Toes Should Curl

So during that first visit with Dr. B he mentioned the possibility of MS. But he said it so casually that I didn't think it was a real possibility. However, I did have those toes that won't curl.

I was then scheduled for blood tests and 3 MRIs, of my brain, cervical and thoracic spine that Friday evening at Methodist Hospital. I already had an MRI (from the orthopedist) of my lumbar spine. Dr. B called me at home on Saturday evening to tell me all the things I DIDN'T have, based on my blood test (HIV, Lyme Disease, among others), but he said he wanted to schedule me for a spinal tap (or lumbar puncture). That would be Monday afternoon in Methodist Hospital.

That really stressed me out. I came in to work Monday and told my boss about that test and that I would be out that afternoon and possibly the next day for a spinal tap. Whereupon she decided to give me my yearly performance review. LIKE I CARED AT THAT POINT!

As it was it was getting difficult to explain all the tests and Dr. appts. I was having "just" for a herniated disk. I explained I had some sort of inflammation they were checking out and most everyon bought that. I wasn't ready to acknowledge the possibility of MS.

Ernest picked me up at work Monday, saying Dr. B called HIS cell phone and asked me to come in earlier for another blood test. After the blood test I had no idea where we were supposed to go for the spinal tap and neither--the hospital, Scurlock, or Smith towers. Ernest dragged me along, me limping with the bad left leg. I finally stopped and refused to go any further--he needed to ask someone for directions--since he got the phone call. We had a little fight in the elevator lobby wherever we were. And Ernest snapped back at me--I had to remind him I was the stressed out patient! He did stop and talked with the security desk--two other men. You know what they say about men and directions...and here's three of them being useless. I finally called the Drs.' office and told his asst. G. that we were lost and I was going home! She said that wasn't an option--that Dr. B. would get in his car and find me. There was just no escaping all this, as much as I wanted to! So she figured out where we were and brought us up to her office. Dr. B. came strolling by whereupon I informed him I had spent the whole weekend trying to figure out where to escape to. He suggested Hawaii.

Hence my theme of escaping to an island in the Pacific.

But instead we went over to Methodist Hospital and Dr. B did my spinal tap himself. If he wasn't being "amusing" Ernest was. I balked when Ernest made the analogy of sap coming out of a maple tree. I had to remind the two of them that spinal tap patients have no sense of humor, at least this one didn't-- SO CUT IT OUT.