Last Fall curious symptoms began to present themselves. I found myself unable to maintain a normal posture, either seated or standing. Rather, I slumped to my left, somewhat like a sailor’s list to port. The shift occurred so slowly that I wasn’t aware of it until I suddenly discovered my left shoulder drooping to the left and forward, my left elbow jabbing into my belly.
Other times this syndrome presented itself as my being unable to walk a straight line, but drifting, crab-like, to my left. (Without even a whiff of alcohol to blame the unsteadiness on!) To support myself in an upright, sitting posture required an intense focus and effort, something one doesn’t normally even have to pay attention to.
These symptoms sound to me like lingering effects of a stroke, but no other evidence presented itself to confirm such a diagnosis. And so, with more urgent and critical issues to address, this condition remained unidentified and untreated. It is hard to know if this is a weird manifestation of cancer or something else entirely. Like so many other symptoms and side effects I’ve experienced during the course of this illness, the appearances are ephemeral with minimal disability.
Recently, Michael and I were out walking. He trailed behind a few steps and noticed that I was walking a straight line and that my posture no longer tilted to the left. This must be the fabled straight and narrow path! Again, the improvement was so gradual that I was barely aware of it.
A medical mystery remains unresolved. We are inching forward towards “better” slowly but surely. Thanks for the companionship on this, occasionally weird, journey.
Copyright 2008
www.lindalater.blogspot.com
Posted July 28, 2008
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
