Up & Down

Up & Down

 

Up & down

Up & down.  Up & down.  One must be describing the New York Stock Exchange, right?  (No, that would be mostly down.)  How about a public opinion poll?  Or maybe gas prices?  (No, that would be mostly up!)

 

Specifically, what I am trying to explain is my activity level.

You see, I can’t sit still.  Ants in the pants.  Hyper.  (Yeah, I WISH that was the reason!)

 

I get up and move a lot.  Because if I don’t—spasticity hits me like a semi-truck.

And you may be just the same!

 

 

Fifteen to twenty minutes–maybe a half-hour, is all it takes before “stiffness” locks us on target with the accuracy of a fighter plane’s gunsight.

 

MS putting the squeeze on
MS putting the squeeze on

 

 

Sit far too long and when you rise…be slapped back to reality with a full-body spasm that forces you to stand there like a mannequin at Macy’s!

 

Spasticity’s timer makes it difficult to attend things like school assembly’s, sporting events, movies, church services and AA meetings.

 

stiff pants

 

Yes, I have worn those pants…and it is not fun!

 

 

 

 

So I am up & down as often as a Duncan yo-yo.

Family members tell me to sit down and relax.  But you know how that goes—we have MS, so we are always twitching, moving & fidgeting as though we sat on our car keys!

 

My Odd Sock Labs' detailed study
My Odd Sock Labs' detailed study

 

 

In fact, at My Odd Sock Labs, researchers have conducted a study of my “up & down” activity as represented by the graph to the right.

I go like this (a hamster on a wheel) until I can’t go anymore…

 

 

M.O.S. is D.O.A.
M.O.S. is D.O.A.

 

 

…and I crash.  Falling into a chair.  Or onto the couch.  Or just plain falling.

 

 

 

 

 

“A body at rest, stays at rest.”

 

I think about that phrase quite often.  And so I move.  And I encourage you to do the same.

Move what you can—when you can—for as far as you can.  It’s as simple as that.

 

Do you have the “up & down” feeling?  How do you handle the urge to move when MS makes it difficult to do so?

 

Well, I’ll end this discussion as I have been sitting here for 90 minutes now, and I am NOT looking forward to the impending spasm which will greet me like the family dog as I fumble to my feet.

But, I suppose it is better than the opposite!

sock

3 Replies to “Up & Down”

  1. I know exactly what you mean — there’s no happy medium for us. Sit too long and you risk rigor mortis setting in; move too much and you collapse. I feel like a jack in the box!
    Peace,
    Muff

  2. My body at rest can’t rest until my legs are so wore out and myself that hitting the pillow I am out an probly look like a fish out of water with legs still spazing. I know about the 20 minutes very well.
    I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas!