My Day With the Neurologist

 

You know how every time you go to a different doctor – whether it be for a consultation or a test – the first thing you get is a clipboard full of forms to fill out?  God, I hate that.  Especially after I found out that all that information was already in the doctor’s computer!

Anyway, today I endured yet another interrogation from my 6’5” Romanian specialist who has been the latest to tackle the mystery of what ails me.  I could literally feel the evidence piling up as my answer to each question led to another.

Then we took a look at my brain.  First time I’ve ever seen that sucker, so it was great to see I had one.  He flipped from one view to another and back again, staring hard at certain spots that were barely perceptible to my layman’s eyes. 

Finally, he took the cursor and pointed to the spots that turned out to be lesions.  Instead of the three I had been told about by my primary doctor, we counted six.  That’s when I started holding my breath. 

I asked questions.  Are those the lesions?  That one looks pretty big.  No, he said they are actually very small.  My legs were swinging back and forth nervously as I sat perched on the edge of the examination table.

Then he tested my coordination.  He tolds me it’s “off.”  I’m pretty surprised by that.

Twice he peered into my eyes with that light they use.  I waited in vain for some hint as to what he was or wasn’t seeing there.

Next came the reflex hammer.  Hot and cold test.  Walk in the hallway the way they do for sobriety tests.  Close my  eyes and jump up and down for a full minute.

And then he turned from his computer and said,

“How do I put this?”

My heart sank as the breath I had been holding unconsciously escaped loudly from my chest. 

“I am 80% sure that you have a mild case of multiple sclerosis.  I would like to do at least two more tests, maybe three.  Don’t panic.  (He was watching my face.)  You have been exhibiting symptoms, off and on, for at least the past 5 years, maybe more, and you are still leading an active life.  If the tests confirm what we suspect, there are medications that can significantly slow the progression of your symptoms.  And no matter how severe your mother’s MS has been for the past 44 years since she was diagnosed, it doesn’t have any bearing on the prognosis for your case.   They are all unique.”

Fortunately, my son had invited me to the set of the TV show he is in town shooting today to watch him do his scenes with actress Gabrielle Union.  I didn’t have time to sink into the doldrums, I had to drive across town.  Then, of course, parental pride overrode panic and self-pity, once I sat and watched take after take after take for the different camera angles.  It was a new and exciting experience for this doting mom.

And the beat goes on.