Dec 22, 2007 MRI results and Dr visit

We went to see the Dr. at his methodist office, not the clinic, which was nice in that we didn't have to wait til next week to see him, but frustrating at the same time because the doctor that wanted us to come is was the "protege" and not Bertorini. Of course, I was worried because he wanted me to come in to talk about the MRI results and was now going to tell me something else was wrong. Fortunately, he just didn't understand what was going on. Unluckily for him I was ready and conscious (unmedicated) enough to talk to him. Matter of fact, Darrin had asked me was he going to be the good guy, or the bad guy? I took the bad guy. I was still polite but had a list to get through and wanted to make sure that the 5 staff; 2 nurses; 2 doctors and 1 receptionist all agree to the call in protocol that we have to go through. I wanted the "protege" to understand that he quadrupled the Rilutek and that I knew it. This is what I believe led to the headaches, crazy blood pressure and 2 hospital visits!!!!

Any hoo....the results of the MRI are good, in that they found nothing wrong...no where, that could cause a headache and nothing wrong for any other purpose. So this leads to what's the treatment plan? Bertorini came in the office and once again was the MAN. He ordered an MRV, which checks the blood vessels of the brain to make sure there is no clot. He recognized that I was having the headaches less often since I was on a steroid for my cold. He also realized that I was having side effects from the quinine and depacote. So I was thrilled when he agreed with the concept of taking me off all this junk, not that I was going to keep taking them anyway. I also am not taking any pain medication, OTC or RX, unless I'm having a severe headache. I slowly want to get off these meds. I will never again take a pill without knowing exactly how it should be taken, i.e. my normal self would have done that, but lately I have failed to follow my own advice. He did RX a steroid, at a higher dose than I was on, and I feel great. Which I'm aware is the steriod, but I'm grateful that I can control the head aches with a non-narcotic.

I still have numbness in the right leg, which is bizarre. We're just working with it. It comes and goes, with no known triggers.

I've been deliberating over whether I should make an appt for the ALS center in Nashville, at Vanderbilt. An ALS center for excellence. I'm done debating and will be setting up an appt for after the first if the year.