This page last updated April 8, 2006
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Organized 1995 |
on the Alabama-Florida-Mississippi Gulf Coast |
Organized 2000 |
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Muscle Spasms By Larry Ready On one of my first trips to see Dr. Peach he asked if I ever had muscle twitching or spasms. When I answered “No” Ginger interrupted and told him that my muscles twitched every night, sometimes so much so that the entire bed shook. Apparently I was so used to the twitching that I didn’t notice. Later, during the Physical Therapy evaluation, the therapist noted muscle spasms in my upper and lower back! When I told her that I didn’t have muscle spasms she laughed and told me that I was having muscle spasms on the table during the evaluation! Again, I was so used to “sore” and “tight” muscles that I didn’t realize I was having spasms. Dr. Peach explained to me that a spasm isn’t necessarily sudden or spasmodic. Sometimes a muscle is contracted and stays contracted due to overuse, abuse, and over firing of nerve endings. When we walk we use our shoulder muscles and the muscles between the shoulder blades to swing our affected leg forward. This is overuse of these muscle groups and there is a price to pay. I knew that I had a hard time sleeping; I would toss and turn and just couldn’t get comfortable. It was a surprise and a relief to discover that this was due to muscle spasms and could be easily treated. This began my journey through the world of muscle relaxants such as Skelaxin, Flexoril, Soma, and now Lyrica. These have made more difference in and have improved my sleep and my life beyond my wildest hopes. Dr. Richard Bruno conducted sleep studies on seven polio survivors, all of whom denied having nighttime muscle twitching, yet four had spouses who reported twitching. All seven of them were found to have significant muscle movement during sleep and all seven had disturbed sleep as a result! The majority of polio survivors have disturbed sleep due to pain…or muscles twitching or jumping (and) polio survivors are usually not aware that they twitch! (Dr. Richard Bruno) My suspicion is that out of our group, I’m not the only one with muscle spasm! If 100% of the seven survivors sent for sleep studies due to difficulty sleeping had abnormal muscle movement during sleep, and if Dr. Bruno is right about more than half of all polio survivors having disturbed sleep; it seems likely that our group contains several un-diagnosed “twitchers”. Most of polio survivor’s problems are manageable but can’t be completely overcome. In my experience the one area most nearly solved by treatment is muscle soreness, muscle pain, and its effect on sleep. Properly prescribed and used, muscle relaxants very nearly allow normal sleep. As always, talk with your doctor. While “your mileage may vary” I urge you to consider a trial with a muscle relaxant. |
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MOBILE AREA POST-POLIO SUPPORT GROUP meets the 4th Saturday each month except November & December at 1 pm West Regional Branch Mobile Public Library |
PENSACOLA POST-POLIO SUPPORT GROUP meets the 3rd Saturday every month at 10 am Baptist Towers 1717 North E and Avery Streets, Pensacola, Florida |
Notes from the April meeting....Vera Moore reporting Camping was the opening topic at the April 23, meeting MAPPSG. We rejoiced as Sylvia Bern reported we will be taking our very own personal counselors with us. These are two of the University of Mobile nursing students who visited at our March meeting. Sylvia had made the contact, invited the young women to accompany us and worked out all the arrangements with Camp ASCCA and Goodwill Easter Seal staff. Sylvia also reported that the Head Injury Group will be camping at the same time this year and that we are invited to attend Sunday morning worship in the Chapel with this group. It was agreed the letter to the Festival of Flowers seeking access to the 2007 event should be shared in the newsletter. A discussion of difficulties with city and county parking facilities as well as problems accessing services provided in the City County Municipal Complex resulted in the request that a letter be composed listing failures and suggested remedies. Once the letter is composed Patsy Adams will present the letter in person to the Mobile Advisory Commission for the Disabled, where she regularly monitors the meetings. It will also be sent to the Mobile Press Register and hopefully printed as a Letter to the Editor. Sylvia Bern reported she had designed, built and delivered a MAPPSG display for The Polio Exhibit scheduled to begin May 1, 2006. While the exhibits are all on the first floor, several persons were asked to make early visits to the Mobile Medical Museum and report any problems with accessibility. A table has been secured by MAPPSG for a May 10th related event at the Country Club of Mobile where the speaker will be David M. Oshinsky, Pulitzer Prize winner for 2006 in History for his book, “Polio: An American Story.” The Polio Exhibit includes a working iron lung and Darwin Singleton will be doing special news reports from the exhibit on Channel 15. Larry Ready reported good results from the new medication, Lyrica. Larry explained that Lyrica works on central nervous system. In people with nerve pain, some cells are over-excited because they are damaged. This causes the cells to fire too many signals throughout the body, resulting in pain. LYRICA works by attaching to part of the over-firing nerve cells. This is thought to help to reduce the pain signals that cause the symptoms of nerve pain. Patsy Adams mentioned she had heard many reports of good results of the medication at Providence Wellness Center. We express thanks to Sylvia Bern for being a faithful, delightful, and able facilitator at the MAPPS meetings but it highlights regrets of the poor attendance. Unfortunately, our participation has fallen sharply in recent months, so much so that we have become reluctant to invite outside speakers to take part. Attendance, we realize is dependent on may things as we grow older, the weather, illness, however it is not fair to allow Sylvia to go to the trouble of planning our meetings, when out of a mailing to nearly 200 we have a gathering of only ten persons on a beautiful spring day. We are organized to be supportive and do so requires participation in our common purpose. We acknowledge the fourth Saturday may be confusing for some when often our meeting day happens to be the last Saturday of the month. Please remember we meet on the 4th Saturday of each month, except November and December. We attempt to mail the newsletter the week before our MAPPSG meeting in order for it to serve as a reminder to the Pensacola Group as well and MAPPSG. It is our sincere hope that we will reestablish enthusiasm for our monthly time together and be able to recruit leadership both from within the current regular attendees as well as others from the vast community of polio survivors. We continue to seek ways to cultivate within our group and project a sense of shared commitment to support all survivors, one on one, and through our newsletters.
Attendance April
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Notes from the April meeting.... Leigh Dethlefs reporting Our meeting this month was small compared to the last two months. We had ten people attend our last meeting before our trip to camp. The ones that have planned to go are very anxious for that weekend to get here. We always have such a great time and look forward to it every year. It's great this year that it is not on mothers day. We will let you all know at the next meeting how it went. Our next meeting will be May 20th. Hope to see you all there.
Attendance April ASCCA 2006 Ah camping! May 5-7 was a challenge to the body, a lift to the spirit, and always a surprise that touches the soul. Two student nurses, Kristan Evans and Amanda Welsh drove my van to Jackson's Gap and beautiful Lake Martin where ASCCA is located. They were most helpful to me and the entire group and GOOD Domino players too! Thank you ladies! Our group participated in a number of events this year: fishing, riflery, tubing and zipline. Russ and Julie Ford, George and Clara Norsworthy, Ron Kaderly and daughter Kim, Kristan and Amanda, along with Head Injury campers, all braved the heights to roll down the Zipline while those on the ground cheered them on. Camp workers made sure everyone was safe. Two new games, Bacci Ball and Geo Tracking were also enjoyed this year. Of course we rode the Pontoon Boat and explored the many paths through the woods. We got to see inside the Environmental Center. It serves not only campers, but also school children on field trips. A real learning experience. The highlight of Saturday evening was "SURVEY SAYS" , a game based on TV show Family Feud. Two teams from Head Injury and Post-Polio competed. We won the first round and Head Injury won the second. Prizes were awarded. Great fun! Our parting gift this year was a brick to be placed on the Memorial Walkway leading up to the Environmental Center. It will read: Post-Polio Support Group. There were some touching moments during our camp experience that will linger in the mind a long time. One of the Head Injury campers sang "America the Beautiful" as a blessing at meal time. How fortunate we are to live in America and be able to share our lives at a place like Camp ASCCA. Thank you Goodwill Easter Seals!
A happy camper,
Mobile Medical Museum Polio Exhibit You really must go to the Polio Exhibit at the Mobile Medical Museum. Sally Green, staff and volunteers are to be commended for expertly arranging the exhibit. The building is accessible but parking is limited. We found space adjacent to the rear of the building which accommodated the van and ramp. General access was a short walk to the front by level sidewalk and all exhibits are on the ground level floor. I had no difficulty at all maneuvering the mobility cart through the various rooms and exhibits. I will be going back again as one visit is not sufficient to see everything. Please feel free to phone or email me if you have questions or need directions ~ 639-2189 ~ VMoore4474@gmail.com The Museum number is 251-415-1109 - Hours 9-4 Monday - Friday. |
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The next Mobile Area Post-Polio Support Group
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The next Pensacola Post-Polio Support Group
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Vera Moore - 251-639-2189 or e-mail Vera Moore |
Clara Norsworthy - 850-944-5834 or e-mail Leigh Dethlefs |
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These Post-Polio Supports Groups are supported by
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This page last updated April 8, 2006
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