Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The heads are back!!!

I'm so excited not only to just see the heads, but there's also a new one!  Thanks, Sara!  I still can't see the heads on my laptop, but when I checked from my desktop from work, they were right there!  So something screwy must be going on with my computer.

Here's the first blog that I wrote for tonight:

Well, it's the same old story. A bunch of tests, a bunch of negatives. No diagnosis, no nothin'.  If it weren't for the fact that the tests have also been ruling out a whole lot of bad stuff, I'd be so depressed that I'd gouge my eyes out with a fork.  Yes, folks, it's THAT disappointing.

They compared last week's MRI and MRA of my brain with ones done in 2008. The left middle cerebral artery is slightly irregular. That can indicate anything from a major stroke to tiny TIAs. Having a few tiny TIAs and not realizing it would be no surprise. However, the emphasis is on the word "slightly". So slight that it's not going to be a even a blip on my worry list.

There were also some white matter changes. This can indicate things like Multiple Sclerosis, Huntington's disease, ALS, Parkinson's' disease, and my personal favorite, Alzheimer's disease. But 9.999999999999999 times out of 10 in someone my age, they're just age related changes. They're not on the worry list either.

The bone scan was good. At least that's in my favor. I am living proof that taking Vitamin D and Calcium supplements really help because I get very little Calcium in my diet. I don't drink milk. I don't like yogurt and cottage cheese and things of that nature. So take those supplements, ladies!

Anywho, Dr. OhMyAchyBody is going to confer with Dr. YesIAmTheClevelandClinic to decide whether I should now have my parotid glands biopsied. I also start on the Topamax tonight to see if it will help the pain without messing me up some other way.  There's also the TB test this afternoon, which I have no doubt will also come back negative.

In the meantime, I will be holed up in my room tonight, rocking back and forth, feeling sorry for myself, and singing "Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me" under my breath between slugs of Diet Pepsi and massive mouthfuls of chocolate. Then tomorrow, I'll get up, put my big girl pants on and start the battle again because there's one thing I know for sure.  It could be a lot worse.

The second blog I wrote was really doom and gloom, so I decided to go with the first one.  But I must say that I'm not as down about it all as I thought I'd be.  Ginger and I had a fabulous dinner at Through the Garden in Blue Ash.  She listened and just let me talk and get a lot off my chest.  Then she said all the right things, bless her.  So as I sit here now, I'm doing pretty well, just feeling a little disappointment.  And like I said, I know it could be a whole lot worse.

So, I got the TB test at 4:30 this afternoon.  Within 2 minutes of the test, I got the tingles and the itchies from head to toe.  I think I had a tiny allergic reaction to the serum or maybe that's what normally happens.  Either way, it was over quickly.  I go back Thursday at 4:30 again for the results.  When this test comes back negative, I'll celebrate it.  I'll be very happy not to have TB!  The test was interesting.  The last time I was checked for TB, the nurse used a thing that resembled a gun and shot the stuff into my arm.  That was many years ago.  This time, it's just a normal syringe and she inserted about an inch of the needle just under the skin.  Didn't hurt at all, which I really appreciated.  I haven't developed a fear of needles yet and I don't want to now.

I actually felt like doing my laundry tonight, so I must leave now and move the loads along.  Have a great evening!  Always remember and never forget. . . . .oh, never mind.  I forgot what I was going to say. :-)

2 comments:

  1. So thankful that you have Ginger in your life. She sounds wonderful! I love Through the Garden. Haven't been there in quite a while. Once again, I am going to repeat myself, but you will get through this and I hope and pray the TB test results are negative. My friend you are not that old, and you are so full of life, I want you to feel better! You have so many more wonderful years left and I pray you can live them pain free. You are in my prayers every day my friend and always in my thoughts and my heart. Love you dearly and I am so glad I found you again. Have a wonderful time in New York.

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  2. As you said, as they rule things out, that's always a good thing! You just keep those big girl panties on and go kick some doctor ass!

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