Testing Day

Today was my day of testing for The Chiari Institute. We arrived early (about 1 hour) at the testing facility and I started going over my paperwork and realized I was suppose to be NPO (nothing by mouth) for the testing (I swear I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached!). I started to go into panic mode, as I thought I blew it and wouldn't be able to have the testing and possibly may have to cancel my consult all together! Dan reassured me and we went inside.

I approached the desk and gave my name and the receptionist handed me papers to fill out, etc. I returned the papers and told her "I think I messed this up really bad" and started to cry a bit even though I was trying my hardest not to. She said "nothing is that bad" and asked what was the matter. I told her about my block-headed mistake and she said "It's o.k. Just have a seat and relax", so that's what I tried to do.

I went into the bathroom and she came over to Dan and told him to tell me not to worry.

I was then called in for the testing. I changed into a lovely, blue cotton number and was lead into the MRI suite. He placed this head and neck brace thingy on me which resembled Hannibal Lector's mask and told me not to move or swallow....... easier said than done. I did my best as he told me that if I don't hear any banging, plinking etc it was safer to swallow at those times. It seemed to last forever!!!!! I was feeling really dizzy and nauseated and didn't think I could make it through. I was wishing and praying for it to be over already. I finally was finished with that test after about an hour or so. The tech, John, then told me that I wasn't going to have the IV contrast MRI because of having COPD and also because I had eaten. I guess it was more so because of the COPD than anything, due to breathing complications associated with the dye. When I went to get up after sitting up for a while, I thought I was going to fall down. I was kind of disoriented, my vision was really blurry, nauseated and I felt very off balance. I was then sent to have x rays.

The x rays were much quicker. I had to have some standing, some with my mouth open, my head flexed and extended and some lying down. I was then sent to have the 3D CT scan which was performed without a hitch.

I was in the wating area, for the tech to come out with the TCI packet and my disc and met another woman who had tethered cord and had ACDF and detethering. She said prior to the detethering she was is very bad shape. Had great trouble walking etc and her story sounded very much like my story. She had the surgeries and said she's regained a lot of her function but has perminant damage. She said she had a syrinx that occupied 80%of her spinal cord!!! For those that don't know about this stuff, that's really bad. Anyways, she's much better now and is having her daughter tested, who is 4, due to symptoms her daughter is having (poor little peanut!) I hope and pray that she's o.k.

I was surprized to be done and it was only 1:45 or so! I wish I would have felt better because I would have loved to go and see some sights, but oh well, no big deal.

W drove a round a bit and later decided to go have a bite to eat. We hit TGI Fridays and then drove a bit more. Great Neck is a really nice place. I would like to come again when we all can enjoy ourselves together as a family. We headed back to the hotel at about 5:00 and was met by the attendant Lucus again. What a sweetie! He asked about our day etc and parked our car. Up in the room, I started to look at the disc that they gave me of my tests, but just couldn't stay awake. I fell right to sleep at about 5:30.

I woke up because the cell phone was ringing. It was my sister Vicky calling to check up on us.

Tomorrow is supposed to be another long day, but I will find out what the results of the tests are and what the doctors have to say about everything. Looking at the disc, I look like I have some tethering along with Chiari, hemangioma, fractured spine but no big syrinx. If I do have a syrinx it's small. I'm nervous but I'm pretty sure I'll soon have some answers.

Hope you all are doing well!!!

Take it easy!

Until next time......