PC #40/2 – What the Neurologist said…

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Bill Bennett

Today I had an appointment with a Neurologist about this numbness in my foot, as a result of my walk.

He did extensive tests, and now wants me to have an EMG (electromyography) to check the electrical conductivity of the nerves in my leg.

He suspects it’s an impaired or damaged nerve somewhere in my knee. This is my left knee, not the right knee that gave me so many problems.

So, waiting to see when those tests will be.

I’m relieved at this news. It could have been a lot worse…

PS – just found out I will have the EMG done tomorrow arvo…

46 thoughts on “PC #40/2 – What the Neurologist said…”

Sister Simon Clare on July 16, 2013 at 5:23 pm said:

This is good news, indeed Bill! Once they identify that nerve there are several things they can do to help.No need to worry about that foot-ectomy after all! Prayer is a wonderful thing.

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- pgstheway on July 16, 2013 at 5:37 pm said:
  
  Dear Sister,
  
  I am pleased the Neurologist isolated it to that. He was incredibly thorough.
  
  I had been nursing private fears of onset of diabetes, MS, spinal damage, etc. but we’ll see what these tests reveal.
  
  If you were praying for me, then it worked!
  
  Bill
  
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  - Julie B on July 17, 2013 at 1:37 am said:
    
    Bless your heart….the things we imagine are often much worse than the the truth. Isn’t that why you tried to walk the Camino without fear in the first place? Sounds like a good story to thread through your book. 😉 Sending you more prayers that this is a simple fix, my friend.
    
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    - pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 5:48 am said:
      
      Dear Julie –
      
      so true, what you say. What swirls around in our imagination sometimes is much scarier than the simple truth.
      
      Thank you for the well wishes, and of course the prayers.
      
      Bill
      
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      - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 5:57 am said:
        
        I have found that most things I worry about never materialize, therefore, I am committed to not worrying. Now I find myself worrying about whether or not I am not worrying as I profess. 🙂
        
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      - pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 6:02 am said:
        
        Yes Steve,
        
        start worrying about not worrying!!
        
        Bill
        
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      - Sister Simon Clare on July 17, 2013 at 7:04 am said:
        
        Hey!!!!! That’s my job!!!!!!!!!!!!!
        
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      - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 7:06 am said:
        
        We can share. A little levity for this otherwise serious and somber undertaking.
        
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      - Sister Simon Clare on July 17, 2013 at 7:02 am said:
        
        Steve, the more I learn about you, the more I am convinced that somehow we share the same neurotic dna! And before you start worrying about that now, remember, its part of what makes us so special!
        
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wayfarer1954 on July 16, 2013 at 5:42 pm said:

Best of luck Bill, hope all goes well.
Pat.

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- pgstheway on July 16, 2013 at 5:43 pm said:
  
  Many thanks Pat!
  
  Hope you’re well.
  
  Bill
  
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Bhasma on July 16, 2013 at 6:17 pm said:

… and again, Bill, just love the photo you’ve chosen to illustrate this particular post, although I do hope that it’s not indicative of any of your limbs in this healing period!! Hope with this better news from the neurologist that you can concentrate on the healing, not the wondering and what-ifs, or the self defeating prophesy!

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- pgstheway on July 16, 2013 at 6:33 pm said:
  
  Haha –
  
  yes Britta, thought the photo was nice tongue-in-cheek!
  
  You’re right tho, uncertainty is the insidious thing in all this, and focus needs to be redirected to healing.
  
  Bill
  
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- Julie B on July 17, 2013 at 1:38 am said:
  
  Agreed!!! 😀
  
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kathyfoote on July 16, 2013 at 8:20 pm said:

Keep us posted, please!

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- pgstheway on July 16, 2013 at 8:24 pm said:
  
  Thanks Kathy, will do.
  
  How’s the walk going?
  
  Where are you now?
  
  Bill
  
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Ingrid Folkers on July 16, 2013 at 10:03 pm said:

Bill, you must be relieved, at least you know what to “battle” now. Nothing is more unsettling then the not knowing. Ultreia Ingrid

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- pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 5:38 am said:
  
  Hi Ingrid –
  
  yes, whenever you get any issues with nerves, it’s something you have to take seriously.
  
  I have two metal plates in my back, screwed in around my spine, from a car accident in 1979. I was concerned it might have something to do with that.And in fact the Neurologist didn’t rule that out. But I’m just relieved it’s not one of those other illnesses.
  
  Bill
  
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stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 12:53 am said:

Bill, Glad to see you at least have a starting point and it will be interesting to see what the further EMG shows. Whether it is good news or bad news, I have no idea, nor did you ask me. 🙂 Depends on what you compare it with, but at least you are moving in a known direction. I know this has been freaking you out and well it should. My hips have been bothering me since returning as they did while walking, particularly in the beginning, so I am not sure anyone makes it without some wear and tear. After all, for most of us walking the Camino is far from our normal routines. Steve

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- pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 5:43 am said:
  
  Hi Steve –
  
  I remember you posting at one stage about your hips, but is that still bothering you?
  
  One of the thing I learnt from the Camino is if you have any residual medical issues, either before or after, then it’s best get them seen to.
  
  It’s been 2 months now since I finished my walk, and this numbness wasn’t getting any better. If anything, it was getting worse. I have a natural reluctance to see doctors, believing the body can heal itself, given some intelligent help sometimes, but in this case I felt it was better to see a specialist.
  
  Yes, the Camino is very physically demanding.
  
  Bill
  
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  - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 5:55 am said:
    
    Bill,
    
    You are right in that they bothered me a lot in the beginning and a little bit along the way. Right before I left, the Doctor prescribed me some Lipitor to lower my LDL cholesterol from 111 to 75, which I am still not sure is a good thing. I see him in two weeks. It is now 61 after all the junk I ate on the Camino. Point of this is that Lipitor can cause muscle and joint soreness so I am not sure whether it is from the Lipitor or the stress. I quit the Lipitor for the time being to see if it improves. Believe me, I am the first one to see a doctor if something is not right. Given all the squats and lunges that I have done for years, I would not think I should have hip problems, but on the other hand, maybe that is why I should have hip problems. Like you, I will get to the bottom of it. I simply limp for the first 15 steps or so after sitting for a while. If it’s not one thing it is another, huh? Keep us posted. Steve
    
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    - pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 6:01 am said:
      
      Ah Steve,
      
      dare I say it mate but we’re all getting old, too.
      
      You’re doing the best thing getting it seen to – it could worsen, or become arthritic.
      
      You still have many more Caminos left in you!
      
      Bill
      
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      - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 6:06 am said:
        
        Yeah, but I want to walk them pain free. I also don’t want to get tired while walking either. I am going to focus on those things. Think how much more fun it will be. Just strolling along for 30 or 40 k per day. No sweat. Oh, and I prefer it not to rain…………..
        
        Oops, I sound like a vicarious walker………….something to be said for that………:-)
        
        Steve
        
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  - pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 6:13 am said:
    
    Hmmm – next Camino, I’m going to do it very slowly, and deliberately.
    
    Mind you, there were days on my Camino when I was only averaging 2.5-3 kms/hr, because I was stopping all the time to take photos. It’s just that I was walking very long days – from 6am to 6pm sometimes.
    
    But going slowly is how I will approaching the next one.
    
    Bill
    
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    - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 6:59 am said:
      
      I don’t know if it was here or somewhere else that I read about a couple who were 68, I think, who walked it in 48 days or so. Now that is something to consider. What’s the rush??????
      
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Rick O'Daniel on July 17, 2013 at 1:24 am said:

I’m having similar problem with one of my feet. I completed my camino July 3rd. Just made an appointment with podiatrist. I will be awaiting your next post on this topic. Hope it all goes well.

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- Julie B on July 17, 2013 at 1:39 am said:
  
  Hoping things go well for you also, Rick!
  
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- pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 5:46 am said:
  
  Hi Rick –
  
  If you have just finished your walk, it might be swelling of tissue around a nerve which could be impairing its function. You might not even see it – internal swelling – and once that swelling reduces the nerve function might return to normal. But I’m no medico – you’re best to do what you’re doing, see a specialist.
  
  Good luck, and let us know what he says!
  
  Bill
  
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Emily on July 17, 2013 at 2:16 am said:

Good luck Bill! You are in my thoughts and prayers. So glad it didn’t turn out to be any of the things you were worried about.
Love and Light,
Emily

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- pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 5:53 am said:
  
  Dear Emily –
  
  so lovely of you, thank you!
  
  Bill
  
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Peter Fanning on July 17, 2013 at 3:04 am said:

Thinking about you and your feet Bill, hope it all goes well. Peter

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- pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 5:56 am said:
  
  Peter –
  
  thanks very much. Issues involving nerve damage or impairment need to be taken seriously.
  
  I’ll let this blog know how it goes…
  
  Bill
  
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Debbie on July 17, 2013 at 4:53 am said:

Hi Bill,
We are our own worst enemies aren’t we?! Hope you are better real soon!!
Debbie

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- pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 5:58 am said:
  
  DearDebbie,
  
  you are so right on that!
  
  Thank you for your well wishes.
  
  Bill
  
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Julie Carter on July 17, 2013 at 7:15 am said:

Great news, Bill! Whatever the problem is, I am praying for a quick fix! Please keep us posted. How is the fast going?

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- pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 7:26 am said:
  
  Hi Julie –
  
  because I’ve had to stay over at my daughter place, with her boyfriend, we had another dinner last night. (I’ve had to stay back in Sydney because of the medical tests today.)
  
  Again last night I couldn’t be rude.
  
  But the fast recommenced today.
  
  Thank you also for your well wishes. Very very sweet of you.
  
  Bill
  
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  - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 7:30 am said:
    
    Seems your fast has become a slow.
    
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    - pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 7:35 am said:
      
      haha –
      
      steve, you mongrel.
      
      I’m setting myself Aug 8th to break it, so that’s 22 days.
      
      I have done being polite – now it’s back to it.
      
      Bill
      
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      - Houston Hiker on July 17, 2013 at 7:36 am said:
        
        Atta boy, or perhaps Atta mate.
        
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      - pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 7:44 am said:
        
        Well well Steve, you’ve changed your name to Houston Hiker.
        
        That’s interesting. You are saying some pretty powerful things there, by doing that.
        
        You’re saying you’re a Texan, proud of it, and I suspect you’re not moving. And you’re saying you’re a hiker, not a body builder, or anything else.
        
        I don’t know whether you realise it or not, but by making that simple change in your blog name, you are making some very profound choices about who you are.
        
        Bill
        
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      - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 7:50 am said:
        
        Well, there is a story behind that. When I first set myself up as a member of the Camino forum months ago, I used that name. When I started blogging, I used my own name. When I returned from the Camino, I had Ivar change Houston Hiker to Stevelangham on the Camino forum, which he did. For some unknown reason, this blog is now showing Houston Hiker, which I try to catch each time I post, but obviously, missed one. So, while all of those things you said may or may not be true, it will not be because I changed my name to Houston Hiker. What I need to know now is how to get it right again in this blog. How in the world Houston Hiker came to this blog, I will never know. But I am sure some of you will have an idea. 🙂 Steve
        
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      - pgstheway on July 17, 2013 at 7:58 am said:
        
        Ah Steve,
        
        blog angels mate!
        
        Bill
        
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      - stevelangham on July 17, 2013 at 8:01 am said:
        
        Must be. Any idea how to change it back to stevelangham on this blog? Otherwise, when I forget to correct it, you will just have to rely on the picture.
        
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      - Emily on July 17, 2013 at 8:21 am said:
        
        Oh that Camino….lol
        
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      - Sister Simon Clare on July 17, 2013 at 8:01 am said:
        
        That’s his OLD NAME, Bill
        
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    - Sister Simon Clare on July 17, 2013 at 7:35 am said:
      
      Oh, good one, Steve!
      
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