One night, just as I was falling asleep, my left leg jerked straight out and jumped about 2 inches off the bed, like some macabre can-can. Just a myoclonic spasm, I thought. I have had them frequently throughout my life - not as rigid and dramatic as this one, but because they were not painful, they were never a concern and certainly, I never thought of them as foreshadowing parkinson's
Turned out I might have been wrong. A myoclonic spasm (or myoclonic jerk) can be a perfectly normal occurance, but, it can also be a sign of a neurological disorder such as parkinson's. Glad I didn't know about it when I was young. There are somethings that are better left in the dark.
The myoclonic spasm is only one omen of coming difficulties. I am learning to recognize others. My right calf muscle will sometimes come alive with what feels like the sparks you get when you pick up a static charge - it is telling me that something I am not going to like is going to happen. These stool pigeon sparks are usually accompanied by the occasional foot jerk. I know this won't be a peaceful night. Sure enough, my right calf begins to harden and ache. Nevertheless, I usually fall asleep, only to be disturbed by a nasty charlie horse at some point. I try various methods of relaxing the muscle without getting out of bed and have found that if I assume a fetal position, the muscle relaxes quicker. Going back to the womb for a little reassurance.
I am learning to live with PD and so far, it is really not so bad. Now, if I can only resolve the exhaustion issue.
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