Posted by Part of having a condition like mine is learning a lot of big words. I like big words and I like to write silly poems – seems reasonable to assume that I would double like a poem about big words. I haven’t written the poem yet, but I’m sure I’ll like like it. To that end, I’ll quit introducing and start writing the poem you’re about to read. One last note – I’m going to stick to a simple AABBCC rhyme scheme – Shakespeare I amn’t. I’m going to italicize the terms to set them apart.
The medical field uses words that are big and complex,
For instance, raising you for at the able is called dorsiflex(ion) :).
The above word is one of the many that end with I-O-N,
Proprioception is a word that I use often;
It’s a big word for knowing where your limbs are in space.
Circumduction is another I-O-N, it affects walking pace.
When the knee doesn’t want to bend, the leg swings;
If I’m not careful, I’ll start to kick things.
Yet another I-O-N is ambulation;
Or you could say “walking”, if you value concision
Walking is made more difficult by the symptoms of spasticity.
Incontinence is when you have trouble going pee-pee,
“Pee-pee” is a silly word for releasing fluid that is pent.
The fancy term for pooping is “bowel movement”.
There is also a tube for moving pee-pee and other fluids hither and thither,
The fancy word for this tube is catheter.
There’s an intrathecal catheter delivering medicine to my spine ,
The catheter carries medicine from a baclofen pump to help me feel fine.
At first, the needle caused my spine to leak,
But thanks to a blood patch twas fixed in about a week.
To get the blood for the blood patch, the nurses set a Mid line,
The needle went so deep into my arm, I felt like dying.
Medtronic is the company that makes my pump.
Ataxia, or loss of balance, makes it difficult to jump.
Seeing two of something is called double vision or diplopia.
Seeing two of something is called double vision or diplopia.
Dysphagia is one of the fanciest medical terms I know,
It’s easier just to say “it’s hard to swallow”.
Let’s not forget the word for constant muscle contraction,
Hypertonicity is the word given to this action
I owe this list of words to the Pons region of the brainstem,
Without having a major hemorrhage there. I wouldn’t have learned them
This concludes the list
Did you get the gist?
I know I left some off, but I’m happy with this list, short as it may be. I think I explained the meaning of the words pretty well, but here’s a list with definitions just in case –
Dorsiflexion: This is when a door opens – I jest. Quite simply, it’s bending your ankle so that your foot/toes goes up
Proprioception: Obviously this describes a professional at “priocepting”, and as we all know (right?), prioception is the ability to perceive of a Toyota Prius. Actually, it’s your perception of the relative position of some body part.
Circumduction: The Romans came up with this one. Circ is Latin for “Pringles” (they’ve been around for a while). Um is Latin (and every other language ever for “WTF?”). Duction translates to “talking with one’s mouth full”. In essence, when in Rome, it’s not cool to talk with a mouth full of Pringles. Truthfully, it’s when the leg swings outward because the knee won’t bend enough to clear the ground.
Ambulation: Walking
Spasticity: Tremors caused by constant muscle activity
Incontinence: When you’re not on a continent. Examples – swimming in the ocean, flying on a plane or exploring outer space. A less awesome and more truer answer is when you can’t pee
Bowel movement: Pooping (heh, poop)
Catheter: This one was adequately covered above – it’s just a tube
Baclofen pump: A hockey puck shaped machine that delivers sweet, sweet baclofen (muscle relaxer) to the spine
Blood patch: The use of blood to patch a leak in the spine. I asked them if they could just use tape. They laughed derisively and said we could, but then we won’t get to set a…
…Mid line; thereby IMPALING my right bicep to harvest blood from a deep vein
Medtronic: A science fictiony name for a company that makes baclofen pumps
Ataxia: The IRS’s answer to whether or not there’s a tax for some object. E.g. “Is there a tax for asking stupid questions?” IRS reply: “A tax, yeah.” That, or loss of balance.
Diplopia: This one means double vision, I don’t get it. When I think of the word “plop” I think of poop splashing into the toilet.
Dysphagia: Saying disparaging remarks to some named “Phagia” – she(?) will punch you in the throat and make it difficult to swallow.
Hypertonicity: Similar to “spasticity” – constant muscle contractions.
Pons: Latin for bridge due to its position between the cerebellum and the cerebrum on the brainstem (that sounded pretty scientifical, eh?)
Hemorrhage: Internal bleeding, which, when paired with the term above, can create everything above that. Basically, it’s at the bottom of everything (symbolic, no?)
FIN
@JarrettLWilson
My Brain Injourney 