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The headache is still here with a vengence. Just when I think it might be better, I move in a particular way and I'm proved wrong. When I get to the hospital, I'm back on my back and my only consult is the occupational therapist.

I awoke Tuesday to a nasty spinal headache. I had followed the directions to the letter about staying down all evening, but to no avail. Sitting is the worst, especially on the toilet. Standing is better, but I feel hunched over because it hurts more when my head is straight up. When I am lying flat, it is a mild throbbing. So I rode in the back seat to the hospital lying down, and as soon as I got to my room, I was in bed. Everyone who saw me today did it with me in bed with the exception of the physical therapist.

I arrived at the West Pavilion building of the Methodist Hospital in Houston at 6:45 A.M., having fasted since midnight. I was checked in and my vitals were taken. After the nurse took blood, I was brought my breakfast. It was a 'mechanical soft' breakfast with everything soft or cut into very small pieces and all the fluids were thickened. After breakfast I had an EMG performed by Dr. Rosenberg. He told me that the results were abnormal and that it looked to him like ALS.

My boys came through having their tonsils out well. The little guy was running around the house that evening. My nine year-old is more like me, he had to sleep the anesthesia off, but was almost his old self by yesterday.

My report cards are finished! My lesson plans for the this week and next are finished. Now I can finish the school day and leave tonight knowing that I have everything ready for being out the next six school days.

January 28 always makes me think of the Space Shuttle Challenger. I was an intern teacher in a sixth grade science class the day of the disaster. My next door neighbor at the time, a high-school teacher here in Tulsa, was one of the four finalists to be the teacher in space. One week from today I will be at The Methodist Hospital in Houston at their Neurological Institute. My prayer is that I will get a correct diagnosis of whatever condition I have. If it is ALS or something else, I would love to leave there with at least a 'probable' if Dr. Appel can't give me a diagnosis yet.

Yesterday was a stressful day and I was exhausted. But today has been better. School is out and I look forward to the weekend, but I have grade cards to take home and work on.

Yesterday I was able to get my appointment with Dr. Appel in Houston. It will be Monday, February 4 through Wednesday, February 6. I was relieved that it is going to be so soon, but now I feel like I have so much to do before I go. I will miss at least four days of school that week, so I have a lot to do by Friday, February 1. Not to mention that both of my boys are having a tonsillectomy next Thursday, January 31, so I will be out that day. At least their dad will be able to keep them the next day so that I can come to work. So I will be busy, busy at work until I go to Houston.

I went to Starbucks with my friend who is a counselor on Saturday. During our discussion she encouraged me to journal my thoughts, feelings, etc., during this journey toward a diagnosis and beyond. I thought that the blog feature here would be a great place to start.

Blog, blog, blog , blog, a wonderful blooog, a wonderful blog! (Sung to the tune of 'Spam' by Monty Python) A few folks have asked what I take for vitamins as recommended by my neuro. (One of them...) So here's a re-print from my other blog: I was diagnosed in 1993. It was recommended to me to take MASSIVE amounts of anti-oxidant vitamins. The neurologist that suggested this approach said that this was the best approach as there was a “school of thought” that ALS was caused by the motor neurons being destroyed by free radicals.