Stress and MS..... We all know it happens but I had a most interesting experience recently regarding intense, short-term stress. This might be long....
I downhill ski. Yes, I realize how fortunate I am to still be able to ski. I also have what I call my, "wonky leg". Basically, I have spasticity and a limp. I have both a cervical and thoracic lesion that cause it to not function at 100%. Since my relapse a year ago I can not bend it more than 90 degrees. It is often stiff, hence the spasticity but I keep on going.
I was skiing in Whistler, British Columbia - The Rockies. The hard stuff at the very summit of Blackcomb Mountain. I took a pretty bad fall (Google, " yard sale skiing" and watch a video and you'll understand what I mean by a bad fall
). After laying there, on the ski run, for a few minutes and assessing my state I decided I was okay. Of course, this is after half a dozen people stopped to pick up allll my gear that came off and stood there making sure I wasn't requiring the help of ski patrol or, worse, an air-vac. Yes, embarrassing! Anyway, after I did a quick head to toe assessment of myself I got up, dusted off all the snow, and put my skis back on.
Here's where stress and MS come together.....
I started down the hill again only to discover that I could NOT engage that wonky leg to make a right turn. My brain could not get the signal to my leg. I had never experienced complete lack of ability getting a limb moving. It scared the crap out of me! So I stood there and just calmed myself and focused on breathing. After about ten minutes my brain-to-leg connection started working again and I was fine the rest of the trip. I shared because I thought it was an interesting example of how an intense, sudden stressor can adversely affect our MS status.
I am grateful for this gift of still being able to ski. And now I deal with a week of increased spasticity from the increased use and muscle fatigue. In short, I am knackered in each and every way. I feel like I need a week laying around on the couch with my dog. But, alas, here I am at work. With MS it always seems we have to give A LOT to enjoy a little.
I downhill ski. Yes, I realize how fortunate I am to still be able to ski. I also have what I call my, "wonky leg". Basically, I have spasticity and a limp. I have both a cervical and thoracic lesion that cause it to not function at 100%. Since my relapse a year ago I can not bend it more than 90 degrees. It is often stiff, hence the spasticity but I keep on going.
I was skiing in Whistler, British Columbia - The Rockies. The hard stuff at the very summit of Blackcomb Mountain. I took a pretty bad fall (Google, " yard sale skiing" and watch a video and you'll understand what I mean by a bad fall
). After laying there, on the ski run, for a few minutes and assessing my state I decided I was okay. Of course, this is after half a dozen people stopped to pick up allll my gear that came off and stood there making sure I wasn't requiring the help of ski patrol or, worse, an air-vac. Yes, embarrassing! Anyway, after I did a quick head to toe assessment of myself I got up, dusted off all the snow, and put my skis back on.Here's where stress and MS come together.....
I started down the hill again only to discover that I could NOT engage that wonky leg to make a right turn. My brain could not get the signal to my leg. I had never experienced complete lack of ability getting a limb moving. It scared the crap out of me! So I stood there and just calmed myself and focused on breathing. After about ten minutes my brain-to-leg connection started working again and I was fine the rest of the trip. I shared because I thought it was an interesting example of how an intense, sudden stressor can adversely affect our MS status.
I am grateful for this gift of still being able to ski. And now I deal with a week of increased spasticity from the increased use and muscle fatigue. In short, I am knackered in each and every way. I feel like I need a week laying around on the couch with my dog. But, alas, here I am at work. With MS it always seems we have to give A LOT to enjoy a little.
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