2008-2009 Some of my neurological symptoms changed while others stayed the same. I still had increased numbness on the left side (arm, leg, crotch, and face) and shooting pains (hand and feet), and the feeling of being off balance stayed constant as well. I really started to bump into things every now and then (mainly… Continue reading 2008-2009
Author: Average Joe
Welcome to the Average Joe Weekly blog. This is basically my place on the web where I can help spread some of the knowledge that I have accumulated over the years. I served 10+ years in the Marine Corps on Active Duty, but that was some 25 years ago.
December 2007
Neurologist #5 (Dr. S) Then I finally got accepted into Johns Hopkins Medicine, which is like the end all be all for Neuroscience in the United States. I remember the long drive up to Baltimore and being all excited to finally skip all this BS and get somewhere in this process. Well, that turned out… Continue reading December 2007
March 2006
Neurologist #4 (Dr. L.) In early March 2006, we finally visited the next round of neurologists. This time we chose the Department of Neurology – University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia. I remember not being overly impressed by the office, but what struck me as odd, was that I was asked to… Continue reading March 2006
December 2005
December 2005 I decided that I would describe what this was all like, the best that I can, so here I go, currently, my symptoms can best be described as it is like wearing an elbow-length rubber glove on one hand with a tight rubber band on your wrist. Now on the other arm, you… Continue reading December 2005
October 2005
October 2005 By now my symptoms have changed, the biggest changes from six months ago are an increase in the shooting pains in my hands and feet, shaking when performing fine movements, and cold feelings in my left knee. The rest of the symptoms from before are still there and having fun with me. Neurologist… Continue reading October 2005
April 2005
April 2005 At this point in the game, my symptoms are still the left side numbness as a constant and the right side less numb and not as constant as the left. I have a heavy foot when I walk and my short-term memory is pretty much in the toilet. I get tired very easily… Continue reading April 2005
March 2005
March 2005 My first appointment with Dr. Doogie was the standard basic high-level exam, pinpricks, reflexes, plantar reflex checking for the Babinski response, taking my shoes and socks off and walk back and forth barefooted, then I had to walk back and forth and do squats in my underwear and shirt, then there were grip… Continue reading March 2005
October 2004
October 2004 This was going to be my first time in the MRI tube. Now if you don’t know what an MRI is, it is technically called Magnetic Resonance Imaging, but to me, it was better known as a torture table. If you have never had one, basically you are strapped to a table, but… Continue reading October 2004
April 2004
April 2004 In 2004 my symptoms included forgetfulness (I would transpose names and dates. Say the wrong word in the wrong spot…), fatigue (taking naps in the middle of the day just to get through the day), and loss of appetite (comes and goes ). loss of sexual desire (comes and goes), loss of sexual… Continue reading April 2004
2003
2003 My first note states that in 2003 I could feel my heartbeat while I was resting, sometimes it was very hard. This is a very disturbing thing for me for some reason. Years later, I learned that this was Premature Ventricular Contraction (PVC). PVCs are extra, abnormal heartbeats that begin in one of the… Continue reading 2003
