For most of my life, I have bounced my right leg when sitting.  As I fall asleep at night, my feet often are moving, as if they are paddling.  These motions appear to be nervous energy to others and often I’ve been asked why my legs or feet are in motion. Not understanding why I did it, I’d say it was a habit, or that it was something I inherited from my father, as he did it too.  It turns out, the latter answer is probably true.  This past week, the Houston Chronicle published an article announcing that a gene has been identified for restless leg syndrome (RLS).  I became aware of this condition, as a known neurological syndrome, some years ago when it manifested in me to a much greater degree than in my childhood. 

RLS presents in various ways, including a crawling sensation under the skin, or spontaneous leg jerking that occurs during sleep - much to the chagrin of a bed partner.  Sleep disturbance can become a real concern for those with restless leg syndrome, as they are unable to acquire the sleep quality needed to function with full alertness during the day. 

We live in a time when there is tons of health information available to us, still there is limited understanding, and far less compassion, for those who suffer with ‘invisible illnesses,’ those diseases that have no outward sign that we perceive to be ill health.  Try to explain to someone unfamiliar with RLS, what it is and how it impacts your life, and you’ll likely be thought a kook -  "…no, really, it feels as if little bugs are crawling around under my skin…"  

Sometimes, people have trouble understanding what they haven’t experienced.  Maybe that’s why we attach to validation - such as the announcement of the discovery of a gene that marks RLS.  It confirms what we’ve been trying to articulate, and gives credibility to our story.

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