Cataplexy

My trip to the Philippines was full of firsts–island hopping, sea kayaking, walks in the rain forest. I saw my niece graduate and display mad skills on the soccer field. I saw brilliant sunrises and new ways of living that I’d never thought of before. And I also had my first experience of paralyzing cataplexy.

Cataplexy is a sudden weakening of the muscles that can be briefly paralyzing. It is a condition of narcolepsy and often accompanies strong emotion like laughter, anger, shock, or fear. My cataplexy is so mild that I went most of my life not really knowing what it was. I thought I was just having occasional muscle tremors when I was laughing. I am positive, that I was the only one able to tell it was happening.

I am blaming the cataplexy episode on the Weng-weng. Weng-weng is a Philippine cocktail known for its potency. My brother ordered two pitchers, after we finished sea kayaking. It was very hot, and the drinks were very cold. I am sure no explanation is necessary to paint the picture of fruity cocktails on the shoreline of a tranquil sea. Old family stories started to unfold and laughter followed taking us to dinner time.

To my credit, I am not much of a drinker, and no one ever told me that people with cataplexy shouldn’t drink. So while laughing, and trying to respond to something my brother said, my muscles in my face fell and my head dropped and I couldn’t move. My family rushed around me thinking that I’d had a stroke or a heart attack. I could hear everything and see everything. Maria wanted to give me CPR and Kevin asked if he should slap me. I wanted to both laugh and tell them that I was fine, but I could do nothing until I came out of it. Even though, it’s never happened to me before, I knew what it was, so I wasn’t scared. Maria called the hotel medical people to check me out. They came with their blood pressure cuff and pulse oxygen reader, and my vitals were great. I felt completely ridiculous; I always knew tequila was bad.

My niece and her friends joined us for dinner and it happened again. My brother really wanted to slap me. He said it would be great for my blog. 🙄 Now my sister-in-law is really scared and concerned for me, but I am fine.

I have been living with this condition for a long time and it’s so mild that I didn’t even really know what it was for years. If alcohol makes the cataplexy more pronounced, then my umbrella drink days are over. But I suspect, that, in addition to the Weng-weng, my emotions were very strong. Everytime I say goodbye to my brother, I pray it’s not the last time. My time with him always feels so short. Being with him both grounds me and gives me wings.

I am saying goodbye to my brother, my sis, my nieces, the South Pacific, the incredible food, and all the people who have made me feel welcome on the islands. The momentary paralysis of the cataplexy was a bit of a wake up call for me. Nothing like really being paralyzed to realize that even if I feel that I am trapped, I am not. There is more of the world to see and that’s my quest.