It has been almost a year since the diagnosis of Hashimoto's Encephalopathy (SREAT) was decided upon by the Neurologist. A rare disease, it often goes undiagnosed. Fortunately, not here. To begin with CJD and Alzheimers were considered to be the culprits. The initial craziness which lasted about three weeks involved extreme paranoia followed by 'me' disappearing altogether for a while before gradually re-entering into a mad world of hallucination which completely covered and occluded that world which most people accept as a place of normality. 'Me'... I regularly held court with a flock of budgies while oblivious to anyone or anything else.
It has been a weird year.
This new year brought a relapse which has necessitated the doubling of medication dose and the addition of an immunosuppressant.
Lack of concentration interferes with much of what used to be normal in my life. Although my ability to read has come back to a great extent, it has been hard work. However watching films [and TV] remains a bit iffy. In fact, I can take or leave them. I guess the biggest disappointment is my inability to do formal translations from Sanskrit. Sanskrit has been a passion for most of my life and I suppose continues to be so but now I merely read rather than make formal translations with commentary. This may return. My painting has also suffered. This is partly due to lack of focussed concentration but also to a loss of motor skills. My hands invariably shake as soon as any demands are put upon them. While the headaches have reduced they have by no means disappeared - unlike words. I sometimes have to scrabble for words, especially when tired, which tends to happen anytime after midday depending on sleep pattern. Yet another casualty of this insidious disease.
With hindsight it seems clear that the problems started sometime in 2010 - unsteadiness, falls, tiredness, headaches, weight loss, disorientation etc. But there was no way to know. as a Psoriatic Arthritis sufferer I merely put such things down to an inflammation flare up.
Who knows what this year will bring! I have started a painting blog - http://mwright-art.blogspot.com/ in an effort to encourage 'me' to get on and paint a bit (painting being one of the things which has dropped away from me). And also a Sanskrit blog - http://sabdadvaita.blogspot.com/ in the hope that it might encourage 'me' to continue with my Sanskrit/Linguistic interests. The latter is proving to be the hardest to get excited about. Strange it having been a life long obsession.
Headache is on the rise so I shall sign off for now.
Hello. Me too HE. A comfort 2 read this entry & know I M not crazy alone. I so relate/empathize re. word search, word loss, loss/recovery of rdng. and text-based fun, and challenges of cognitive/visual processing - like TV - and the omnipresent brain fatigue. I did once paint too but tremours kinda interfere. Yes I get the coping with multiple symptoms and side effects of medications. I sent my best wishes for recovery and/or remission. Take care. Big Smiles I will try to remember to wander back to visit. I do not FB or blog due to distractability.
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