Saturday, October 12, 2013

About the Benign Essential Tremors....

Shhh. Don't say it too loud, but I think my "benign essential tremors" are not present any more!
Why do I think that? Well, for one thing, the neurologist said he thinks the Primidone is working, and second, I just don't feel the tremors any more.
I went yesterday to a Senior Citizen's Craft Fair yesterday with a friend. This event is huge, and I mean, huge. It fills the Exhibits Hall of Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, with tables and tables of hand-made crafts.
My "craft" was 25 copies of Sabbath's Gift, Sabbath's House and Forces of Nature, all published by moi, and discounted to $8.00. I wandered by the table and took a quick look at the stack and it seemed a bit smaller....maybe sold 3-4 books. Yesterday was the 2nd day of the Fair, and today will be the last. Rumor has it that Thursday afternoon is the busiest. It was fairly busy yesterday, as far as I could see. The check-out lines were long, even though they had about 8 lines for quick check-out.
Anyway, after walking all over the place, albeit slowly (I had to put on the brakes at the jewelry counters) and conversing with my friend, who had brought her three-pronged cane that has a small seat attached, if needed, but neither of us took advantage of it.
So when we left, I with just the purchase of banana bread, and she with a Christmas wreath and a couple of little girls dresses, and walked back to the car, I was feeling fairly tired, but noticed I wasn't shaking at all.
Compared to a month ago, this little trek would have done me in. If I had gone, that is. I had become almost a recluse, not leaving the house for days, because everything exhausted me.
Now, look at me! No shaking. No feeling of utter fatigue.
Let's hope this will not be just a fluke, and the next time I go somewhere, I won't return exhausted.


Wednesday, October 2, 2013

My Neurologist's Appointment

If I have to go to a neurologist, I'm glad he's the one. Young guy (at my age, all doctors are young) very observant.
We reviewed how I was doing after increasing the Primidone to 50 mg. in the morning and one at night. Gave me a new prescription for that. He had me do the usual exercises and said I was "rock solid" for standing still and holding my arms out while my eyes were closed. Then he had me walk across the room; I had told him I was having issues with balance. He observed me and said, "You're walking with some hesitation; your left leg seems a bit slower than the right." I told him that's what I felt when I got up from my chair to do something, and my left leg insisted on leading me the wrong way, if it doesn't absolutely give way and tries to make me fall. Of course, I couldn't duplicate that in the doctor's office.
So all in all, he thinks the meds are working, and we're keeping it that way until January, when I have my next appt.
I'm still wondering if this is a part of lupus acting up, or if it's something else apart from the lupus. It really doesn't matter, i suppose, as long as I'm being treated for these benign essential tremors.
I have an appt. with my rheumatologist next week. I've done the lab tests, so he'll be able to see if I'm in a flare or not.
It's always something.