Spinal Surgeon

Saw the spinal surgeon today. It was sort of funny, because when he first came in after looking at my MRI pictures he was like, "You are very strange." I was like, "I know."

He went through the normal long list of questions, and then checked all my reflexes and pushed me around some like the neurologist did before.

After showing my my picture and talking about my lack of falls or car accidents, he laid it out something like this. My syrinx (fluid in spine) can be caused by one of four things: 1) An injury, such as a fall or car accident, 2) A tumor, 3) I was born with it (very rare) or 4) Something I forgot but it didn't remotely apply to me.

The most likely answer is that it's a tumor (which didn't show up on the MRI) or I was born with it. What he wants to do is have me come back for another spine MRI in six months and see if there is any sign of the problem getting worse or any clue as to the existence of a tumor. From there, we'll decide if it's necessary to have an operation. Since the tremors and such I experience are annoying but not greatly effecting my life, he thinks that (unless a tumor shows up/it gets worse) I should just live with it. The spinal surgery is very risky, because the fluid is inside of my spine so they'd have to get into it without crippling me.

I'm fairly satisfied with the appointment. Afterward, my mom remembered that I had fallen off a horse once and asked about that. But when I fell, the stirrup had broke and I was leaning almost to the ground already before I let go of the galloping horse and fell all the way. I also don't remember if I landed on my shoulder or my back, and I don't remember feeling any pain. So I don't think that counts as a big fall. I also fell down the stairs once in Wakefield and hurt my tailbone pretty bad, but I wasn't seen about it and after a few days of soreness I was fine. So I don't think that counts as a dramatic fall either. I'd forgotten all about those incidents though, or I would have mentioned them.

I see my primary care doctor and Rheumatologist on the 19th, and I'm going to try to schedule my next appointment with my neurologist for the same day. Tomorrow I'm starting my short-term fix Rhuem. drugs.

Taming the Beast

In my Rheum. appointment today, we discussed my inflammation levels. My doctor is putting me on a quick-fix drug that I'm supposed to take for like ten days, and hopefully it will calm down my inflammation for a few more weeks while we get ready for me to go onto some of the more serious medications.

I've sort of got information overload at the moment. I am still trying to process everything we talked about.

We talked about whether or not I wanted to go step-by-step with the drugs or if I'd like to hit it hard and fast with everything. I said hard and fast, because then if I react badly I'll still be at home and within an easy distance from my specialist. In July, I'm moving out of state to Berry College. I figured if I get used to whatever the side effects the month before I leave, and then maybe it won't be so hard of a transition when I'm there.

We're talking about me going on Methotrexate and Humira while continuing with Plaquenil. There are a ton of side effects to these medicines... but if I could knock it out, I could be over with this stuff in a few years. Not that that's a garentee... but I think it's worth it. It's also definitely better to do it now than wait until I am married/am thinking about getting married later in my twenties. I'm sort of nervous about Humira simply because it's a shot... but the alternative is something like an insulin pump that I'd have to go to the doctor's every couple of weeks to have refilled, so really there isn't an option.

I have to talk to my main doctor about another perscription I need as a protection while taking these drugs, and I have to talk to my spinal person about the effects Humira could have on my spine. I have my appointment with the spine person on Wednesday, and then I'm seeing my Rheumatologist and main doctor and Nuerologist all in late May.

I'm sort of overwhelmed, but trying not to be. I'm just trying to trust that God will keep me safe, and that I'll survive working through college with all this junk going on.

Neurologist's Call

My neurologist called today to get back to me about the MRI. He said that my brain is unremarkable - however, there is an unusual fluid on my spine. He mentioned Syrinx, which is a fluid-filled cavity within the spinal cord. The symptoms seem to be consistent with my symptoms. I am getting a referral to see a spinal specialist out of town. I'm supposed to contact the neurologist if my symptoms change or get worse. After I see the spine person, I'm supposed to go back to the neurologist to discuss what might be going on and how to treat it.

I am also waiting for a call from my Rheumatologist. For the last two weeks, my hands have been severely inflamed to the point where I can barely grasp anything. My middle right finger has started hurting even when I'm not doing anything - like little electrocutions from the lower joint in the finger. So I called him today to ask for a phone consult. I figured I can tell him what's going on and hear the results of my last batch of bloodwork and x-rays, and then I'll see if I need to come in again or not.

MRI Results

So, I had my MRI about a week ago. The first and longest session was the hardest. It was about an hour long, extremely hot and my stomach was upset. But all in all, it went okay.

I finally heard something about my MRI results today. I've been playing phone tag with the doctor for a while. I was out of town for the last week, and he's on leave this week. The nurse called to say she had looked over the report, and from what she could see my brain was "unremarkable," which is a good thing. :) When the real doctor gets back, he's going to review it all and then contact us to see whether or not we need to go back again.

So... that's a good thing.