A Week with Dystonia

For shits and giggles, I thought I would provide a summary of my last week as it pertains to my generalized dystonia with a side of chorea (Oooh! Exciting!):

Monday, March 5, 2007
– Feeling great! Have a great workout! Work was great! Life’s great! Am a bit sniffly and I’m worried that I’m getting Kurt’s cold.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007
- Wake up with the start of a cold.
- Triggered by a touch from behind (my penultimate boss’ assistant grabbed my arm – sorry, no dirty story), which curled my right foot and both hands and caused my abs to contract, pulling me forward but I am able to walk
- Triggered by noise, as I have to knock on the door to the office because I forgot my key. Go into full body posture (legs up, shoulders pulled, arms sticking out, hands splayed, feet curled, neck pulled to the side) on the floor save the abs, which spasm hard. Mail Room Pat lets me into the office and we kind of drag/pull me in from the hall so no one steps on me – thanks Mail Room Pat! Because I’m lying down, my head is knocked on the floor every time my abs let go – ouch! A coworker brings me a sweater to put under my head. I kind of also want an advil or something. In five minutes, my body relaxes enough so I can get up. My feet are curled, my shoulder is pulled down, my neck is tilted and my abs are contracted, but I can walk to my desk. Throughout the morning, symptoms improve. At noon, I can walk a couple of blocks aided by my husband. By 2:30, after a branch meeting with our new ad agency, I am back to normal.

Wednesday, March 7, 2007
- Yup, it’s a cold.
- Fine throughout the day and am not symptomatic save for a slight “itching” feel in my abdominals and leg muscles (it isn’t really an itch, but it the best I can come up with to describe it).
- That evening, I get into a fight with my hubby over driving me somewhere as I’m not comfortable behind the wheel of a 1000 pound death machine when a horn honk might set me off. My foot ends up curling up and my hands splay out. It lasts about 5 minutes. Stress can set me off when I’m symptomatic and I find fighting with people (interpersonal stress) to be difficult to manage.

Thursday to Sunday , March 8 to 11, 2007
- I’m fine except for a wicked cold.
- Am able to do weight training but hold on the HIIT on the weekend.

Monday, March 12, 2007
- Wake up tired with that itchy feeling in my muscles again. My cold is almost gone, though.
- Have the occasional (like a couple or so an hour) muscle spasm in my abdominals throughout the day but that is it and I wonder why it wants to act up.
- Hubby slaps me on the ass (he does this, whatever) and my abdominals clench and my right shoulder pulls down. It lasts about a minute. Again I wonder why it is acting up.
- Oh, never mind, I get my period. It always acts up when I get my period.
- By 9:00, I’m fine again so I do HIIT.