Help with neurological issue (muscle weakness, lack of strength)

[Sharper200206]

Posting here as I feel like I'm grasping at straws right now in helping my mom right now with a neurological issue. She's 72, was fairly mobile and active, ex-smoker (quit 10 years ago), non-drinker.  She's had high blood pressure, but it is well controlled with medication. For her neurological issue, the story is below.

For the majority of this year, my mother has been experiencing muscle weakness, limited mobility (unable to raise her arms above her head, use her hands to grasp any objects), frequently falling due because of her inability to support herself to stand. Countless emergency room visits later with her attending doctor prescribing intravenous steroids to build her strength up. Her blood work and MRIs all came back relatively normal, but her neurosurgeon diagnosed her with posterior cervical three-six decompression and fusion. The recommendation was to perform surgery to remove bones and alleviate the decompression and a rigorous physical therapy regimen after. This surgery was performed on September 2nd.

Fast forward to now and she's essentially in the same and almost in a worse state. Last week, she was on her way to physical therapy with my father's aid, but she was so weak that she collapsed and was too weak to get back up. She was taken to the ER and kept for observation, but was released to go home. Today she fell while trying to get out of her chair and went to the hospital but she was promptly released again.

Her physical therapist is concerned with her lack of progress and her neurosurgeon is as well. He feels she should be much further along in her recovery. He does want to bring her case to the medical board, but that won't happen until the beginning of 2022.

My concern is her condition is still deteriorating and I don't know what kind of shape she will be in by early 2022. Is there anyone that could consult on the next steps that we can actively take? Or wait until we hear back from her neurosurgeon?

[SassyLassie]

Hello~I am so sorry that your mother is suffering like this. I have a question, has she been checked for Multiple Sclerosis?  Normally, it starts in the late 40's to 50's, but any age can get it. I would have a talk to her doctor about this.

[Sharper200206]

Hello - thank you for getting back to me. She has been checked for Multiple Sclerosis and the doctors ruled that out in the course of testing. I do agree that her symptoms sound similar to this condition.

Her current doctor agrees they're missing something - but they just can't pinpoint it.