Monday, August 11, 2008

Update on me

Hi all -- today was what I was TOLD was an EEG to determine if I had peripheral neuropathy or not, trying to get to the root of all the health problems I've had lately. What it was instead was an EMG which involved electric shocks (they likened it before the doctor started to touching an electric fence) and lots of needle jabs deep into muscle tissue. I'm wondering now if they deliberately told me it was an EEG so I would show up today!

At one point after having electical shocks up and down different parts of my arms and legs (thankfully only on the right side of my body!) and now having needles jabbed throughout the same locations (and WIGGLED on top of that while he was telling me to push my muscles further into the needles!), I told him through tears that it had been easier going through induced labor for 24 hours with Luke while not having the relief of an epidural. Another time, after yet another scream from me and more tears, he must have thought he'd lighten the mood by telling me that people often have that reaction when it's a rainy day like today was. It didn't lighten the mood, nor did it invoke any humor on my part, just in case that was his intention, too.

Final results today -- I do NOT have peripheral neuropathy. All my muscles and nerves are very healthy, thank you very much. He even suspected during the physical exam that I may have some carpal tunnel in my right wrist and was able to rule that out completely. He did determine that I do have advanced plantars fascitis (spelling?) in my right foot which explains the pain I've been having in my heel and arch.

More questions were raised, though. I wanted to verify that what he was doing did comletely rule out MS and he told me that it did not...he was testing the peripheral nervous system while MS affects the central nervous system...and was inclined to think my doctor and neurologist should check more into the MS side. Yippee.

While they told me there are usually no problems after the tests he did today, it took me over ten minutes to hobble to my car. My leg felt like it was in a constant cramp and I couldn't put much weight on it, and even after I got to my car, I sat there for almost 15 minutes and cried from the pain in my leg and arm before trying to call Tony on the cell phone. I couldn't even curl my hand into a loose fist, and I couldn't lift anything at all on the right side, not even the door handle to open my door. After resting in my car for about 30 minutes, I drove to Starbucks and got something to drink while curling up in one of the easy chairs and resting for another 45 minutes before starting for home. The usual 90 minute drive took about 2 1/2 hours while dealing with limited motor skills and heavy rain on top of that. Now, almost five hours later, my muscles are more relaxed in my leg and it feels like I have pins sticking all over my leg.

For now, this doctor told me that all today resulted in was eliminating peripheral nerve problems and opening the door to even more questions and potentially more tests. I hope and pray that they aren't anything like today!

As for me (at least BEFORE the tests!), I'm doing better than I was a month ago. I'm forcing myself to take regular rests during the day, cut back on so much stuff (anyone wanna come and clean house for me?), and taking my vitamins (watkins, of course!). I've lost 17 pounds without trying in the past month...and am not complaining about that! But it is frustrating not knowing what is going on. It's even more frustrating knowing my health limitations are causing even more work for Tony, but he has been wonderful in helping wherever he can (mainly in taking the kids with him at different times during the day as well as getting meals ready).

I am so thankful God has been giving me strength, physical and mental and spiritual, to get through each day, sometimes (like today) each minute. I am so thankful to all of you out there who have been praying for me. And I am even more thankful that one day I'll have a brand new body without any of the troubles this current one has! And I am thankful that, while it feels like what I'm going through is horrible and awful and terrible, I really do have good health compared to so many others out there. I have a friend who is battling affects of Lyme's disease and lupus, another acquaintance from church who is in ICU trying to get stablized before they amputate her legs, someone else on my prayer list who is battling cancer for the third time, the wife of a friend's friend who is dying of a rare form of blood cancer after having just given birth to a beautiful baby who doctors wanted to abort to save the mother's life, and there is so much more. Through it all, for me and these others, God is good...and has a plan. And knowing that, even if I never know what that plan is, is what gets me through each day (along with the prayers of all of you).

I don't know what is next. I'll let ya know when I do!

Thanks for your continued prayers......

3 comments:

Martha said...

Oh! I had that electrical shock test, too!! I didn't have the needle one, but I also had something that kept blasting super bright lights in my eyes. Yuk. I also remember at one point in PHX when I couldn't even use a stapler because I didn't have the strength to push it together. I'm thankful that all came back! I'll keep praying, Lin, because those times of more questions than answers are very tough, especially when the mind starts in on the "what if's". Thanks for the update.

liz said...

Lin, I'm so sorry for your suffering. Count on continued prayers. Love you.

Anonymous said...

I appreciate your closing words, and attitude. Gram always said, there's many others a lot worse off than you are. The nicest thing is that GOD is still in control. (And I well remember those needles and the shock tests. They were awful! Thank God for the power of prayer and the prayer support of loved ones! And a husband who not only helps physically, but also encourages spiritually as well. Love you all.