More History - Neurologist #3

Sorry these posts are so out of order. Chock it up to either Fibro Fog or MS cognitive impairment, as I am not so sure which one is belting me over the head right now. LOL

I survived the Holiday's and healed up well from the mastectomy according to my wonderful surgeon. He told me to keep on doing my rehab and get those arms working so I would have full mobility and range of motion and I did and I do! Still kind of weak but improving over the Holidays. What was not improving was the neuropathy in my hands and general weakness in my legs.

I went to Neurologist number 3 in November and first thing she wanted to do was run a 3T MRI on my brain as the earlier ones were so bad, and of course put me on an antidepressant! ARRGGHH. If I hear that again I am going postal and rip someones head off.

I went up to Methodist Hospital and had the MRI. What a cool place and great tech people. It was so loud though. No wonder they gave me huge ear plugs.

While getting the results at my follow up appt with Neuro #3, she kind of shook her head and confirmed the transverse myelitis diagnosis and wanted to do a lumbar puncture for MS.

We set it up but I backed out after reading up on the procedure and that place we had scheduled at did NOT follow the recommended 4 hour laying flat on back post puncture protocol. Yikes, all I needed was to get a colossal headache and need a blood patch. So I canceled it and decided that after the Holidays I would try to get into the best Neurology clinic in our area and see what they had to say. I had lost faith in Neuro #3.

Meanwhile on the breast front (or lack of it!) I found that I could wear a regular bra and put in fiberf oam prostheses and look and feel like a normal human again. What a find. I ordered a few more of the bras from Title 9 and a couple of foam inserts from the Breast Cancer place and had my solution. I also found I could wear my 36D underwire bras and use bigger prostheses and look pretty sexy again with fancier clothes. This is all good. What is a pain is the hot flashes I get since I am officially menopausal after my surgery. Ugh. Will deal with that later. I do sweat a lot under my artificial breasts and its annoying as all get out especially with the hot flashes.

Meanwhile, I am still living on Gabapentin, Tramadol and Valium. My legs are starting to swell in the afternoon and I am tired and woozy all the time. And I hurt.

Welcome to my world...

It's mid September 2009 and I have survived the worst year of my life. Last July 2008 I was diagnosed with basal cell skin cancer, had that removed, with stage 2 breast cancer, had my hands go numb after the biopsies, survived Hurricane Ike, had a double mastectomy, lost 15 lbs (not all breast tissue, just to clarify), was diagnosed with MS.

I opted not to have chemotherapy due to my intimate relationship with pesticides from a long career as horticulturist from which I became toxic. Chemo would have killed me. I am sure of it. So I had the cancer removed. Bye Bye!

To find the MS, and transverse myelitis, I had a gazillion MRIs of my brain, cervical spine, thoracic region and lumbar region. There are lesions in my brain and one rather long one in my cervical spine which probably is causing most of my numbness and other MS problems.

I am on Neurologist number 4 as the rest either shook their heads, loaded me up with pain killers, or offered antidepressants and demanded for more tests. My current neuro is a gem, as are her staff and PAs. I relented and had a lumbar puncture which confirmed the MS last January and immediately got treated with a 4 day Solumedrol drip. UGH! That was supposed to make me feel so much better but I am still doing battle with ceaseless Fibromyalgia from the steroids.