he buzzes like a fridge....

I usually carry my phone around in my front left-hand pocket.  A not very interesting statement, I know.... but bear with me.  I don't know about you, but quite often the first time I realise that my phone is ringing is when I feel it vibrating in my pocket.  This then prompts something of a scramble - particularly if I'm sitting down and wearing jeans - to fish the damn thing out before it stops ringing.  Or, as always seems to happen, to fish it out, answer it and lift it to my ear just in time to hear the other person hanging up.

Anyway.

Over the last couple of weeks, I've found myself reaching for my pocket more and more often, only to find that my phone is not actually ringing at all.  Weird, right?  Well, I think I've worked out what it is: I've developed a 'buzz' in my left thigh muscle at around about exactly the point where my phone rests on my leg when it's in my pocket.  I've no real idea what causes it, but as I have similar 'buzzes' elsewhere in my body, I rather fear that it's another unfortunate symptom of my MS.  The funny thing about it is that this buzz is pretty much at exactly the same force and tempo as my mobile phone vibration alert, and every single time it has me reaching for my pocket to pick up this imaginary phone call.

I've even started keeping my phone in one of my other pockets, in the vain hope that when that muscle buzzes, I'll know that it can't be my phone and won't bother reaching down to check.  But, of course, it doesn't make a jot of difference: I still reach down and check my phone every single time.... find it's not there and then compulsively reach into my other pocket for the phone just to make sure that I hadn't missed a call, even though the buzzing is clearly coming from my thigh muscle.

Well, I suppose it gives me something to do with my hands.

If this phantom ringing in my thigh is followed by imaginary phone conversations in my head, then I'll be sure to let you know.  That would be a whole new hands-free solution with no actual phone required at all.  I'm not sure it would make me a safer driver, mind....