The sensory map is getting really interesting features. Today in the shower, I noted new sensory deficits on my face, around the skin that surrounds my eyes and over my nose. This is a totally new area for lack of sensation. It begins to feel kind of similar to the skin of my belly, which resembles a leather bag. I received anti-coagulant heparin injections daily in the hospital, in the fat area of my belly, and I could only tell when the nurse was applying the cold alcohol swab. I had to ask them to tell me when they completed the injection. They said most patients complained that it was painful and traumatic.
My feet are also withdrawing into la-la land. When I woke from neurosurgery, my left foot felt like a wood block from toes to heel. It has not changed. Now the toes of my right foot are beginning to lose sensation also. More may develop.
In addition, The skin on the back side of my fingers and hands has lost sense of temperature. I noted this testing the shower water.
Seems as though things are changing very quickly. I'll try to keep up. Thanks to those who are following.
7 comments:
If I may ask, are these losses related to the surgery or another problem?
I hope you don't feel an obligation to keep us up to date. I can always call.
Can you talk on the phone?
I'm here. I'm following, as always. I know others are here too. You seem to have quite a silent following.
Please don't worry about what your body is doing. I know it is extremely weird, but it doesn't necessarily mean anything that I can put my finger on. I think that's why they sent you home. They couldn't put their finger on it either, and they know alot of stuff. If they thought you were going to kick the bucket tomorrow, they would have kept you around to watch and see if it was interesting. That's the nice thing about a teaching hospital! LOL
I love you.
Ruth
Patricia,
You ask exactly the same thing I would like to know. I also wonder if these new neurological deficits are just temporary manifestations, like migraine aura, or if they are more permanent developments.
I know about lysosomes and their function within necrotic tissues. In brain tissue that has sustained death of certain tissue due to vascular deficiency, cells die, and in the process, the lysosome organelles release toxic contents that are part of the natural process of the body to summon white blood cells to start cleaning out the dead tissue. In the process, some neighboring cells can also die much later, and so the necrosis spreads to surrounding tissue long after the original stroke initiated the damage.
Anyway, that is one theory I have heard about why the damaged area can grow larger long after the original stroke. And neurological deficits can spread to very closely related areas of function.
Ruth,
Thanks for your invaluable mentoring. I am not stressing about the new deficits -- not too much, anyway. They are sort of a closet of curiuosites more than anything. And I am keeping notes because I think people find it somewhat interesting. Don't you find it to be so?
Patricia,
I woulld welcome a phone conversation, but talking on the phone is taxing and slow for me. Communication over this medium will be far more effective, and others can share. I also hesitate when I consider the expense. Please don't spend any more than you already have. I cherish the card you sent, and will remember you forever as a very dear friend, come what may. I already know this in my heart of hearts -- spending more is not necessary.
Jim -
Another thought about the face numbness -
I have this too. I call it "magnadoodle face". You get this mask kind of feeling, where you can almost trace the numb or dead places on your face, right? This is a side effect of the medication. Funky neuro meds will do this to you, particularly Topamax, and I don't know what the other stuff you're taking does to you, but I'm guessing it does more of the same.
Don't worry too much about it. After years of taking these meds, I just try to be amused by it. Its the icepick to the optic nerve that stresses me out. I have icepicks and you have sharks.
My specialist has even implemented my particular vernacular into her everyday office speak. I get what I call "optical poptitude", which is when it feels like there's a big thumb behind my eye, pushing so hard it might pop out. So Dr. Warner uses the term now. Funny.
Anyway, hang in there. Draw magnadoodle mustaches on your face and have some amusement with it all. You have enough to worry about. This is nothing.
I love you.
Ruth,
I think my magnadoodle just might be similar but different. You remember I talked about the sensation like a firery wind passing across my face at odd moments. It is very uncomfortable. I am sure if real temperaures were sustained, it woud be burninng off my face. But you know that I feel my nose at the moment these waves are passing, and my skin feels cold to my fingers. Thank heaven I still have a very acute thermal sense in my fingers and palms.
I suspect these sensations may either be migraine related weirdness -- just more of the same old mind tricks. Or else some kind of psychotic complex. I know for sure they are in my mind only, and are not related to any physical phenomenon like the lost proprioception and the sudden loss of urinaton ability, among others.
Post a Comment