2016-09-06 – reckless adjustment

I know as soon as I get out of bed that my balance isn’t too good this morning.  I’m standing next to the bedroom door and stepping into a pair of trousers when I fall into the door, making a hell of a crash which makes my wife waken in a panic – so much for getting dressed quietly so that she could sleep on a little longer!

Downstairs (correcting my balance a couple of times against the wall), kettle on, make the tea and coffee.  My wife appears shortly afterwards, and continues making a sketch book that she started last night (a present for my aunt, who is visiting from Australia, and who we are going to see this evening).  I take the dog for a walk and decide to do a brisk walk around the football field this morning, rather than tempting fate by jogging again.

I spend the rest of the morning just sitting and shaking, whilst trying to catch up with some emails that I need to reply to – no mean feat when I have such tremor in my legs, and my computer is on my lap.  If I had any sense, I’d put the computer on the dining table and sit up to the table… if I  had any sense…

My tremor is much as it was yesterday – quite vicious!  Dystonia is a little worse this morning, dyskinesia about the same.  I agonise over turning my voltages up on my neurostimulator.  Perhaps I should just adjust one side.  Perhaps I could risk turning one side up by 0.1v rather than 0.05v.  Maybe the dyskinesia won’t return, but what if it does?  In the end, I’m so hacked off with the tremor, I make a reckless adjustment, which I may well regret later on – I increase both sides by 2 increments, so an additional 0.1v on the left and the right (now 1.95v on the left, and 2.15v on the right).  Instantly I can feel the improvement – tremor reduced on both sides, and improved mood as a bonus.  I give myself a good close haircut with the trimmers, have a shave (with only very minor bloodshed), and have a bath.  At least I now look presentable for going to see my aunt tonight.  Dyskinesia is a little more prevalent (I got a few twitches in my right leg while having my bath), but it’s really not too bad (yet).  Tremor is still much improved, although I know it is just below the surface – like a circling shark, I catch the occasional glimpse when it’s dorsal fin breaks through the surface of the water.