Idina Menzel

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Re-Cap of All Things Health Related

I’m trying to think of how many ways I can tell people that I’m “okay.” This, of course, raises all sorts of other questions like: “What does that word mean anyway?” So. I shall spare you my little inward rant this time and give some basic facts.
I’m sick.
The doctors don’t know what it is. (I have seen 2 primary doctors, an orthopedic surgeon, and 3 neurologists; I have an appointment with a rheumatologist on the 21st. Plus I’ve seen a chiropractor, and 3 physical therapists.)
Tests that have been performed include:
X-ray (knee and chest)
MRI (knee and brain)
EEG (twice)
EKG
CT (brain)
About 2 gallons worth of blood work
The only thing thus far that has been found that is out of the normal enough to be a concern is from the first EEG—which was redone on Monday because the 2nd neurologist deleted the first one, brilliant man—which contained abnormalities close enough to seizure material to be dubbed such, though there’s still some confusion on this matter. In any event, I’m on medication for the seizures, which has helped my previously uncontrollable spasming. This, my friends, is a good thing. Oh, wait. Sorry. Sticking to basic facts.
Symptoms wise:
I have cramping, swelling, and general pain from the waist down, but specifically my left knee.
My calves get next to no blood flow—that is, they remain freezing cold and white, while my knees and thighs are warm and bright red.
There are a few other random places—my right side, back of my head, etc.—that like to swell without notice.
Basic joint pain in elbows, wrists and fingers.
Delicious headaches every day which seem to sprout from the insides of my eye sockets. Very strange.
I have lost a ridiculous amount of weight over the past half a year, but particularly this past month. And by the by, for those of you who have not sampled Chartwell’s food, this is not because of a low calorie intake.
In the past few weeks my stomach has begun to refuse more and more foods. Well, I become really nauseous. I guess that’s “refusing.” Anyway, I was already allergic to dairy, eggs, and bananas (Random, I know.), now I can eat almost no meat, and for the most part am consisting on rice, olives, lettuce, and fruit smoothies—which my stomach doesn’t like, but I consistently shove down my throat because doggone it, I need something more. Augh, I’m not good at this whole “keeping it basic” thing. More later? Sure, sounds good.

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