How it all started

Sound
For about 5 years I have heard a sort of buzz in my ears. Its so quiet I only hear it when I am first awake or alone with no other noise to take my attention. It sounds like Zzz and it comes in 3 quick successions, kind of like Zzz Zzz Zzz. Sometimes it changes rhythms and comes as only one Zzz and at other times it goes in four like in Zzz Zzz Zzz Zzz. The only way to describe it is that it is like my brain is trying to fire something and keeps trying. Don't get me wrong, it's not all the time. But I noticed this more than 5 years ago and never paid any attention. It came and went. But now I wonder?

Strength
I first noticed the loss of strength in my left thumb. Then in my left forearm. This happened just before my back surgery which I had in March of 2010. After my back surgery it got worse. Then on June 1st 2010 I had an episode they have no idea what it was. The phone rang, I jumped out of bed (like I usually do) and reached for the phone, but I couldn't pick it up! I couldn't make my hands grab it. I felt my self start to faint and so I just let myself fall and on the way down I hit my chin on the telephone stand and bit my lip. I was only out a second if that, but when I could pull myself together, I saw blood on my nightgown. I very slowly got up not knowing what hap pend, but very cautious because I knew something had happened. After this incident it hasn't happened again, but this is the start of going downhill.

Voice
Our family had a mini family reunion on the weekend of July 31, 2010. A few weeks before this I tried to tell my husband that I was having trouble talking, but since he hadn't heard me, he dismissed it. Then the night all the families left I tried to tell him something as we were cleaning up and it just slurred and wouldn't come out! I could not form words intelligently! He got concerned at that point.

Doctor
The next day, August 2, 2010 he made an appointment with our General Practitioner Doctor, Dr. Maria Hutchison.