Well, I Told You So

Saw my neurologist (NL) today, who’s a lovely lady and one of my favorite people even though she charges me $20 a pop to tell me she can’t figure out what’s up. So after I hand over my $20 to get through the Ring of Fire door between the waiting room and the back part of the office, I get my turn in an exam room. I’m sitting there in my chair waiting and can’t help but notice it’s right next to the ventilation duct. And the man and the lady 4 rooms down are having their visit with the doctor. And I can hear every word they’re saying.

So much for patient confidentiality. Who’s on the other end of the duct listening to me bitch and moan? Thank God it’s a neurologist office and not a gynecologist, or they’d have to listen to me gripe about my periods and cry because we might have to think about yet another round of infertility treatment if we really decide to do this thing, and most of all hear the bitterness in my voice and how upset I am from the stress that was with 99.99% certainty the cause of my miscarriage a few months ago.

Anyhow. The NL at Cleveland Clinic assured me she would send a follow-up note to my NL about what she wanted done after my visit down there and, of course, did not do it. So my NL has to go on what I tell her the other doctor said: “Another MRI of the cervical spine to monitor the syringomyelia, particular attention looking for T1 hypointensity (say that one really fast 3 times, I dare you!) and if that is present, CSF studies to rule out spinal cord inflammation.” She says, “Of course.” I guess all those years as a transcriptionist have finally paid off, with my attention to detail and my knowledge of terminology. I can recite this crap but don’t ask me what it means because you’ll get a blank stare and possibly some drool.

Then we talk about my visual field deficits and the fact that I went to the ER and they said there was nothing wrong. I know, and she knows I know, that a CT scan without contrast is not really going to show much unless it’s something HUGE like a large tumor or bleed (thank you again, Transcription). So besides another MRI on my neck, I get to have another MRI on my head to look for those demyelinating plaques again.

Of course, after I get those done, plus a swallowing study that the Cleveland NL wants done, I get to go back to her office for another visit (another $20 copay). She was pretty pleased, though, that I’d had the foresight to schedule an appointment on my own with an ophthalmologist and that it’s tomorrow.

Not only do I have a headache, now I have a pain in my ass.