OK for a while now I have discussed what happened more recently with the blood infection and the related damage to my heart. I have mentioned neuropathy a few times, most recently on April 26 i think.
I just had more bloodwork yesterday and did a 24 hr collection of a certain bodily fluid for the rest of the test and took that back to the hospital today. It seems like a good time to tell the beginning of my journey from back in 2013…
Back on November 6, 2013 I was working for Stan and Janice at their farmhouse and was having a struggle with a DOS billing/accounting program (Horizon) and its various issues including an inability to print properly. I was at it for a number of hours and was bending over to the side. Later in the day while still trying to resolve the problems, I noted that I could not feel my feet. This could be particularly disturbing but I knew I had a few damaged disks in my spine so it “had to be” my back. I left it go for months waiting for it to resolve, but it did not. I had just had an MRI in October 2013 and had another in January 2014 after this incident.
I saw a renowned neurosurgeon in Baltimore at University of MD who does surgery on the pro ball players as well as some friends locally like Paula and Judy. Dr Ludwig looked at my recent MRI and some X-Rays he did and concluded “It’s not your back, it’s neurological”. I wasn’t sure if that was good news or bad news. AS much as he is the expert in backs and spines it had to be my back remember? So I waited some more.
On August 4, 2014 I went to Chambersburg for a Nerve Conduction Survey at Parkway Neuroscience Institute. I released the following message to our church prayer chain as there are many loving church family members who are faithful to pray for each other.
Had my test at 3:30 today and I wanted to give you an update.
I went with the outfit in Chambersburg ( pnsi.org ) to preclude a trip to Baltimore. If I need to upgrade to Hopkins, Rita didn’t think we’d have any trouble with our insurance.
From what the doc stated there are two types of nerves. One type he called “touch nerves” or sensory nerves that give us the sensation of touch, warmth, etc. The other nerves are Motor nerves, responsible for controlling our muscles so we can move, walk etc. The doc says my “touch nerves” are either NOT WORKING or not working correctly. (He was really a nice guy but I had some trouble understanding him) For now the motor nerves seem fine. Sometimes the shock lifted me off the table. Rita watched and it seemed other probes went in and I didn’t blink much less move. I had a follow up late this month with my family doc but called on the way home to have it moved sooner to August 18 but that’s still two weeks.
I’ll let you know if I figure anything else out. So far we are calling it bilateral (as in both feet) peripheral neuropathy.
Here’s a link on the mayo clinic site for symptoms http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/basics/symptoms/con-20019948
The Causes section is here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/basics/causes/con-20019948
I see it mentions heavy metals- we handled a lot of solder at MC Controls? Not sure how long the effects would take to show up? I left there in 1995 so that may be too far back?
Also they mention Vitamin deficiences. “Vitamin deficiencies. B vitamins, including B-1, B-6 and B-12, are particularly important to nerve health. Vitamin E and niacin also are crucial to nerve health. Not having enough of these vitamins in your system may cause peripheral neuropathy” I have been taking B6 for months and started B12 after we got back from MX. I bought vitamin E this week and will get started on them too.
My family doc ruled out diabetes with my last round of blood tests but I am expecting there will be more tests.
The doc today looked at my MRI from January and agreed with Dr Ludwig that he did not think my neuropathy was related to my back injury…
Thanks for your prayers
Sam
I’ll just call this Neuropathy part one and see if I can fill in the rest of this chapter before the new results are in.