Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group
This community is a place where members can discuss current events and weigh in on what's going on in the world.
I haven't posted a discussion topic for a looooong time. Here goes. I'm in a play right now and during practice one evening we learned an Irish jig. It wasn't horribly difficult, but I discovered two things. First, when I did the kick, I completely lost my balance and flew backwards through the doorway on the set and landed back stage. I didn't get hurt nor did I completey fall. It was kind of scary, but then I thought it was funny. I also discovered that I can't do the dance as even though the steps are fairly simple, the dance goes quickly and my brain won't process the step pattern that quickly. I can do the first step and have even gotten up to the fourth or fifth step, but that is it. Oh, well, I'm in the back row so not a lot of people can see me. LOL
I wonder if anyone has experienced this next thing. I discovered shortly before being diagnosed that standing at the top of steps (just the steps from the front door to the sidewalk-not more than four or five) produces a weird feeling--like I'm going to fall. I get kind of light headed, but the stronger feeling is that I will fall. My husband had to put railings on our front steps. Escalators going down are very difficult for me due to this feeling. I also get this same feeling of falling when I am one to two feet away from the edge of the stage. When the director has told me to get closer to the edge (she knows I have MS and she is a doctor to boot), I am very hesitant as I hate the feeling that I will fall. Surprisingly, even though I can't do the dance in the play and hate the edge of the stage, she has me standing on top of a chair in act III. Fortunately, there is an adult on either side of me so that if I start to lose my balance, one or both of them will help.
Does anyone else get this 'about to fall' feeling? Or have any of you experienced difficulty dancing?
I wonder if anyone has experienced this next thing. I discovered shortly before being diagnosed that standing at the top of steps (just the steps from the front door to the sidewalk-not more than four or five) produces a weird feeling--like I'm going to fall. I get kind of light headed, but the stronger feeling is that I will fall. My husband had to put railings on our front steps. Escalators going down are very difficult for me due to this feeling. I also get this same feeling of falling when I am one to two feet away from the edge of the stage. When the director has told me to get closer to the edge (she knows I have MS and she is a doctor to boot), I am very hesitant as I hate the feeling that I will fall. Surprisingly, even though I can't do the dance in the play and hate the edge of the stage, she has me standing on top of a chair in act III. Fortunately, there is an adult on either side of me so that if I start to lose my balance, one or both of them will help.
Does anyone else get this 'about to fall' feeling? Or have any of you experienced difficulty dancing?
I also feel like I am going to fall on certain stairs or areas. If my dogs run past me on the stairs I almost shriek with fear and freeze for several seconds. Since balance is so key to our problem, the fear of losing it is very powerful.
I wonder about your director...seems a bit sadistic...standing at the end of the stage, standing on a chair - with MS??? That's an accident just waiting to happen.
Take care, my dear.
Another strange sensation I get is when I go to park my car, as soon as the car comes to a full stop, I get the sensation that it is lurching forward. Even with the emergency brake on, I still panic and think the car is moving. It happens nearly every time. Even though I now anticipate it, it still feels so real that it takes me by surprise. Also, I try to avoid steps wherever I can. When I do have to descend steps, I have a deathgrip on the handrail the entire way. People look at me funny when I take the elevator down from one floor to the next. Good luck with your play! ~J
Seriously Eloise, I know what you mean. I have a lot of trouble with escalators..they freak me out now. I grip the rails and I've become one of those people who just stand there, I won't move.
I do still climb on stuff, but the problem happens when I realize what I've done. If I actually think about the fact that I've climbed into a tree to prune a limb, I'll freeze and panic. I get dizzy and need to be rescued.
As far as learning stuff, forget it. I had someone try and show me how to set up a very simple humane raccoon trap. 3 steps...I ended up crying because I became so frustrated. I left it for Pete.
xoxo Jen
Personally, I wasn't much of a couples dancer. My timing is better when I'm off doing my own thing, instead of twirling a partner around. I've stomped on many toes in my day during a slow dance.
Some people are always going to dance like Elaine on Seinfeld, no matter how many lessons they take. Hopefully, you're not that bad. LOL
When you feel you're about to fall, that's MS. If I were to dance now, I would probably wind up on the floor.
BTW, I was a good hoofer not long ago.
The stairs thing I can relate to - for me, it seems to be a spatial thing - whenever I get a panoramic view of something it's sensory overload.
my dancing is trying to walk..rofl... when i do that my son says i look like im trying to dance...grin.. tis okay...the handle on the end of the cane comes in handy as a hook...heh heh heh
hugs
heather
Anytime i come to a slope--I have trouble- I have told hubby I can go UP all day long, but going DOWN is scary! I use a cane with an "able tripod base" I work at a school and need it for the "wide open spaces" Long, wide hallways, large rooms like the gym or cafeteria. Luckily I work in the office, which is small, and is carpeted! Neuro has said I might want to go to an ENT, that maybe I have an inner-ear condition on top of my MS, haven't done that yet though! I have never had rhythm though, even before the MS (I just have an excuse now!!! LOL Amy :)
While reading these responses, I thought about an MS convention where we were all present. I can just see several of us gripping hand rails (like me), putting an 'out of order' sign on the down escalator (up is not generally a problem), and well, you can add whatever you like to this. It would certainly be interesting! I would love to have a DS get together somewhere sometime. With our humor, resourcefulness, and lack of balance, we'd be an interesting lot to say the least!
Michelle (aka Eloise)
The stairs thing I can totally relate to and even thought going up is physically hard comming down is a brain swimming event as well as physical. I do not know what causes it but it is such a weird feeling. If the floor is patterned it becomes even harder as the pattern starts to do weird things too.
There is a theater near here that has black and white tiles large ones on the floor and stairs and I cannot walk down those stairs with out assistance and there are only about three or four of them.
~Alicia Rose