I meant to add this to my last post, but forgot -- hmm, no surprise there. My neurologist's nurse called today and said they had the reports from my MRIs. The brain scan showed I do have a brain and it was normal - whew! The back scan showed bulging discs but no pinched nerves. I guess I will have to wait until my January 4th appointment to see if he has any ideas of why I am having such memory problems and why my legs are hurting and going numb at times. At least it doesn't seem like it is too serious. Frustrating, yes, but perhaps not serious.
By the way, if you are new to reading blog postings, the oldest/first ones are clear at the bottom. You can scroll down or go by clicking links over on the right hand side under "Previous Posts." The very first ones are under the "Archives" heading. Comments are welcome at any time.
I doubt I will post again until I see my blood test results on the 4th and also see the neurologist that day.
2 comments:
WOW. I appreciate your journal. I am female, 46, newly married on the brink of a new career (medical lab technology) and I think I have the beginnings of CLL. I had the misfortune (fortune?)of looking at my own blood smear during clinicals last week. I had already done all of my chemistries and they were all very good. However, I wasn't feeling all that hot and thought I would take a look at my CBC. Actually, the counts were normal. In the effort of practice I made slides to look at. Low and behold- many of my lymphocytes were "variant". I know what a normal one is supposed to look like and these were not normal. You may be thinking I'm just another hypochondriac (the field of lab technology is full of them), however the cells do not lie. This, coupled with my vague symptoms of tiredness, lack of drive, "hot" feeling, itching scalp, achy muscles and joint and full feeling sometimes in my armpits would suggest there is something amiss. I went through a bout with what I assumed was mono last year about this time- the nodes in the back of my neck were full and painful and I felt tired for about 3 months- it's got to be related. I'm hoping that these lymphocytes are just mono lymphs but I'm not really taking too much time on that thought.
In any case, I too have done lots of reading. In fact, one of my co-workers at the hospital accidentally found out she, too, had CLL. She is also on watch and wait. Since my numbers are all completely normal and symptoms are vague and periodic, I have decided to delay pursuing any answers. It is my goal to begin working and have some hours under my belt before disrupting my life to that degree....especially since after diagnosis I will still be on watch and wait. I realize other complications can pop up, but I am in too fragile of a life stage to add an official diagnosis to the punch.
I have only been married 8 months. My new husband has been supporting me through school for the past year and a half. I must get a job and get my own insurance and have a sense of independence before dropping any bombshells (which still could be nothing anyway).
Anyway, I haven't told a soul about this until now. I looked at the date of your last post and see that it is dated 2005. I hope things are well with you now.
An added footnote- I also lived in Round Rock (Cat Hollow) for 10 years- it's where I raised my kids. I live in downtown Austin now!
Thanks again.j
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