New member/diagnosis

March 4, 2002

I just wanted to take the time to introduce myself to the PLS group.

My name is Kurt Ohlgren, age 44, Northville MI. I was diagnosed February 02

after 12 months of testing and an initial ALS mis-diagnosis. It has been a

trying year for me, many late nights at the computer checking out the latest

on the ALS/PLS websites. PLS friends & news has really been lifesaver in a

sea of uncertainy. Reading what PLSers go through and to know that we are

not alone is important.

Leg weakness & spasticity, balance, sloppy speach and heightened reflexes

are my most obvious symptoms. I walk with a single point cane depending on

distance and the availablity of an arm to hold. Hand dexterity and muscle

twitches are agravating factors. The downturn in the economy was phasing out

my current job and the PLS was affecting my motor skills so I timed the

demise of my work with early retirement/disabilty. This happened this past

Friday March 1, 02.

If I think back my symptoms started in 97. Having to think about going down

stairs and stumbling on flat surfaces (97). Difficulty getting up from the

floor (98). Falling off the mountain bike forced me onto the roads and flat

ground (99). Falling on flat pavement made me give up the bicycle

alltogether (00). A bad fall in the Denver airportand a few bad spills on

jobsites convinced me to go to a doctor (Feb 01) who sent me to a Neuro, who

mentioned ALS (Apr 01) which led me to an internet search and new Neuro at

the Henry Ford ALS Clinic in Detroit.

Enough about me. I do read all of the e-mails posted on the PLS-New and

PLS-Friends groups. It is important to hear from others in the group even

though nobody want to be part of these groups. The humor is important too,

tatoos and secret handshakes are absurd, but the banter is good for the

soul.

I do have one question that I have not seen addressed. I have twiches in my

muscles, small areas that spasm. These happen all over my body 24/7, arms,

hands, legs, torso, head, you get the picture. Some times the size of a

quarter, sometime the size of my fist. They vary from one twitch to a period

of 20 minutes in length. The ALS crowd calls them faciculations. Does any

body else have these twitches?

Thanks for listening to me

and thanks for being there for me

Kurt Ohlgren

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