RLS: need email?

[Guest guest]

There's nothing earth shattering in this letter....so delete it, if you're

in a hurry or looking for fast breaking RLS cures. There IS a reference

to RLS and how the following news will affect my RLS. Just nothing

spectacular.

--------

Hey, some of you guys would just whine at anything. Geeeez! First you get

too much email...then you don't get enough. What are we going to do with

you?????????? *smirk* I've had several people email me on the side and

ask " What's going on with the group....there are so few emails? "

Well...I'd guess it's the holidays. I'd also guess that with the holidays

has come a lot of stress and hence, a lot of RLS. I've gotten several

responses to my " anxiety " email, from others who are stressing about the

holidays. Kate sent me to a great URL on getting organized. The website

is by the Slob Sisters. Good tips. Meanwhile, we've had some pretty

severely depressed people emailing the group, and I think it makes some of

us think we should suck it up and not complain. That's probably good for

us....as long as we don't hold in too much. I know that the last five

nights have been MY worst RLS nights in months...but I tend to do a denial

thing...hoping it will just hurry up and pass. Whatever the reason...I

KNOW you're all still out there and still wiggling and I wish you 'd just

knock it off and quit jumping around!!!!! Great idea, huh?

Here's a little interesting news from my front lines, if you're really

needing email to read. I took up clogging, last year. It's a very fast

paced dance, similar to tap dancing. I started obsessing on it, last

month, and danced my feet right off...trying to learn a few new and harder

songs in a hurry. Truth is....I was being a smartalleck and showing off.

Well, what started as sore feet and a big toe irritation, ended up being a

chronically sore toe and ball of my foot. I finally went to the foot

doctor, yesterday. I'll paste, here, the report (the one I sent out to my

mother, who worries herself sick. It's part of her job description.)

------

Foot doctor report:

I almost didn't make it to the foot doctor appointment...which would have

really made me mad, if I missed it. I went to leave and my car wouldn't

start...dead battery. I have a Battery Buddy, but when I pushed the button

it put the light on and then when I let go, it went off. So, finally, I

called Steve and asked him to come home and get me to the doctor. Called

the doctor to say I would be late. Then, I went down to close up the car

and hood, etc. Had to try it one more time...this time with force, because

I was mad. Funny...but I guess you have to push that button hard, until it

clicks. Duh!!! So, the car started and I drove 2.5 miles to the main road

and intercepted Steve when he got there. Got to the appointment in plenty

of time, just didn't have to wait long. (Doctors are always behind.)*******

Dr. Levin...if you're reading this....don't take it personally...I was just

venting. ******

The doctor poked and proded and pushed and bent and twisted everything in

the area that was sore. Now, it's more sore than when I went there.

Typical, eh? He xrayed it, too. He says there's no fracture visible and

that it's acting much more like nerve damage or strain, which is easily

aggravated anytime I flex my big toe. Also, there's a VERY tender spot

right behind the ball of my foot, where a tendon connects to everything.

He says that's messed up, too. The official terminology for it all is

Sesmoiditis; Tendonitis Flexor Halluci Brevis; Entrapment of nerve. Sounds

pretty official, don't it? From what I can tell...it's like carpul

tunnel syndrome of the big toe. LOL

The remedy? QUIT AGGRAVATING IT!!!

HOW??? Ya got me! LOL He talked about using a surgical boot...or soft

cast...but that's a real pain in the rear and ends up making you walk

funny, until you end up with hip or back problems. No thank you. We

decided the best thing was to try a stiff hiking boot and just avoid things

that aggravate it. I just walked down stairs....THAT is something I " ll

have to change. You can't do it the normal way without flexing that spot.

And it HURTS! So, I'll one-step it, going down, from now on. I'll also

work to break myself of the habit of curling my foot under me...or

squatting down and bending up on my toes.

Funny...but one of the solutions to an RLS attack is to do heel lifts (up

on your toes). Guess I won't do those, either. In fact, this whole thing

is NOT a good situation with RLS, because the best thing for me is to sit

and rest. That's exactly when the RLS kicks up. Sheeeesh!

The bad news is...this takes even longer than a break or fracture, to heal.

In fact, it can take 6-8 weeks IF IF IF you don't reinjure it during that

period. Yea, right. Looks like I won't be clogging. That's kewl, though.

They're preparing for a talent show in January and I really did NOT want to

be in it. LOL I'll shoot for my birthday in April and be happy if I " m

dancing before that.

Meanwhile, I'm going to work with Steve to develop a new exercise program.

My favorite was the 20 minute workout...but that's no good, either...at

least, not the aerobic part. Looks like I'm going to take up weight

lifting. Yeeehaw!! Gonna be BUFF!!! MAYBE some stationery bike

stuff...but not now, while my foot is hurting so much.

Well..that's the foot news. Fun, huh?

Now, didn't you just enjoy the hell out of that story? Trina,(my daughter

in law) read it and didn't realize until the end (where I said, " Love,

Jill " ) that it was really MY story of MY foot. She thought it was one of

those forwarded cyberspace funnies that people send around to everyone. It

just didn't have a punch line. Sheeeesh! LOL

----

For all you RLS folks who are still reading.....Oh...there's only two of

you? Ray? Lois? Jack? Nope...lost all of them. Well, whoever you

are...have a nice day and walk around the house a few times for me.

Jill, 46

Payson, AZ

http://www.netzone.com/~gunzel/rls.html

[Guest guest]

Ah Jill, What a Nutball!!!!!:-) I didn't know I had a twin. You really

fixed yourself didn't you! I've never tried clogging but there's a group

that performs at the Tunbridge World's Fair and I love to watch them. Makes

my feet itch to try it. Although my background was in ballet I've always

cherished the wish to take up tap. Who knows, where there's life there's

hope.

I'm so far behind in preparations for Christmas I'll never catch up. I'm

just now winding the warp for 4 scarves that are to be presents. OI VAY!

Procrastination is my middle name. Besides I've found that having a 5 month

old pup is like having a toddler in the house. Every couple of hours I take

a trip with him outside for the necessaries and STILL he leaves presents for

me in the house. I'm just not consistent enough with keeping him in his

crate when I'm busy doing something else and he's out of sight for a minute

or two. He had his " surgery " yesterday and now he has to wear a cone on his

head to keep from worrying what " naughty bits " he has left. So till the

weekend except when he's eating, drinking or tearing around outside he has

that funny looking thing on as he careens around bumping into everything.

The cat just keeps out of range and peers from the perimeter at his

goings-on.

I'm still taking the DHA but like some of the RLS medications I don't think

it has had any beneficial effect. Ah well, nothing ventured etc.

Aside - someone noticed that I have a mezusa (spl?) on my doorpost and was

puzzled. Knowing I'm a Deaconess in my church she remarked pointing to it,

" Jeanne, ain't that Jewish? " I just grinned and replied, " Of course it is.

Didn't you know that Christianity is Jewish? "

What a wonderful time of the year even with all the stress involved.

Growing up in Brooklyn our Jewish pals always wanted to have a decorated

tree and Santa Claus like us Christians and we wanted to receive the

presents each day for all those days along with the gold covered chocolate

coins etc they received during Hanukkah.

Time for bed. Got a long trip ahead of me tomorrow to the Veterans

Hospital. Knocks me out for at least one day after.

CHEERS!

Jeanne and Mr. Biggles in Poultney, VT