Back after a long hiatus

I am back and getting healthier since my diagnosis with Stiff-person syndrome. I do apologize to all when I just dissapeared. Yet, with trying to get my health under control it has been a battle that has lasted since May of last year.

Most haven't ever heard of SPS or stiff-person syndrome. I didn't and if not for a TIA episode I had last May, I would never have known I had it. I just thought my feet and hands cramping. Still not clear on what it is? Here is the best description I found.

Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare neurological disorder with features of an autoimmune disease.  SPS is characterized by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms.  Abnormal postures, often hunched over and stiffened, are characteristic of the disorder.  People with SPS can be too disabled to walk or move, or they are afraid to leave the house because street noises, such as the sound of a horn, can trigger spasms and falls.  SPS affects twice as many women as men.   It is frequently associated with other autoimmune diseases such as diabetes, thyroiditis, vitiligo, and pernicious anemia.  Scientists don’t yet understand what causes SPS, but research indicates that it is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord.  The disorder is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, psychosomatic illness, or anxiety and phobia.  A definitive diagnosis can be made with a blood test that measures the level of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies in the blood.  People with SPS have elevated levels of GAD, an antibody that works against an enzyme involved in the synthesis of an important neurotransmitter in the brain.

​Lots of medical terminology to just say you get cramps, your limbs, or in my case fingers and toes contort and lasts for hours. Although, with mega doses of vitamin D and the muscle relaxer Baclofen, you can manage it. So far so good. It's taken time, but my focus is back, I'm not scattered and haven't had a cramp in weeks.

I'm on the road to being healthier and am celebrating with a re-release of a novella in September called The Hunted. I will be having a cover reveal planned in August and a giveaway as well.

Pick Me Up Mondays will be returning along with a few other things I will let you know about soon.