Drain Your Brain with a Friend

August 19, 2010

The buddy system is the way to go. I tell the kids to always have a buddy for swimming, hiking, driving, everything, within reason. All of them found a life buddy, so they paid attention. I like to think that me and my life buddy helped set a good example. Today I have a new CCSVI buddy. Annie and I are going where no two women have gone before. We are going to get matching venograms. I got an interesting phone call from my #2 favorite nurse. My daughter and sister tie for first. I assumed she wanted to see how I was doing or remind me of my scheduled time. No,she wanted to know if I would be bringing Tilley again. My heart sank, because she already knew something was up and she was going to be a part of the big events as always. I asked her if that was going to be a problem. I wasn’t about to whip out my service animal rights and the ADA routine. If need be I would have to let it go this time. After all my disability status has changed somewhat. She said no, she was only making an inquiry. Ok. I didn’t have time to chat. I would find out later.

Annie and I both looked far too dressed up for a little day procedure. I’m not sure who we are trying to impress. She is giving me the evil eye and looking daggers at my laptop. I think she’s a wee bit nervous.

*I had to get the MRI first. Everything was on schedule until the technician asked about jewelry, blow guns, and stents. Stents? Three hours later, five minutes by the clock, it was all straightened out. He had no idea what he was looking for, he just took the pictures. He also had no sense of humor. After the stent incident, I felt like I owed him one. He asked me how I was doing and I said it felt like something was pulling on my neck. He did not laugh. As I said, he had no sense of humor.

Annie and I were supposed to have our appointments one after the other. Mine was for 12:00 noon. Don’t these people eat lunch? Annie was taken in first. She gave Tilley a pat and looked at me like she was going to bolt out the door. No worry, Tilley would have taken her down before she got to the water cooler. Ten minutes later, they came to get me. I was just hooking my computer up to the free internet. So this was why I got the call about Tilley. She went with the nice lady from the front desk into a room where I was assured she would be fine. I tried to explain this to her, but she just walked off with a stranger.

The Buddy rule was taken to new heights. I didn’t know where they took Annie, but I was right back in the same room as before. There I was in my nothingness with only a pink polka dot gown and the customary draft back aft. A blue guy I never saw before came in and smiled. I don’t remember anyone smiling last time! My friend Pepsi girl, (real person, fake name!) would be so jealous of me! He was a very nice looking gentleman who Pepsi would find very charming.
They chose to sedate me this time. I don’t know why. Perhaps I asked too many questions the first time or was otherwise annoying.

In any case, the azygous was blocked. The pressure to rectify the situation was uncomfortable and had to be done twice. I was glad I had the extra medication on board. The right and left jugular veins were just as they were the last time I saw them. The doctor hesitated and in came Dr. O. I didn’t think anything of it until he took over from my regular IR. They looked at each other,and Dr.O ballooned a blockage not addressed the first time. This required new stents. I think they added some more anesthetic, or they had reached my brain because things were getting a bit blurry. I remember thinking, “Great! They blinded me!”
There was an occlusion in the left sigmoid sinus vein. It almost looked like a cobweb. It was beginning to get noisy in the room. I could hear metal clicking on metal and rattle here and there. I said something about it, but didn’t get a response.

So all together, I had a blockage not discovered during the first procedure in the right inner jugular and several that were found in the azygous and sinus veins.
My lower legs have improved already. I have much better feeling and sensation in my feet. I picked a napkin off the floor with my toes! It was a small thing, but I was impressed ! It is too early to know how much my intolerance to heat has improved. I begin to over heat in temperatures higher than 73 degrees. If I exert myself at that point, I sweat profusely from my head and back. So far today I have had no sweating. My hearing is improved. I can detect sounds in different tone levels I’m not accustomed to hearing.

Annie arrived in a wheelchair and left with a walker. She regained her sense of smell much sooner than I did after my first procedure. She was sniffing everything, talked a mile a minute and was grinning from ear to ear. I hope if I looked like that the first time that everyone has forgotten about it by now.

The neurologist explained my MRI. I have a midline lesion that was the first one found years ago. It is one third smaller than it was from my last MRI. Two spinal lesions are gone. The image overlay was definite. They simply weren’t there. I’m sure that there are plenty of alternate explanations for the disappearance, but I won’t be impressed by any of them.
There is much more to write about. I promised my doctor and Rick that I would do what I refused to last time, rest. Tilley is pacing back in forth in a snit because I won’t pay attention to her. It’s been a busy day and I am content.



To be comtinued…