Piece by piece

I am falling apart. I'm so tired of this all.
I had the MRI for my neck on the 11 October. I am not good in small spaces so the neurologist gave me some Valium. Thankfully one of my friends came with me because me on Valium is insanity itself. It helped a lot and I kept my eyes closed the whole time, which was about half an hour. After I went home and passed out for a few hours on my couch. I was so loopy!

By Friday I still had not heard from Dr. Fatimi, the neurologist. Since the MRI results were only to take a couple of days, I figured I better ring her. I first called, left a message and was told she would return my call shortly. Three and a half hours later, still no call. I rang back, got someone in her office that hadn't a clue about anything, and told me the doctor had already left. Finally they found someone who sort of knew something, but not really. First she told me that the doctor had asked her to call me - Um, well, why didn't you then? - and my MRI was normal. I was happy if not surprised at this, as the pain is just getting worse. I then asked what was the next step, as Dr. Fatimi had thought I would need an EMG test. She said to make an appointment, so the first that was available was for 3 November, the day after I return from Holland. I hang up the phone, and within a minute or two, my mobile rings. It was the woman from Dr. Fatimi's office calling to say that she is very sorry but she gave me the wrong results and the appointment is to discuss my results. "So my MRI was not normal?" I asked her, and she was like, nope. That's it, nothing. I was meant to sit around for two weeks wondering what is going on. Thankfully a friend of mine said that I could go to the radiology place and get a report, which I did on Saturday.

Here is what the report said:

MRI of the Cervical Spine without Contrast

Findings: Magnetic resonance imaging was performed with sagittal T1-weighted images, sagittal fast spin-echo T2 and proton density images and gradient echo and fast spin-echo T2 axial images on a 1.5 Tesla MR unit.

Mild disc bulging and spondylosis is present at C4-C5, C5-C6, C6-C7. At C4-C5, there is a small superimposed right-sided disc herniation resulting in mild compression of the spinal cord. Minimal flattening of the spinal cord is present at C5-C6. At C6-C7, there is a small to medium-sized superimposed central disc herniation with mild cord flattening.

No other significant bulging or herniated discs are identified. The size and signal of the spinal cord are normal. Uncovertebral and face joint hypertrophy results in neural foraminal stenosis which is mild bilateral at C3-C4, mild to moderate right and mild left at C4-C5, moderately severe right and mild to moderate left at C5/6 and mild right at C7-T1.

The craniovertebral junction is unremarkable. The osseous structures are intact. No masses are identified. Mild disc space narrowing is present at C4-C5 and C5-C6 and there is diffusely decreased disc signal on T2-weighted images due to disc degeneration.

Impression: Mild disc bulging and spondylosis from C4-C5 through C6-C8 with small to medium-sized superimposed central disc herniation at C6-C7 and small right-sided disc herniation at C4-C5, resulting in mild spinal cord compression. Mild to moderate multilevel foraminal stenosis as above.

Sounds lovely, doesn't it? I tried to look up some of those things on my phone but it was too much to try. I was able to speak to a friend that is a chiropractor and he helped explain all the craziness going on. The long and the short of it is there are three options: surgery, which does not sound lovely at all; PT, which would strengthen my neck but not help the compression; and chiro, there is a technique called Cox (have to go look it up) but the catch is it a)is management, not cure and b)very few dr's do it, and those that do know more about the lower back than using for the upper, and c)the place my friend knows in the city does not take ANY insurance, and it would be $150 PER VISIT!!! and I would need to go a few times a week. I really need to start playing the lottery!

With regards to this Dr. Fatimi - I am definitely not liking her at all. First of all, I didn't like the way she fobbed me off and told me it was carpal tunnel, even though I told her it wasn't that type of pain. I've just faxed over the report to Dr. Rosen and asked her to ring me when she has a chance to discuss what to do.

I also made an appointment for tomorrow morning with my old chiro as my whole right side of my back is in spasms and I need to get some relief before my long trip to Holland on Friday.

Never a dull moment.

In other news...My UTI results came back and Dr. Rosen said that the antibiotic I was taking was not one the lab listed for that type of infection, so I had to go back, take another test - which was not completely normal - then they sent it to the lab, and go on a different antibiotic. Of course we didn't get the results from the lab until AFTER I was done taking the new antibiotics, which, obviously, I did not need.

Where can I get a new body please???