A friend is a precious possession

whose value increases with years.

Someone who doesn’t forsake us

when a difficuilt moment appears.

and our road willl be smooth and untroubled

no matter what care life may send;

If we travel the pathway together,

and walk side by side with a friend.

BY: Henry Van Dyke

Functional dystonia

True dystonia is defined as a movement disorder characterised by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often repetitive, movements, postures, or both. Dystonic movements are typically patterned, twisting, and may be tremulous. Dystonia is often initiated or worsened by voluntary action and associated with overflow muscle activation.

Functional dystonia may affect any part of the body or be generalised. Features that suggest a functional etiology include inconsistent dystonia movements over time, dystonia presenting as a fixed posture or a paroxysmal disorder (not due to a known paroxysmal movement disorder), the presence of incongruous dystonic movements and postures (eg, facial grimacing with pulling of the mouth to one side), excessive slowness, marked resistance to passive movements, and multiple somatizations.

While not necessarily pathognomonic, additional features suggesting functional dystonia include fixed foot dystonia in an adult, the presence of other atypical movements or postures such as a bizarre gait (not fitting the gait pattern of other movement disorders, including true dystonia), dystonia occurring when the affected body part is at rest, and pain as a prominent aspect.

Muscle atrophy or joint contractures may be present in longstanding functional dystonia due to disuse or prolonged maintenance of the tonic posture. Muscle hypertrophy may be present due to sustained contracture. Since true dystonia historically has been misdiagnosed as functional dystonia, the examiner should be aware of this diagnostic pitfall.

I woke at 7ish but again I laid in bed till 7.30 when I got up and dressed except for my socks, which Tasha did an hour later.

Was able to make myself boiled eggs for breakfast. I have a reasonable amount of movement in the arm. Just have to remember not to over do it.

Been an nice day not too cold for me and my pain has been manageable all day.

I managed to iron Tim’s work shirts, girls didn’t change the sheets no surprise there.

Spoke to mum she was telling me about her sister and when she left home and about she patched things up when she first got sick. However, her tea arrived and we cut it short.

Awake with the alarm, got up and dressed in the bathroom with the heater on. Public holiday today, so no school today.

Kathy and Summer came over so Kathy could change the sheets on my bed.

Tasha made me pasta for tea, it was so so.

Been a good weather wise a bit of rain but not much.

I had a shocking night last night, mostly caused by pain in my right arm. I suspect iti s because yesterday I didn’t wear the arm brace.

I have it on today and will not go without it again for a while.

Tim home early at 1.45 so he was able to meet Leo instead of me.

The doctor rang at 3pm he said the tests showed I have bursitis in the shoulder that is what I expected.

Leo came home from school in a mood, we just let him go to his room he will explain when and if he feels like it. Although Tim sent Jess a message about his mood so she could ring him, as he is here tonight.

Had a better night last night been awake since 5.30 but stayed in bed till the alarm went off.

Tasha had to take Leo to meet his driver because of the rain.

Another cold and wet day, hasn’t stopped raining all day.

Tim home early again, asked him to go get Leo and had to explain he cannot take the scooter because it’s raining and not suppose to use scooter in rain. He didn’t agree and I ended up saying your money if it gets fucked up because of the rain. He walked up to get Leo.

Still in pain by the end of the day my arm is really sore and I am glad to remove the brace and lay down and listen to my book.

I woke when Tim left for work and wasn’t able to settle again so got up at 5.30. Tasha came down and put my shoulder brace on for me.

A foggy morning but at least it’s not raining.

Tim doing a split shift so home at 9.45 to around 1pm.

A not cold and dry day.

Both Tim and I got up with my alarm, Tim was able to assist me get dressed and put my arm brace on for me. Just after he left for work Tasha came down to do the arm brace.

Tasha took me down to have the injection into my shoulder I had to wait for ages in the room in a disposable gown.

Tasha picked up shopping from Woolies but it wasn’t my order, she rang and complained and someone came and brought my shopping and picked up the wrong order.

Blain sent home sick from school he has an inflamed throat, so not going to his dad’s this weekend .

Life is soo full of

meaning and purpose,

so full of beauty, beneath

its covering, that you will

find that earth but cloaks

your heaven.

BY: Fra Giovanni

Had a pretty good nights sleep pain wise when I woke up I didn’t want to get up as that meant the pain would return and it did. I woke at around 7am but laid there till 7.20 when I got up.

At 10ish Tim left for work, he will be home around 8pm.

Didn’t speak to mum just not feeling up to it, as she hadn’t rang by 3.30 and I was feeling done in by then.

I woke with the alarm as usual just after I opened the front door Jess & Leo arrived. She was annoyed that just as they where leaving home she gets a call telling her the child she had to leave early for was being taken by their parents, if they had rung earlier she could have stayed in bed an extra hour.

I had to have a pelvic ultrasound one you need a full bladder for.

Well as it turned out I had to have an internal scan as my bladder leaked. After the scan while trying to get dressed I ended up in tears sobbing because the pain in my right arm was so bad I was unable to use it, so dressing was difficult and painful.

Didn’t talk to mum as I was in pain and unable to concentrate.

Up with the alarm as per usual, I decided to have a shower while I was deciding to do that I realised I didn’t have a hope in hell of doing so on my own.

So I sent Tash a text and as I sent I she was there standing outside the bathroom door. So she stayed and helped me shower.

After Leo left for school Tasha took me over to the doctors about my arm. Tomorrow I have to have an Xray and ultrasound on the arm.

A bit of rain today so Tim took the car.

The arm braze Tim ordered for me on Monday arrived and he put it on me, yes it seems to be helping.

Leo here tonight.

Awake before the alarm at 5.30am, I got up and dressed in the bathroom with the heater on.

Leo got up at 7am and put my socks on for me.

I went with Tasha to have an Xray & ultrasound done of my right arm, still in a lot of pain.

I can only use my left arm.

A very cold day top of 15 degrees

Up when my alarm went off, got dressed in the bathroom again.

My pain has reduced some I am not getting as many stabbing pains in the arm. I think the arm braze is helping

A cold day but not as cold as yesterday. Leo is concerned about my health and doesn’t want me out in the cold and wind.

I wore my pink dressing gown with the hoodie when I took Leo to meet his drive.

Tasha bought Macca’s for tea and got both myself and Leo a burger each.

Up with the alarm again, another cold day and Tim is off today.

It is much warmer today and my arm is much better thankfully. Tasha & Jess went shopping and bought a new heater for Jess. I chipped in $21.

I did the shopping yesterday and it was picked up by Tim & Tasha.

Tim helping me get ready for bed tonight so Jess can go home and eat instead of hanging around here.

I was hoping to have a late night but not going to happen.

I had a lay in this morning, I got up at 8.30 but I had been awake for a while like an hour or so.

Tasha was here and helped me get dressed but she was in a mood and made me cry but gave me a hug and said sorry.

It is Jessica’s birthday and I feel like I have failed her, as because I wasn’t able to go out and get her a present and because of my bung arm I am not able to do a lunch for her. I know that she will understand but it is how I feel.

Kathy gave me a shower while she was here it felt good and she did as good a job as Tasha does.

Had Macca’s for lunch, Tim had Chinese.

The pain in my arm isn’t as bad but I still have limited use of it.

Tasha, Jess & Leo have gone to the Black Lives Matter protest in town, they said if it is too crowded they will be staying in the car because of social distancing and the fact they all hate crowds.

Not posting as I have so much pain, I also have limited movement in my right arm

Awake at 7am but didn’t get up till closer to 7.30am another cold start to the day but not as cold as yesterday. Tasha put warm socks on me.

Blain came down when he got home for food. His mum has borrowed the small TV in Papa’s room for Blain to use as his has packed it in she hopes to be able replace it in a few weeks time.

My garbage bins blew over and I didn’t realise till I Tasha & Blain pick them up and move them to the carport.

I woke around 5.30 when Tim was going to work but stayed in bed till the alarm went off, another coldish day well coldish f or me but bloody cold for normal people.

Jess has a later start today.

Leo took a tub of custard with him to take his medication with at school, so I rang the school to let them know.

Tasha came down to show me a text from Jono about Blain’s christening no he isn’t christened but one was planned back in 2006 but didn’t happen. Well Jono’s grandmother a really nice lady showed him an invitation from back then and he wanted to know what the fuck. Tasha & I talked about that time I cried remembering the time and she will talk to Jono and remind him about that time way back when.

A cold wet day, Tasha was suppose to meet Leo but forgot, lucky Jess was already here and meat him.

Another cold and wet morning, I woke at 4.40am to pee but when I went back to bed I found it difficult to get back to sleep so I just laid there in the quite and dark till the alarm went off.

Tim on a split shift so home for 4hrs today.

This afternoon I went to get Leo at 2.30 but at 2.45 I came home and went back at 3.30 and he was dropped off at 3.40pm. His school finished at 2.20 which is why his driver thought he would be here by 2.40 but Leo and other transport kids had to hang around to 3.20.

Leo is here tonight

Mum wasn’t sounding good when I spoke to her she was croaky and in pain with her lower back and shoulder.

I woke at around 5.20 but got up at 5.50am to visit the loo and decided to stay up. Tim got up at 6.30am and left for work at 7.15am.

Another cold but dry morning.

I rode down and posted letters

Been restless all day

Mum sounded much better today.

Not that cold today

Another early day for me awake around 5.30 laid there for a while before getting up to pee turned out to be 5.45 and I decided to stay up.

On Friday I rang the chemist and arranged for Leo’s school meds to be made up in a Webster pack. I told Jess about it on Saturday and she forgot and when I mentioned it this morning, she told me it was my fault for not reminding her.

Tasha came down and gave me a shower at lunch time and it felt good to have a nice hot shower.

Leo here tonight.

I m in a lot of pain with my right arm, I can barely use it.

Awake again before the alarm but not by much a cold start to the day.

I am in a lot of pain with my right arm, I can barely move it.

Did a load of washing and hung it out to dry as it was easier then tossing it in the dryer, for me.

The pain is so bad I can’t concentrate and have decided to go have a lay down, and use my hand massage machine.

I feel that bad I will go to bed when Leo gets here.

Awake and up at 7am left Tim sleeping, he got up at 8am. Had to call Tasha to help me dress, got dressed in the bathroom with the heater on.

Kathy & Summer came out and Kathy shaved my legs and under my arms. Summer opened my mail that Tim collected from post office box, there was 14 letters, 13 from pen pals and 1 junk mail.

Tasha & Tim picked up shopping for me, Tasha brought down a small homemade pizza for my lunch.

She shown us a photo of Jono’s car the front passenger side window exploded on its own, Blain was sitting in the seat when it happened. No one was hurt there was only Jon, Blain & Freya in the car.

When I mentioned it to mum she reminded me of when the same thing happened with one of their cars when I was in my teens. The back window exploded mum said it was very loud, dad thought someone had shot out the window but no it exploded on its own.

The pain is so bad I just want to cry

Thank God for friends, more prized as years

Increase.

Let all else, if must be,crease.

But,Lord of life, I pray on me bestow

The gift of friends

To share the way I go

BY: Thomas Curtis Clark

CLINICAL FEATURESA number of clinical characteristics are associated with FMDs

●Abrupt onset

●History of a precipitating event

●Fast progression to maximum symptom severity and disability

●Movement abnormality that is incongruent with organic disease (eg, bizarre, multiple, or difficult to classify)

●Inconsistency over time with variable amplitude, frequency, or distribution of the movement

●Ability to trigger or relieve the movement with unusual or nonphysiologic intervention (eg, trigger points on the body, application of a tuning fork)

●Decreased movement of the affected body part with distraction

●Increased movement of the affected body part during observation or examination

●Entrainment of movement (eg, tremor) to the frequency of repetitive movements

●Coactivation sign of antagonist muscles

●Deliberate slowness of movement

●Association with false (or “give-way”) weakness, sensory loss, and pain

●Functional disability out of proportion to exam findings

●Unresponsiveness to drugs for organic movement disorders

●Responsiveness to placebo drugs and suggestion

The main FMD syndromes are functional tremor, functional dystonia, functional gait, functional myoclonus, and functional parkinsonism. These are reviewed in the sections below.

The beauty of the sunbeanm lies

partly in the fact that God does not

keep it. He gives away to us all.

BY: David Swing