Health Scares

I’m pretty healthy, and very rarely get colds or whatever variety of flu is making the rounds (I credit my supplements, probiotics, and yoga for my strong immune system). Those of you who read my blog posts and articles have probably heard me complain more than once about chronically tight shoulders, but last week, I had a health scare that resulted in a full-blown panic attack. The left side of my face, the back of my head, and areas on my arms went suddenly cold and numb. Convinced I was having a stroke, I wound up having a battery of tests that included an MRI, testing for MS, and multiple other x-rays and terrifying exams.

I spent my teens, and all of my 20s and 30s as a semi-professional athlete, competing in the grueling equestrian sport of three-day eventing, and have landed on my head more than once while on jumping courses (though never intentionally). Added to that, I was heavily involved in martial arts for over a decade, and all I could think of was that all of the bumps, lumps, strains, and bruises were finally catching up with me.

Turns out that those tight shoulders and neck muscles were at the root of the whole thing”and barely detectable spasms in the muscles around my neck were the cause of the numbness and other problems. Besides strict orders to rest and a prescription for muscle relaxers (which I still haven’t taken), I was also assigned physical therapy sessions. My therapist assigned me a series of homework stretches to add to my yoga routine, and things are slowly improving. The whole experience has also made me deeply appreciative of my health insurance”I’m hopeful that the new health care bill will make it easier for others to get the superb care that I’ve received this past week. It’s no fun being scared out of your wits, and unable to pay for a doctor to relieve those fears.