New Year Update

My oh my.  It really should be not so new year update.  It feels like an eternity since I posted on my blog.  And it has been.  For various reasons I haven't done it but I am going to try and write here with a little more regularity in the future.

So, how have I been doing?  The short answer is really well.  But since I haven't posted for a while I thought I'd elaborate a little more.  Last time I left you I was still recovering from my carpel tunnel surgery and I am pleased to report that since then there has been a marked improvement in everything.  The most noticeable and best improvement is that now there is no pain what so ever.  I can sleep at night and I have nothing bothering me during the day.

My strength has not improved yet but but that is because it can take up to three months to heal properly and if I push myself there is still a little surgery pain (not nerve pain) which prohibits me from going all out.  Another plus is that the numbness in my fingers has substantially been relieved.  It is quite a liberating sensation and with this improvement and the pain gone I have been able to join the kids playing mario Kart on the Wii which we have all enjoyed.

Recovery from the HSCT has also been great.  Interestingly the best benefits I am receiving now have almost been unnoticed.  It is weird.  I go to do something and as normal people do you just do it.  However, I am then realising after the event that hey, I couldn't do that a year ago.  An example would be about a week ago I was walking down the stairs and after I arrived at the bottom I suddenly noticed how incredibly easy it was.  I didn't even use the handrail.

A more blatant milestone that I have reached is that I have started cycling.  Yes, on a real bicycle too!  No, I'm not entering the Tour de France just yet, but my balance has improved enough that I can do it.  It means I go with the kids on bike rides and I have another avenue to exercise which is great seeing as I have sore knees at the moment and that makes running difficult.  I have also returned to the pool to swim laps.  I do think that to maximise the recovery process it is important to stay fit and exercise regularly.

However, it has not all been plain sailing.  Whilst on holiday I caught a cold.  In the past I was normally able to shake a cold quite easily but this one knocked me for a six.  So I went to the doctor, got a script for some (more) antibiotics and the proceeded to spend the next three days on the couch in front of the cricket.  Fortunately, I'm better now.  Until next time, stay well:)

Colds and Tests

Since the last time I blogged about my DBS a few things have happened. First, I went and played patient to a few wanna be neurologists who were being examined, second, I had another adjustment of my stimulator, and third, I have had the cold from hell.

First, the medical exams... The truth is they are not fun. I let a bunch of strangers do a medical exam on me which include scraping the bottom of my feet with a stick and sticking me with pins. So, why do I do it? It is a chance for me to give something back, and if examining me can make me these people better doctors, it can only help me in the future. If you decide to do one of these training days, don't worry either. This is the fourth time I have done one, and I have been diagnosed from everything from Parkinson's to Motor Neurone Disease. This time I was the star attraction with my new DBS as no one had seen one before.

As for the adjustments, I felt this time Mary worked very hard to find a better setting, which was somewhat in vain as Richard came in fifteen minutes later and gave me an entirely new setting. They called it the bi-polar setting. The charge, instead of just emanating outwards, is attracted to the lead directly above, so the charge radius is much smaller. This means that a much higher charge is possible. Currently I am set to 5.2 on the left (bi-polar) and 3.2 on the right (normal). I have had a sleight improvement on last week, but the side effects are worse and the adjustment to them takes longer.

Overall, I guess that I am happy with the way things are progressing, I just wish I had more control over the process so I could figure out the best setting for myself rather than having to wait three weeks in between adjustments.

However, last week I did have a scare that made me question the validity of the whole process. Yes, that was my nasty cold. Everything was worse. I actually felt worse than before I had the surgery and I started to question whether everything was worth it, and even had I made things worse with my decision.

Now normally I don't let a cold affect me, and the sniffles etc. didn't really bother me. But the increasing tremor really did, especially after such a life defining surgery. I wish I could give you some tips on how to cope with this, but I can't. I coped badly. I leaned heavily on my wife, did not feel like doing anything but sit on the couch and feel sorry for myself. Next time I have a cold with similar side effects I will give you some tips on how to cope.

Fortunately, I am through the worst of it and I am feeling better and luckily, my tremor has improved (I drank the second half of a cup of tea today with one hand). Next time I will get back to my hospital reviews. Until then, stay well:)