Atypical Multiple Sclerosis

So, in previous “The Beginning” post I spoke about the very beginning when I first noticed something was wrong, but not quite ready to go to a doctor.  The saga continues.

In addition to my legs not working right, etc, I felt very tired.  My hikes became shorter, I traversed easier trails because I would lose my breath, I felt tired, very tired.  I would even say fatigued.  Then several times heading home with my dogs I passed out while walking.  Opening one eye I spied a sloppy, drippy pink tongue lapping my face.  Then a petite bubble gum tongue.  Then a sloppy, drippy tongue. My lab, followed by my dachshund, lab, dachshund.  You get the picture.  

During a family vacation to Maine, I passed out while we were exploring a jetty.  That was when I told my hubby about the times with my dog.  That Monday I went into my pcp’s office.  Well, being in an office with about twelve other docs, I actually saw a physician assistant.  He did a few tests: follow the finger, lay down take BP (blood pressure), stand up take BP. All seemed fine.  I told him about losing my breath while hiking, that I felt tired.  He set me up with an EEG and a halter monitor to check my heart over three days.  

I followed up with my actual pcp.  The results were normal, of course.  My pcp, I’ll call him Dr. Callous.  Dr. Callous told me I just needed to get in shape, more exercise.  Granted I was not a skinny minnie, but I was not overweight.  In fact, I told him theses events were happening while hiking, that I actually had to REDUCE the intensity and length of these hikes.  While grabbing the door knob, he nodded that patronizing nod and left.  Moronic callous idiot.

Several weeks later I landed in the hospital.  On a family drive through the country I passed out behind the wheel. YES, BEHIND THE WHEEL WITH MY HUBBY AND MY SON IN THE CAR.  I know, scary right.  Well, we took off the top to our Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and hopped in for a Friday night joy ride on some pretty small back roads.  I drove.  I love that Jeep.  And we drove.  After about two hours we pulled into a dirt parking lot of a small ice cream stand.

The great thing about Jeeps is that owners form a bond, a brotherhood so to speak.  There is the Jeep wave as you pass another on the road.  Or, as we experienced at that ice cream stand another family of Wrangler owners came over to chit chat.  It was a nice hour or so just passing the time.  

Dusk set in and we took off for home.  With the top down and the heat blasting we made our way on these back roads.  I was driving into the setting sun for awhile.  Then on a road meant for one car, literally, I felt my system shut down. That is the best way I can describe it.  It is like someone hit the “restart” button on my computer.  

I immediately pulled over put the car in park, just as I went out.  Faded to black.  Faded to black in a weird way.  From my peripheral to my center I felt everything shut down. Then just as quickly everything came back.  Everything you say, yes that is how it felt.  My vision, sense of feeling, heart, consciousness.  SCARY!

Scary not just for me but for my family as well.  Being about and hour and a half away from any civilization my hubby helped me into the back while he took over the driving duties.  Not to scare our son, my hubby and I downplayed the situation.  But, by the time we got home I was beginning to feel better; although, extremely weak.  EXTREMELY WEAK.  

No, I did not go to the hospital then.  But over the course of the next week and a half I had similar experiences. Including slurred speech, numbness, incoordination. Basically, everything but the passing out part.  During the third episode hubby drove me to the hospital.  Enough is Enough he said.  

This is where the story gets interesting.