Long, Hard Day

I woke up tired. After eight hours of sleep. I know: how is that possible?

So I was sore and tired. I noticed that my foot has less pins and needles in the morning, and it increases as the day goes on. Anyway...

I had my MRI today! Actually three MRIs: cervical spine, thoracic spine, and lumbar spine. This took two hours to complete. I laid in one position, with little movement, in a narrow tube, for two hours. Two... hours. My butt fell asleep an hour in, which was NOT comfortable. My arms were also losing sensation. It was overall not great, but I think I fell asleep (or came close) during the thoracic series. I was kind of half asleep during the cervical series, letting my mind wander, and I was scolded for twitching and moving my arms. I knew I couldn't cough or swallow, but I didn't know I couldn't move my arms. Ugh. That added about 15 minutes to the time. Oops, my bad.

No shots today, because no contrast. Yay...

I will see my new neurologist, Dr. Gabby, next Thursday. What happened to Dr. Sami, you ask? Well, Dr. Danny had initially referred me to Dr. Gabby, and the neurology practice's secretary told me that she will be leaving the practice next month. She convinced me to take someone else. I spoke with Dr. Danny yesterday about something else (he called me at 10:00 at night!), and he said Dr. Gabby is the one. Apparently several doctors are leaving that practice because it's "going in a different direction," but she's only moving up the road. So I can move with her, I guess.

After the neverending MRI ended and I got the films, I raced home to grab my church bag and a snack, and then I raced down to a church building about half an hour away. I was trying to make it there by 2:00, so I could be done by 4:00 and beat traffic. I had trouble while I was there with weakness. It was hard to hold my arm up for even a second. I was sitting most of the time, so that was good. I was really tired, though.

I made it home, only to realize that I had to type a report for work. Boo. I laid on the couch and typed a record-breaking two-hour report. My brain cooperated. My body is the problem today, with the fatigue, weakness, and haywire nerves. Yup, I'm having the haywire nerve tingles. The radiologist today called that hypersensitivity. I'm such a sensitive woman.

Doctor = :)

I saw a new internist, Dr. Danny (not his real name). I loved him!

Remember how I was doing well yesterday morning? Unfortunately that didn't continue. Around 2:30 the exhaustion began, and I was ready for a nap. When I got to the appointment at 3:30, I was really dragging. I had to wait so long! By the time the doctor came in at 4:30, I could barely keep my eyes open.

I did perk up when I saw Dr. Danny, though, because I was so hopeful (had been praying) that he would listen and think. He did!

First, the nurse was so, so nice. Then Dr. Danny listened and asked questions. He did some simple neurological tests, and I did okay but not great.

I had trouble touching his finger when he moved it. When it was on my left side, it always seemed to be farther away than I thought it was.

I had trouble getting my balance to begin walking and to turn in another direction. I was fine once I was walking; I could walk on a line--but I did gymnastics for quite a few years. I have/had excellent balance--much better than other people.

I also had a little trouble keeping my balance when he had me close my eyes and hold up my arms. But I think I did pretty well with it. Just not as well as I would have before. Again, excellent balance.

He also asked me to run my left heel down my right shin and vice versa. I think I did that fine.

We talked. The nurse came back in and drew five tubes of blood. She tried and missed my median vein and then went for the basilic--ow. So now it looks like a vampire bit my arm.

I'm going to have an MRI of my entire spine tomorrow. I wonder how long that will take.

I have an appointment with a different neurologist, Dr. Sami, in a couple of weeks.

Dr. Danny threw out a few possible reasons for this: MS, Lyme, a virus. He said to make sure that I don't say, "Dr. Danny said I have MS!" Of course not. Actually, what I heard was, "Maybe it's a virus... A virus could just go away." Don't viruses go away? Sometimes? I understand that it might be MS, which is serious, but he did give me hope that this all might go away.