One of the consequences of the meningitis regarding mental finctions (in addition to the delerium while the virus was still circulating within me) is the somewhat minor problem I have with short-term memory, now.  Even before I became ill, I could be a scatter-brain at times, and my problems now aren't enough to enough to make an impact on my life, but it can be annoying.

The psychiatrist told me that the short-term memory function should return soon after I return to work - I assume because I would be forced to have to use it.    I have returned to work, and have not yet had a problem remembering things even short term - so that hasn't been a problem, yet.  At least, no one has told me I should have remembered something I should have remembered. Okay, there was one time a couple of weeks ago, but it was only embarrassing - but not detrimental. I reported a problem, then when it was fixed, did not remember reporting that particular problem.

During this recovery phase, more a few months ago when I started to walk outdoors with a cane than now, I tried to time myself. I would look at the time when I started, but when I reached my destination, I would forget what time I had started.   And some things, I can't remember what I did on what days.  But this stuff happens to everybody, certainly me before I fell ill, but it just seems to be a little more pronounced at the moment.

Favorite superhero

This post was originally posted in one of my other blogs, but is really appropriate for this one.

Before I experienced spinal cord injury via meningitis, if you asked me who my favorite superhero is, I'd have answered, Spider-Man, or Batman. In my high school days, it was Green Lantern, with Batman and Spider-Man alternating between second and third favorite.

A year ago today, I was in the hospital (and had been for five-six weeks), and still could not move from the waist down. I was told that it would be about two years before I would walk resembling normalcy, and probably would take about a year to gain enough strength to start using a walker. I couldn't accept that - I set timelines, and goals, and now, though I can't run, yet - I'm confident my legs are strong enough to finish a 5K walk. And the year in the wheelchair was shortened to about four months.

So, who would I say, now? It would be Professor Xavier. He's not just a superhero - but an inspiration - in that he has taught me how powerful a tool the mind is. The mind can create reality - meaning a lot of overcoming obstacles is due to your mindset. Not only that, he started a school for "gifted" children. I know there are a lot of rehab centers out there for people who are recovering from spinal cord injury, but if I had the money, I'd like to start a state of the art rehab and research center.

And the mind's importance for reaching goals? I think it was Henry Ford who said whether you think you can, or think you can't, you are right.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Inspiring Story 1 - Dennis Byrd

When the doctors told me it would be a couple of years before I would walk "normal enough" in about two years, I was really determined to do it within two months - I don't know if my physical therapists felt that I was that determined considering all the trouble I had in the beginning.  But, I really couldn't move below the waist.  Okay, then there was the fraidy cat part of me who doesn't want to fall.

One of the first things that popped into my head, however, was the story of Dennis Byrd.  I might have been watching the game, but if not, I saw it on the highlight reel - but I had remembered the incident all these years.  Byrd was a football player for the New York Jets - he was a defensive tackle, and he broke a vertebrae in a collision with his teammate while rushing the quarterback.

I had thought that he was told that he would never walk again.  So, when I saw the news a year later that he "walked" out into the field, I thought, "Wow." 

So, twenty years later, I am being told it would take two years for me to walk again.  And my mind was if someone who wasn't supposed to walk again started walking, then there would be no reason for me to worry, or feel sorry for myself. But I wanted to do it sooner than two years.  I really wanted to walk afgain within two months.

A couple of weeks later, a friend asked me if there was any book I would like to read. Yes, I said, "the Dennis Bryd Story," but I got the title wrong.  Anyway, on his next visit to the hospital, he brought me the book, and I devoured it - read it in two days. The book is titled, "Rise and Walk - The tRial and Triumph of Dennis Byrd."

I did find out from reading the book, Byrd had an "incomplete" injury, which means that the spinal cord was not completely destroyed.  So, physically, it was possible for him to walk again, but just because something is possible, doesn't mean it's probable.  That's where the inspiration comes in.  Bryd very easily could still be in a wheelchair now, but his determination, and the support he received around him enabled him to accomplish his goal of walking again. 

Apparently, his story was made into a tv movie, which I never saw, but would hope to see someday.  As for the book,  I highly reccommend it - especially anyone who is recovering from spinal cord injury.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Delirious

On of the symptoms of meningitis is mental confusion, which I didn't experience until a couple days into my hospital stay.  I actually don't remember much of my first two weeks in the hospital. I remember being admitted.  I remember calling my friend, Roberto, and asking him to let my job know.  I kind of remember talking to my parents.  And that's it until I woke up from a coma.

Apparently, before I fell into a coma, I was talking nonsense - and then not at all.  I don't remember any of it, and the only reason I know is that people tell me what had happened.  My parents were told that if I do wake up, I might not recognize them, and be severely brain damaged to boot.  But when I did wake up, my cognition was pretty much in tact.  I do have some problems with memory now, but that's pretty minor.

I guess subconsciously, I knew what state I was in, because I don't remember being surprised at my condition when I woke up.  My hands and fingers were swollen; I couldn't flex my fingers, I couldn't hold a pencil stable enough to write, I couldn't talk, I couldn't move my feet, I was on a respirator, and I had all sorts of tubes coming out of my neck and arms.  And I wasn't surprised.  I didn't know how bad a shape I was in, except for the fact that I was in excruitiating pain from the skin sensitivity.

I spent a week in the ICU unit, but I remember, probably, about 15 minutes of specifics.  And ten minutes of that is watching portions of two of the NBA Finals games. 

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Skin Pain

There were many things I experienced that was difficult to find information on.  One was extreme skin sensitivity.  I had shingles about ten years ago, and if you have had them, then you can relate.  My skin was extremely sensitive to touch.  Just anyone coming near me was excruciating because although people don't know it, a breeze is made.  Anybody who has had shingles knows that just to wave a hand in front of the affected area causes excruciating pain. I couldn't speak at the time, so I really couldn't communicate the pain I was experiencing.  When I had shingles, I suffered through it without any prescription pain medication.  But this experience, I really wanted some strong stuff, but either it wasn't approved, or I couldn't communicate it strongly enough - I don't remember.  Sometimes, the nurses would rub lotion into my skin, which would hurt when they applied it, but it soothed the skin for a little while after that.

The one annoying thing, as little as I remember during my stay in ICU, and in Critical Care, was the commercial for shingles vaccine.  The spokespeople in the commercials related how much shingles hurt.  Everytime I saw the commercial, I thought, yeah, but I had shingles, and the skin sensitivity I feel now is 100 times worse.

I don't know if this is a common symptom of meningitis.  I didn't come across this.   It was a viral infection I experienced.  Most likely a common cold virus, but could my meningitis have been caused by Herpes Zoster - the same virus that causes shingles and chicken pox?  It would make sense, to me, as a layperson, that it would go on and wreck havoc throughout my nervous system and spinal cord.

The extreme pain lasted for about two to three weeks.  It went away during the month I spent in the rehabilitation unit.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Symptoms of meningitis

I must have considered I had meningitis before I went to the hopsital, although I don't remember thinking such.  This is because I found a piece of paper in front of my computer with a note stating meningitis symptoms.  On Sunday night and Monday, I just had a dull headache.  On Tuesday, the headache started throbbing, and I had a fever.  It was June, and I bundled myself up on the couch and watched tv.  On Wednesday, the fever was still there, but I also felt nauseas and vomited  aacouple of times in the evening.  On Thursday, I was tired and weak, but had not vomited - I decided to go to urgent care in the late afternoon. 

The doctor prescribed some antibiotics for it could have been a sinus infenction, but told me to got the emergency room if I felt the antibiotics were not working.  The fever lowered, but would not completely go away.  By Saturday, I had trouble urinating.  On Sunday, I could not urinate at all. Early Sunday afternoon, I went to the emergency room.

A spinal tap was done on me, and then a Foley catheter was inserted so I could urinate.  I was told I had viral meningtis.  Here is the funny thing. I don't remember researching meningitis before I went to the hospital, but i do rememeber not being too worried about it after I was told having the viral form because i knew it wasn't as severe as other forms of meningitis.  I figured I'd be in the hopsital for a couple of days while the virus passed through my system, and I'd go home, and be back to work within a couple of week.

Boy, was I wrong.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Update - Recovery milestone

Last weekend, I went to the beach and walked on the sand without a cane - for about the equivelent of 14 blocks.  The sand is soft uneven, and one of my physical therapists thought it would be a great idea to walk on the sand to improve my balance.  Walking on sand is more difficult than walking on pavement - but it is easier on the joints.  Upon going the 14 blocks, I walked up three flights of stairs (holding the hand rails, of course), and walked home, about 20 blocks away. 

I think I did at least 4 kilometers., which would be almost half of my goal (and reason for the second half of the title).  I don't know if I wil be able to do a 10K before the end of the year, but I'm now almost certain that i wil complete a 5K walk/run before the end of the year. 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Toe Up

After six weeks, I still hadn't had any movement below my waist.  I used to stare at my toes and tried to will them to move. I prayed.  According to the literature, I was supposed to start getting movement back within six weeks.   Before this particular week, I hoped my legs would start to move, but wasn't too concerned because I thought I would be moving by the end of the time frame I had read about in a book about spinal cord injury I was reading. 

But at the end of week six, I got nervous. Each night, after my parents had gone home, and I had eaten dinner, and had some alone time before the nurses made their rounds, I straed at my feet and prayed.  I didn't make any promises to God, but I prayed.  Then, on a Friday, after a couple of friends from work had gone home, and I was alone, praying, and I remember saying, "Please, God, give me some sort of a sign."  At that moment, my right big toe flipped up, and then down.  Physically, it was probably a muscle spasm, but I took it as a sign.  I stared at my toe for the rest of the night.  The toe didn't move again, but I knew it did. It was not my imagination.

The next day, Saturday, whenever I was idle, I stared at my feet. I straed and prayed all day, but no movement.

On Sunday, the same friends who visited me on Friday, visited me.  I told them about the toe.  I tried to get it tomove, but to no avail.  After they had left, my leg, from the knee on down, spasmed. It straightened out.  I couldn't bend it back up, so I pulled my leg up and then willed it to slide down.  I did not want to go to sleep, for fear that when I woke up, I would not be able to move it again.  But I knew I had to go to sleep.  But before then, I took my phone and videotaped the movement in my leg.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

The headache that would not go away

It started on a Sunday night, when I developed a headache.  It was a dull headache, and I took a couple of pain relievers when I went to bed.  On Monay, the headache was still there, but I went to work.  At work, I took a couple of tablets of aspirin every four to six hours, but the pain would not go away.  And so it continued into the next day. My mid-morning on Tuesday, the head started to throb and I went home early, stopping by the supermarket to get some of my "cold-killing" remedies.  I started to run a fever, and the headache would not go away.  I strated to think I had the flu, but it didn't make sense.  In previous times I've had the flu, it's hit me like a brick wall. In this case, my headache had gotten worse gradually over a two day period, and it was about to get worse.