ever since i learnt of my dad and brother (potentially) having the same condition of myotonic dystrophy (DM1; also known as Steinert's disease) in Nov, it gave me a big shock. though the symptoms in my dad were present several years ago.. we thought it was all part of old age:
weakness in the hands (unable to grip), weakness in the lower legs, foot drop (leading to frequent falls), dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), diarrhoea (due to weakness in lower digestive tract muscles), cataracts, hypersomnia (daytime sleepiness) and diabetes were all the symptoms present in my dad.
myotonic dystrophy is basically a chronic, slowly progressing, highly variable inherited multisystemic disease that can manifest at any age from birth to old age. it is characterized by wasting of the muscles (muscular dystrophy). and much like being partially diabled, the affected person will find difficulty walking and doing some daily activities. and the worse thing is, there is nothing much to do to cure it... only medication to control some of those symptoms...
PS: heard on the news that tv actor Chew Chor Meng also has muscular dystrophy (Kennedy's disease).. which will affect his limps and mobility in future. =(
ever since i learnt of my dad and brother (potentially) having the same condition of myotonic dystrophy (DM1; also known as Steinert's disease) in Nov, it gave me a big shock. though the symptoms in my dad were present several years ago.. we thought it was all part of old age:
weakness in the hands (unable to grip), weakness in the lower legs, foot drop (leading to frequent falls), dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing), diarrhoea (due to weakness in lower digestive tract muscles), cataracts, hypersomnia (daytime sleepiness) and diabetes were all the symptoms present in my dad.
myotonic dystrophy is basically a chronic, slowly progressing, highly variable inherited multisystemic disease that can manifest at any age from birth to old age. it is characterized by wasting of the muscles (muscular dystrophy). and much like being partially diabled, the affected person will find difficulty walking and doing some daily activities. and the worse thing is, there is nothing much to do to cure it... only medication to control some of those symptoms...
PS: heard on the news that tv actor Chew Chor Meng also has muscular dystrophy (Kennedy's disease).. which will affect his limps and mobility in future. =(
myotonic dystrophy
