So, I've been busy doing who knows what and in this time some moments that are blog worthy happened and yet I didn't make it her to post it. Well, here it is finally.
Some of the events have come full circle, others have gotten better while others quite worse.
Let me tell you about my trip to Seattle back in November.
The day was November 2nd 2009, voting day. My husband and I both got up, packed out suitcases into the car and headed off. First we voted and then took I-90 West to Seattle. On the way there, it was a stressful trip. My husband was speeding and got a ticket. So much for dining out on my Birthday. From then on out there was even more stress. The roads in Seattle are maze like and poorly signed. Downtown Miami is a dream compared to Seattle, come to think of it so is Dallas, L.A. and even Atlanta. The D.O.T. of Seattle must have been on some sort of psychotropic drug to come up with all that madness. At any rate, when we finally got to our hotel I was delighted to be able to see the Space Needle from our hotel room. The manager had put us in a honeymoon suite at a discounted rate.
The next morning it was back out into the maze and dealing with our G.P.S. who kept saying "continue 300 feet then turn left" so we did and she would then say "recalibrating" then she would come back to say "make a u-turn if possible" "then turn left" LOL no matter what it was always telling us to turn left and continue then turn left. I finally realized that it was/is those insane streets in Seattle.
Finally we made it, the parking is underground across the street and there is a tunnel to the hospital. I still hadn't checked in and the University of Washington's hospital floor plan was just as confusing. After wandering and asking several people for directions, I made it to the Neurology Department. I wasn't late either, in fact, I was just on time.
I was happy to meet Dr.Kraft, I did several tests and he revealed to me that his suspicion is that I've had MS symptoms perhaps going as far back as high school. That explains a lot. He also gave me a revelation that I don't need my cane for support but, mostly for balance and confidence. For some reason my brain freaks out without it. I don't use it at home or in familiar places. Crazy. After a few tests with me walking and testing my vision and so forth. It was then asked of us to stay one more night to do more tests, so we did.
The next morning, I went in to have this weirs test with electrodes hooked up on parts of my arms and legs. I had to lay calm and my nerves were zapped with low voltage electrical shocks. It felt sort of like a strong tiny shower sprayer. on my arm it made my thumb twitch, and on my legs it made my big toe twitch. This was the desired result.
I didn't have my next part until that evening. So, back out into the maze and we found this great burger joint, Dick's. There was a news team there interviewing people about the polls and if they voted or not. He was going to ask me but before the camera turned on, I told him "I'm from Idaho and YES I voted" I wasn't in the mood for limelight after the electro session, not to mention the weird goop that was still in my hair even after a week of washing.
We drove around and caught glimpses of Puget Sound most of it was filled with homes or warehouses and docks. We went around to some thrift stores at some point and found the scary part of Seattle. Then, it was back through the maze with a mission to get to the hospital in time for my MRI.
It began at 7pm and I didn't finish until after midnight. I fell asleep listening to Cevin Key. The beauty of MR imaging these days is you can have them cue up music for you to enjoy during you session. The technician asked me what would I like to listen to that he can cue it up from the internet. I asked for Cevin Key, just anything Cevin Key. They had me get up reposition then they slid me back in for more then again this time feet first they took some scans and one more time head first. One of the times they stopped, they had to inject me with dye referred to as contrast. I was so tired when the pulled me out I was asleep. This other tech who I hadn't met came to wake me up and it scared me. I gasped and nearly fell of the table trying to get away from him. I didn't know where I was at first, as it all slowly came back to me, I relaxed a little. This last round began then it was back to sleep for me, dreaming industrial dreams of tranquility.
In the end, we made it back to the hotel and I slept more in the car and also in the hotel room. I was exhausted from all the testing and the maze of streets and was eager to get back to normality
Leaving Seattle was just as confusing trying to listen to the G.P.S. so we turned it off and made it on our own.
The next time we go there, I will make arrangements for my husband to rock climb at R.E.I. apparently you can't just walk in, they have to schedule an instructor and you have to sign their insurance forms etc... I might as well do it too with all the fuss, it might be worth it even if I only make it up 10'.
Fast forward through the holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas and new years, through valentines and my dad's birthday now today...I learned from my Neurologist that Dr.Kraft doesn't think I qualify for the stem cell transplant. So all of that testing and stress, missing my birthday and worrying about the bills from the whole trip and my husband missing out on work for this time was just a big waste of resources.
so, there you have it. My trip to Seattle.
sorry about that sideways picture, I will fix it later.
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