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.