Living with M.S.

"Living with M.S. is sort of like training for a long race. The harder you try, and the longer you keep at it, the stronger you become.
Eventually, looking back, you may be amazed at the power you possessed, even when you had no idea it was within your reach." (Linda Ann Nickerson)

Wednesday

Ever have a MonStrous head-to-toe MS headache?




People sometimes say multiple sclerosis is all in our heads. OK, to some extent, that may be true, even though the dreaded MS MonSter can affect the rest of our bodies. It starts with the central nervous system (CNS), which technically includes the brain and the spine.

Some days, it’s all downhill from there. Pain and cramping and muscle spasms and overall agony may start in the head, but the whole shebang can creep right down through the neck and spine to the whole body.

I have a head-to-toe MS headache today. Maybe you know what that feels like.

It means I have a whopper of a brain-pain attack. But it also means my neck is locked in a crazy cramp. My vision is a little sketchy. My core is sore. My legs are stiff. And my hands and feet feel frosty cold, even though I am warm overall. I find myself shaking a bit, especially my hands. And the nasty old MS vertigo has me reeling again.

As it goes with MS headaches, this one woke me up long before dawn.

That might be the worst part. The pain makes one desperate to climb out of bed and clomp to the medicine cabinet for relief. But, at the same time, rising to walk feels like a terribly tall order at such a time.

Thankfully, this sort of headache tends to pass within a day or so.

I surely do hope this one does.

Image/s:
Created by this user, including public domain artwork

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