Hi, Folks!

[Quixotic1]

Yes, I am still alive and kicking (sometimes on purpose, but, more often, involuntarily).  I am so ready to get back onto the forum, but feel like I have lost my MS mojo - like perhaps everything has changed in the last year.  I took a sabbatical from here from sheer burnout.  I was tired of considering MS every minute of every day.

The last year has been uneventful.  Really quite nice.  I have played around making fiber jewelry, knitting and goofing off.  I still have the nasty fatigue, weak right side, incontinence (I'll be commenting on Laura's Botox soon), trigeminal neuralgia, and spasticity, but the Tysabri seems to be keeping it all in check.  I asked for some physical therapy last spring to help my increasing weakness.  That, apparently was my mistake.

On May 30 while getting into my car to go to PT I tripped - I wasn't paying attention.  I crumpled onto my left leg and went down.  For those of you (most I assume) who don't know me, I have managed to keep all problems neatly in my right leg, thus having a stronger left leg to depend on.  I heard pop pop pop pop and then a snap.  Didn't really feeI anything except a sinking feeling in my stomach as I sank.   I  lay there in the garage, on my back, cursing the gods and counting the spider webs in the rafters.  Our garage in down a deep slope, and I was near the side the car.  Not a soul around.  I could inch toward the door doing a little caterpillar walk between my shoulders and bum, but it was slow and I was in a little shock.  My mom was home, but is deaf as a post and my sister (as usual during emergencies was on vacation).  So, despite my cursing at them, the gods had deemed this to be recycling day.  I heard a truck lumber up my hill so I waved my arms as high and erratically as I could hoping to catch the driver's eye.

Bingo!  Terry, the Trash Guy, was wonderful.  He called 911, got my mom, found my phone and purse, told me some jokes and we had a little party waiting for EMS to arrive.  Extricating me from the wedge between the car and the side of the garage was tricky, but we managed with me executing some positions that can't be shown in polite society.  The ER confirmed that I had indeed fractured the left ankle just above the malleolus (ankle bone)  They tried to put me on crutches to send me home.  Yeah, right!  The pain in my ankle invoked the spasticity in my right leg into high performance.  I stood there, crutches in front with my right leg married to the spot it was on.  Swing it forward?  Not a chance in h*ll.  A statue could not have been more immobile.  I had a dozen people in the ER urging me on as I propelled myself not at all.  "Try!", they cheered.  My right leg just laughed and dug in deeper.

Alas, they would have to admit me, as I was now as mobile as a beached jellyfish.  I had it surgically plated the next morning.  Then we all discovered that my right leg would not allow me to stand and transfer.  So, they told me I was off to a skilled nursing facility.  My self-esteem was nowhere to be found.  In the end, they found a spot in the hospital's highly regarded inpatient rehab facility.  I was trundled off there, and spent three weeks in boot camp.  Three hours of high intensity PT and OT daily.

This was a blessing in disguise.  I had let myself become horribly deconditioned and the workouts were great.  What wasn't great, however was the skin eruption I had to the antiseptic they had painted my left lower leg with during surgery (chlorhexidine, Hibiclens).  Over the first week my skin bumped up, blistered, thickened and blackened under the spint and ACE wraps.  When the itching was unbearable I made them remove the splint and we all gazed in horror on the sight of a leg that looked like it had gangrene (NOT an exaggeration).  Doctors would come in to see it and involuntarily step backwards.  The rash was so deep that I now have cutaneous nerve damage and scarring.  I am still peeling from it.  Maybe I'll load some pictures of it for those of you who like looking at gruesome things.

So, after three weeks, I was released from the hospital a much stronger person.  My legs are coming along nicely, though I still have a Frankensteinian quality to my walk, I am upright and without need of assistance. The fractured ankle is still extremely painful and we are working to prevent a chronic pain complex from developing.  I am lifting free weights and now that I am bicep curling 3 pounds I feel ready for Venice Beach.  That's a whole different story.

So, even though I don't feel I remember much about the science of MS, I am back.  I'll be catching up on the last year's info, but I wanted to step in and say "hi".  I have missed you all and look forward to meeting those of you who have joined more recently.  Maybe, eventually, I will be able to remark sagely and let pearls of wisdom drop from my lips, but for now - it's just plain old Quix.

Still President and Founder of the Support Society for those who talk too much ON-AND-ON ANON.
Quix

[rendean]

WELCOME HOME!!! We've missed you ,but as others have said your legacy lives on. Cant wait for more Quix tlaes.

So sorry to hear about your ankle but am glad you are ready for Venice Beach!!

Gotta run. Time to leave for Tysabri, dose 25 and still JC negative!! :-)

Welcome back Mama Quix!!

Snoopy dance and ice cream coming your way!!!

Ren

[Jacksmom516]

Welcome back!!

I believe your departure coincided with my dx but I have read many of your posts and your knowledge has helped me greatly -  

So sorry to hear about your ankle but so glad to hear that you were found quickly and are on the mend!

Tracy

[doni54]

OMG!!!  You're backkkkkkkk!!!!!  And as usual you tell the best stories I've ever heard, though it all did sound quite painful!!!  I am very happy the Trash Guy rescued you!

I've thought of you often and when I lurk I always check to see if you've been on here.

Please take care of yourself, I'm very happy you're back, I've missed your wonderful sense of humor and your big heart!!!

I'll have to start lurking more often...haha

Hugs,
doni

[maestro1959]

Hello Quix.

I had to look twice to make certain the date on your post was current.  We have had several of your older posts pop up with some of our new members asking questions.

You can surely feel the love and concern for you, and our thrill at your return.  I agree with Laura that you must not let us fatigue you.  Please take time for yourself.  Welcome back.

Most sincerely,
Beth

[karryon55]

I'm sorry to hear of your ordeal but glad you are doing better now. I'm very new around here but I have been reading so many of your helpful health pages for about a year now. I especially liked the thread about what Neuro's often say which had me laughing so bad I was in tears. I use the MRI translation as a guide also.

You have given your medical knowledge to others by making things understandable but also with great humour & compassion. Thank you for this great gift.

I am in limboland which is not made easy by my already existing medical conditions & that I've been on Rituximab for five & a half years. I have been guided by a lot you have written previously & can only say WELCOME BACK & thank you for all the help you have given me without your knowing.

Take Care.........karryon.

[byyygrace]

Quix, I'm so glad you're back! I've been coming here for about a year and a half. I have devoured the health pages while in limbo land! Thank you so much for all of your input on this site. It has really helped me to understand what was happening with my body. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed last September so I guess I'm officially part of "the club".

I am so thankful that you are still kicking! No pun intended. I often wondered about you and prayed that you were alright. Your sense of humor has often brightened my day. Welcome back!

Blessings,
Colin