I've been doing physical therapy twice a week for the past month. I'm actually having fun with that.

I started it because I had balance problems and weakness in my back and legs from when that flare started in late april and hung on thru most of May. So, I kvetched (complained) to my regular doctor (neuro was on vacation) and he gave me physical therapy for that.

After the IVSM in early May, I had improvement in the numbness and some of the movement problems (that lasted a couple of weeks, maybe 3), but still had some pretty nasty spasticity, and then the flare started back up again, but that time it was in my upper body. Left arm went more numb than it had been (it's been numb since last fall) and then my right arm decided to get in on that.

I developed weakness and a bit of a movement problem in the left hand. (couldnt crochet or knit, could barely use a knife and fork...that freaked me out) Then I got really bad neck pain, some vertigo and some more weakness in my legs for a few weeks. My left shoulder was hurting really bad, and I could barely lift it. It got really weak and hard to move. It's still numb, but better than it was. I was getting a good idea of what my mom was dealing with her broken shoulder.

So, I kvetched again to my regular doctor and he gave me more PT. I think it's finally starting to help a little bit. I'm enjoying the stim thingie. It's an electric thing, they put electrode pads on the affected area, and it zaps at the muscles and I guess loosens them some. When they first started with that thing, I couldnt feel it. My back was totally numb. Now I can feel it...it actually feels like it's giving a massage.

They started using another machine (a high powered TENS unit) on my shoulder a few weeks ago.. I couldnt feel a thing with it, but you could see the muscles twitch when they turned it on. Last week, I could actually feel it. (yaaaaaay!)

Aside from that thing, and getting my shoulder stretched out by the physical therapist, they're also making me exercise. I have fun (not!) little exercises to help with the balance issues, and to build up the muscles in my back and shoulder that went all to crap when everything was super numb.

It's amazing how fast everything goes to crap just from some numbness. I couldnt use my shoulder or left arm to pull myself up for some things and could barely hold a fork. Carrying a plate with food on it was not fun.

I havent been eating that much lately because I was stressed a little by everyhing that was going on. I found my jeans yesterday that I quit wearing when I had full body numbness. They fit better than they used to. Actually felt comfortable for once...and I could fold some of the waistband a bit. Sort of as if I either lost weight, or something stretched my jeans out. (probably got stretched somehow...probably by me, stuffing my rear end into them before I quit wearing them)

I almost feel good enough to start using the gym again. I thought I felt that good last month, but that was the calm before the numbness hit my upper body. I may go to the gym to use their machines to do some of my PT exercises. (probably have to go when it isnt busy, because the serious weightlifters will giggle at me using some of the machines with either no weight or just one pound on the thing...or they'll think I'm not seriously working out and complain)

I'm just excited that my jeans are comfy again...and actually enjoying the PT torture they're putting me thru. I guess that's my inner masochist coming out. Never thought I'd have fun exercising.