It's been a busy week for this POTSy gal. It's a good thing I'm on vacation because I don't know how I would have made it through had I been working. The week started out with me fighting with the insurance company for reimbursement for insulin for my daughter. By the time I was finished speaking with the representative my daughter had to come between me an the wall I was ready to bang my head against. Thank you Megan! Then later in the week I had the daunting task of trying to remain calm with my lawyer concerning a loan modification that was applied for over a year ago with no results so far. But I have to say the best and most entertaining part of my week had to be the numerous and unique doctors appointments I went to and plethera of test I was given.
On Monday I visited the pulmonary specialist to have a series of lung capacity tests. This very nice technician hooks me up to a tube connected to a machine and demonstrates the testing process. So I try to mimic here example and when I blow the mouthpiece shoots out of my mouth. We both look surprised and she shows me again how to breath and blow. This time I have my teeth locked down to the mouthpiece and I breath and blow. She encourages me to keep blowing until I think my eyeballs are going to pop out and I'm going to blow a gasket or pee my pants. The test took twenty minutes and I survived without blowing a gasket or wetting my pants woohoo!
On Wednesday I had my MRI. MRI's have never bothered me in the past. The technician offered me earplugs which I've never been offered before, but when I refused them the technician was very insistant that I wear them. She went on to explain that the machine is louder than most. I took her advice and was thankful that I did. The machine was VERY loud even with earplugs! As I lay there I did what I always do, which is to close my eyes, relax and turn the various clinks and bangs into music. I'm so glad I was listening to Generator by The Weathervanes on my way to the MRI. The rythme of the MRI sounds were easy to interpret into that song. But then something unusual happened during the MRI. The machine began to thump and vibrate. I felt like the rotating plate in a microwave which has slipped off the rotating wheels and begins to thump continuously against the wall of the microwave. Then a new song popped into my head The Microwave Song by Softlights
"http://www.youtube.com/embed/85mgifwuYTs"
That song just wouldn't leave and by the time I finished playing that song in my head I was in my happy place and the MRI was over.
Thursday was my appointment with Dr. Frankenstein (my neurologist)for the nerve conduction test, which I like to call shock and needle pricking test. A technician came in to administer the shock part of the test. He chuckled when I told him that "I wondered if he grew up wanting to shock people for a living?" he laughed he answered "yes" Ew! I guess someones has to do it. While he was shocking me in various places on my body I couldn't help giggling over the fact that my hands and feet were twitching bazaarly after every shock. Every time I giggled the technician would shake his head with what I can only surmise as disappointment over the fact that I wasn't wreathing in agony. When we were finished he told me he has never had a patient respond to the test the way I had (I'm not sure if that was an insult or a complement). Next my doctor came in to administer the needle pricking part of the examination. My doctor seemed to enjoy administering this part of the test a little too much. He was putting so much gusto into sticking me with the needles that I was sure his target was to stick that needle right through me in order that I become a human shish kebob. While the doctor was having his fun I asked him "when you were in medical school did the students practice administering this test on each other?", he smiled and said "yes". I can just imagine the Medical school neurology teacher telling her students "tomorrow we will be shocking each other and sticking each other with needles". Did the class erupt in cheers? Hmm, I guess I'll never know. He told me I was the first person who preferred the nerve conduction over the needles. I guess that makes me special! I left the office finding out I have some technical term for neuropathy in my outer left leg and foot and carpal tunnel in my right hand (which was quite a surprise). I left with confirmation of a condition I knew I had with no answers to how to fix the problem (except for the carpal tunnel which I didn't even know I had).
On Friday my neuro called to inform me my brain looked "normal" on the MRI. Personally I don't think there's anything "normal" about my brain, but I don't think a neuro is the best person to confirm that LOL. I feel like I'm living under a microscope with all these test this week, I think I'm ready to go back to work and take a vacation from this sicko vacation.
Inspired, Michele
Psalm 16:1
Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in Thee.
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