Hallelujah

The verdict is in: I'm going to live!!! Hallelujah!!!

I finally got the MRI & MRA report (brain scan) and I do, in fact, have a brain. I guess the problem is that I'm not using it to my best advantage, lol.

No aneurysm, no tumors, nothing out of the ordinary. That was the last hurdle and now we can go home.

The best we can figure on the headaches is a vicious cycle of tension-pain-high blood pressure-more tension etc, etc, etc! Also, the blood pressure machine I bought was way off accuracy. I took it in to the doctors office and the new one was sooooo wrong I returned it to the store and I'm just going to the doctors office each week till we get home. My b/p is nearly normal and will likely come down the rest of the way when I get home.

After much considering and praying about the best plan for returning to Alaska, we are going to fly to Seattle on April 12. It will take us a couple days to have new tires put on the rig and then we'll start the long drive home. We know the roads will still be icy for much of the AL-CAN but we'll take it slow and easy. If needs be, we can spend a couple days to wait out a storm.

Paul and I appreciate all everyone has done for us. Several people have taken care of our home, cat, mail, driveway (snow) and vehicles. Also we have imposed immensely on his sister and her husband for 3 months by living with them. We hope to be able to repay (or pay it forward) for all our blessings and every one's generosity.

Look out Homer, here we come :-)

A Little Forward Motion

I finally got in to see one of the specialists. He does sleep disorders and he's also a neurologist. He doesn't think I have sleep apnea and he thinks that my headaches are tension caused. (Most likely diagnosis considering the circumstances)

I also got the approval today for the MRI (or is that MRA?). I'll find out tomorrow when I make the appointment. I think it's an MRI with contrast to look at the blood vessels in the brain. My blood pressure is still rather high and unchanged with the medications.

Well, that's it in a nutshell, what'd I miss?

Never-ending Medical Visits

Today I finally saw the neurologist/headache specialist. He has some ideas but needs more investigation before he can zero in on a diagnosis.

He's ordering an MRI of the skull/brain and a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea.

He has ordered a couple medications to use in the meantime to lower blood pressure and pain.

So, we're looking at 2 weeks just for the insurance company to give up the approval for another MRI. See what I mean about "Never-ending"?

I'll give you more when we have the test results and plan of action. No sense in boring you with anything else right now since there's not much happening except headache.

Feel free to email or call us if you have other questions or jokes to tell me!!!

karenspils@hotmail.com

Headache Improvement

I have seen the neurologist and his NP and got a referral to a Headache specialist neurologist. Unfortunately, it's Tuesday March 6th before I can get an appointment.

I did have my appointment with my primary care practitioner today as follow up to the emergency room visit. I liked him, he's into preventing instead of fixing a problem and he's anxious to have a cause for the headache instead of covering it with more drugs. I'll contact him as soon as we know more.

Paul's doing very well. He has had some dizziness and low blood pressure but I think we beat it. We eliminated one of his medications that is the culprit, viola, no light headedness!!! He's also still losing weight and the goal is not to lost too quickly. His clothes are hanging on him and he looks like he's wearing his daddy's shirts and pants. Good thing he has some smaller clothes at home.

That's about it for now, thanks for hanging in there with us.