This is honestly true........

On July 10t I realised that I hadn't been to the toilet all day since morning of 09th, for either bladder/bowel and had no urge to go either. Early hours of sat July 11th Had the most desperate sensation to pass water and just about managed to get to the toilet. Neither has naturally opened since

Rang dr on monday morn - told ring the A&E Nottingham QMC

Rang A&E and told to get there NOW.

Checked in at mid day and waited 4 hrs to be seen.

Explained problem and a bladder scan showed in excess of 2.5ltr in the bladder!!

After 2 attempts by female dr, she gave up. 1st attempt cath was too small and bendy,2nd, she inflated balloon in shaft of. . . . . you know what. I screamed blue murder in there, felt like 1001 razor blades.....

After 1/2 hr rest male dr did it so easily.

when told to get off trolly, I couldn't.........I had lost all controll of legs. Yes, I can't move my legs at all.......got same reduced sensations as I had, but no movement..

X'fered to a spinal ward and had a MRI on monday evening of the lumbar area. Apart from the scaring, no more abnormalities showed...

Tuesday, had blooby enema, which did nothing, and rested..

Wednessday, a full MRI of spin, which nothing showed.......

Thursday, another bloody enema, again no good

Friday, x'fered to neurology and had another MRI, this time complete neuropathways, and brain. had two dyes injected........again inconclusive.....

So on monday 21st July ....."really looking forward to" lumbar puncture and some thing with magnets over my head and electrodes all over my body.....

Dr thinks that body could have just shut down after 8 years of excessive pain and stress. If thats the case, then I could regain wot I had. However, no idea how long that could take, and if all of previous movement possible !!!!!

Best thing is though, I'M PAIN FREE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! iTS FABULOUS.....

Still giving me my meds, but its so wierd,,,,,everyone thinks I'm out my tree , probably on morphine, but I'm not. I laugh - joke - talk - have confidence, and SMILE ! !! ! ! ! ! !! So basicly paraysed from waist down, However the serious side is that I can't go home, cause I can't get in!!! Ooopppsssss.

Still no bladder/bowel controll, but not messing, the muscles have shut tight! I can't open them. So I have remained cateterised. I have had the finger in the bum treatment and can't clench it.

The burning Question is Should I be so "pleased" to be rid of pain or is the price too high? Least I can start to enjoy a fun life again, not being held back by the pain and poor movement, just got to relearn life skills.... The OT scared me at the thought of manual evacuation. I'm not double jointed, surely thats not possible..........it? what do I do if I can't open the muscles?

Watch this space for daily updates, not I've mobile internet on my laptop,and can use it in hospital.
Drop us a line back, when you've had chance to take this in!!
Cheers AL

Hi,

I was just about to say how sorry I was about your loss of function etc but then I read it meant the loss of pain and how happy you are! So, I'm happy for you too!! I'm a para because of Spina Bifida and can feel nothing from just below my ribs. It sucks but I'm very happy I can't feel pain below there I've discussed with people whether I'd like to have more function...not if it meant pain.

So, I can understand how why you're feeling so happy with your situation!

You know I don't know that you're all that crazy. If you were hurting so bad that it was making it impossible for you to keep functioning than I guess "one man's loss is another man's gain". If the lack of pain is worth the lack of function & you feel you have more quality of life as a full on para than you did when you could feel the pain than no you're not crazy.....just driven crazy by the pain you had been in.

Hi Allister,

You don’t know how good it is to hear a story so similar to my own. I will not go into the full story but I can relate so much with what you’ve said.
I really hope you stay pain free as I know how bad it can be.
After many years my bladder suddenly stopped emptying & my bowls come & go as & when it feels like it. Right leg is dead feeling comes & goes, left leg will sometimes move.
I had a break from the pain for a few months when my legs stopped working which was heaven but it did return. Having said that I am no longer in the constant pain as I was before.

Just glad you're still with us!

Guys



All I can say is, it's nice to know that you don't feel I should be commited under the Mental Health Act and sectioned as a "Damm Crazy Fool"!!!!
This whole roller coaster of a ride is so surreal. laying hear on a hospital bed, if I or anyone shakes my legs, they look like jello ! just wobbling away, Its so WIERD. There so heavy, and alien. like they are no longer part of me.
I'm sure I'll wake up and find out it's just a dream!

I honestly can't get my head around it. It is just shear bliss to be free of the pain. Yes I'm used to using my chair, thats second nature, so far transfers just seem natural, although I have tied my legs in a knot once!

Been told that OT'ss and physo's will start work on me tomorrow (monday)and that I'll be having a lovely lumber puncture

The only part of this that so far remains unclear to me is the toileting. Well, cath'ed at the front,fine, can deal with that. Its the that i've yet to find out how/what etc.....

But THANKS for your support it makes me "normal"
Al

Well it is doubtful that the heaviness will go away so long as the meds to keep the lower 1/2 of you unaware......that was the trade......no feeling pain.......but NO feeling. At THIS point I'm not to where I feel the epidural is warranted, but I have in the past weighed it as a viable option. Pain has pushed me to the brink of despair at times as well, I'm just grateful that I have at least for the time being gotten a handle on it. I share the hope you'll continue to be free of pain now.

Well,the lumbar puncture didn't happen, I'm relieved to say. Instead I was introduced to " ELECTROMYOGRAPHY " Little sensors/conductors stuck to you feet, and a cap of some form placed on your head. I was told to expect a slight tapping sensaion on the scalp, this being the sending and receiving of tiny electro impulses to see if the neuropathways were intact
WHAM BANG thought I'd been hit by a tram. There was enough force in the charge that I cleared the table I was lain on. Landing back down on the base of my spine, causing enough pain to make a grown man cry in pain.
After telling this Doctor what he could do with his sensors, I made a slow transfer and a humble exit.
Spent the rest of the day drifting in and out of sleep with the aid of pain killers.

The results just caused more confusion, by showing the pathways intact.

A psycologist is next on the list I think, because I haven't been phased out with the whole paralasis thing. I'm just happy to be pain free. I had to learn a new way of living 8 years ago, I can do it again, and met each and every challange head on. I have learned how to transfer bed - wc - bed and how get dressed thanx to posts on here, so thanx guys I'd be butt naked in bed otherwise !!

So Here I still lay, in the Neurology dept, on a secure locked ward, because they don't know where to put me. I can't leave the ward unless accompanied by a family member. Christ, its my bladder-bowels and legs that have topped themselves, not the brain.
Its an awfull and depressing place to be, with no help/assistance/learning/teaching from the staff as their not geared to my needs.
Keep asking to be transfered but to no avail as yet......will keep updated