I went to see a neurologist this morning. Dr. Mishu was very personable and likable -- Dr. Furie has a lot less personality. I went to find out what kind of damage had been done to my nerves in my left leg and foot. I have a condition called "foot drop" which means I can't raise my left foot. I also a good bit of tingling and numbness in that foot. Sometimes I have pain, too.
Dr. Mishu and his nice nurse practitioner asked a lot of questions and poked at me for a while. Then Dr.Mishu did an electric current-type test to see if he could stimulate my foot. He explained to me that a nerve is a lot like a copper electrical wire that is wrapped in plastic coating. A nerve has a coating as well. If the coating is not damaged, but the nerve inside is, there is the chance for the nerve to grow back through the coating. If the coating is severed, then thing become much more complicated.
The damaged nerve is called the peroneal and is located on the back of my knee and down the outside of my calf and into my foot. The electric impulses to the back of my knee did, indeed, stimulate my foot and spontaneously my toes rose up. That means the coating around the damaged nerve is intact, meaning the nerve can grow back. He also believes there is not damage to my sciatic nerve.
HURRAH!!!!
This will take time, he further explained, because nerves grow at a rate of about 1 millimeter per day, or about a centimeter every 10 days, or about an inch a month. I have no idea how much damage there is, so I don't know how long it will take for the nerve to reconnect to itself.
But, I don't really care. I had resigned myself to living with a limp for the rest of my life. So this is fantastic news!
4 comments:
Megan, I am so glad that everything is healing properly. It is great that you're getting out and about some now. Are you getting any knitting done during this ordeal or is it too uncomfortable? I hope to see you at Knitch before too long...
Jamie
That is good news. Before my mom got her knee replaced, they did a "shave" job on the joint surfaces to see if they could smooth them out. Unfortunately they knicked a nerve and she had a numb spot ont he bottom of her foot. It grew back and she has full sensation now. Fortunately when they did the knee replacement (different doc)they got through without any more nerve issues. I am glad you are doing so well. Is Scully helping your recuperation along?
Soon, Jamie, I'll be at Knitch. In the meantime, yes a lot of knitting is going on in here!
Thanks, Fred, for the info on your mom's knee surgery. Makes me feel loads better! Scully is taking excellent care of me -- when she's not jumping over my legs!
What to say but, YAY!!!! So glad for your good news.
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