Large- and small-motor skills can be affected by multiple
sclerosis, either temporarily or progressively (perhaps depending upon the type
of MS a person battles). It may be related to balance issues, dizziness,
numbness, pain, sight loss, spasticity, or other MS effects.
Let’s look at
spasticity for a moment.
When I was a kid, being called a “spazz” was a terrible
playground put-down. It was one of the worst tags with which youngsters might
hit one another. Drop the ball in gym class, stumble over a curb, or fall of a
swing. Here comes that dreaded word.
Wig out a little, hooting and hollering or tearing around
with some excess energy, and the “spazz” word might crop up again.
As I grew older and discovered family members and friends had
neurological issues (long before my own MS diagnosis), the word took on a more
personal meaning.
Spasticity is no
laughing matter when it’s real.
This s-word can strike suddenly, locking random muscles up
painfully, so they refuse to move the way we intend them to. They may even
twitch. It’s not pretty.
MS is often called an
“invisible disease.”
It’s one of those wacky medical conditions that other people
may not readily recognize. As MS warriors, we might look pretty good on any
given day, even though the MS MonSter is raging against us. Our smiles may even
still light our faces, while our bodies are betraying us in weird and wacky
ways.
Maybe we drop things. We might literally bounce off walls,
making our way down a corridor. Perhaps we stagger a bit or drag one foot when
we shuffle through a parking lot. It’s a coordination issue. And trust me: It’s
harder for us to slug through it than it is for others to have to watch.
Images:
Word cloud generated by Kicking MS to the Curb - All rights reserved
Word cloud generated by Kicking MS to the Curb - All rights reserved
Series title graphic adapted from public
domain artwork.
You are invited to join the Kicking
MS to the Curb page on Facebook and the Making the
Most of MS board on Pinterest.
No comments:
Post a Comment