Update! Cerebral Palsy diagnosis

Catherine712

Hello everyone, it’s been a long time since I gave an update and now I finally can. 

As you were aware from my previous posts I was having a lot of problems with my health. I was referred to a Neurologist  from the Musculoskeletal Team for findings of an abnormal neurological examination. I have now seen the neurologist and after she went through all my previous MRI scans and X rays as was done at another hospital in London at Queen’s Square some years ago, I was finally diagnosed by her with Cerebral Palsy with Worsening gait disturbance, anyway, I have longstanding spastic Paraparesis. I was probably born with it but it was never diagnosed as a child or an adult up until a few years ago and this year.

My brother has Muscular Dystrophy and the consultant’s thought I may have had the same but I don’t. There is a history in my family ( not immediate family) only my younger brother, myself and cousins who have a similar thing with legs, ect. 

My fingers became bend over ( more  on the right hand) which is difficult to do things with them but I manage. My little finger on my left hand has bend over at the middle and tip. 

To go with this lovely lot I have Altered balance, Lower limp Hyperreflexia and positive Babinski and Clonus, and a dowager’s hump and quite marked kyphosis, and scoliosis which I have had a long time but the rest was only diagnosed in recent months this year.

I recently retired as I am 66 now and will get my first lot of state pension next week, I have applied for pension credits as I am about 4 months out and I won’t hear from that until the end of December 2022. I will be applying for attendance allowance as I was told I could apply. 

I am walking with a stick now and have a walk every day to keep the body going. I have also been on a holiday in August thanks to my daughter. 

I think that’s it. 

Catherine. 

Tori_Scope

Thanks for the update @Catherine712 How do you feel now that you finally have some answers? We've heard from others that getting a new diagnosis can sometimes bring up some mixed feelings. Does that resonate with you at all?