Trip to UW Children's Hospital

Yesterday Zach had an appointment at the American Family Children Hospital in Madison (nothing serious, just needed a specialist for a minor issue.  Zach asked that I not blog about it).  It is apart of the UW hospital where I go for my MS appointments.  That place is the most confusing hospital EVER!  You have to take a separate elevator for the parking garage and then there are different elevators for different floors for the actual hospital.  2nd floor in one area doesn't mean you will be on the second floor of the children's area!  AAAHHH!  Who is the sadistic architect for this maze?!
Anyway, my friend Sarah Worthing was kind enough to drive us to the hospital since I was feeling dizzy and my right hand was weak.  I was a little concerned about driving so far while having these symptoms.  Thank God she did drive.  My dizziness increased the minute I stepped into the elevator.  I stumbled a few times but nothing serious until we got to the check-in desk.  That is when it felt like the world was spinning at super speed! Down I went.  I laid there and chuckled while everyone else is gasping and asking if I'm alright.  I explained why I fell, that I was alright and just really embarrassed.  Sarah said my ears were red.  I asked for a wheelchair because I really didn't want to fall on my ass again.  They got me the kind that you can't wheel yourself.  It only had little wheels that lock instantly after the person behind you stops holding in the bar as they were pushing.  Kind of like the safety bar on a lawn mower that will shut off the machine if you let go.  So that meant I had to rely on everyone else to push me where I wanted to go.  Zach took the initiative and wheeled me everywhere.  My feet were not exactly safe from walls and he took that as an opportunity to treat me like a race car.  I'm in a wheel chair;  my hair shouldn't be flowing behind me like I'm in a convertible.
I called Namita in the research lab, because I couldn't find Dr. Fleming's phone number, and told her about my Thanksgiving event and the dizziness I was having.  She got a hold of him and we set up an appointment for tomorrow, Wednesday.  I'm better now.  Dizziness is gone and I've got my strength back, but I'm going to have Joe Scarpelli drive me anyway.  Just in case.
Dr. Fleming called me last night to check on me, what a great guy!  I told him what happened and he explained that as a newbie MS patient it's normal to have a big episode like I did at Thanksgiving, then recover and have "after shocks" for a few days.  And like earth quake after-shocks they are not as violent as the first big event.  They slowly diminish as the days pass.  So far today I only have tingles in my fingers if I look down with my head.  After awhile, if not treated, those MS attacks can cause permanent damage and you can't recover anymore.  I can't wait for my HINT treatments!

MS is a weight loss killer!

Since being diagnosed I've gained a few pounds.  It's uncomfortable and I'm done with it.  At least I want to be done with it.  I've started South Beach again but unlike last time it's taking longer to work.  Add to the fact that exercise this time around has to be light.  No inhaler allowed.  Crunch Yoga it is. It's a combo of yoga and pilates.  It makes me sweat but not breath too hard.  Oh, but things have gotten even more interesting after my latest ER run when all my extremities went limp.  Now, I have the tingles shooting down my arms every time I stretch them forward.  The stretching feels good when I'm all done with the routine, but during it is very off putting.  I'm going to work through it for now.  Unless my doctor tells me to stop.
The other issue that is preventing me from exercising lately is Samantha has been sleeping in the living room.  The kids share the same room but sleeping in the same room has not been going well, especially if Samantha is sick.  Which right now she is starting to get over.  She snores and it's driving Zach crazy.  So she sleeps in the living room.  Where is the only place I can exercise?  THE LIVING ROOM!  I have no place to escape to.  I can't afford a gym membership either.  Rock.  Hard place.  Me.

It's wouldn't be the Holidays without an ER run.

Matt dragged me to the Wausau emergency room yesterday which is out of our insurance network.  Yes, I spent a large part of my Thanksgiving in the ER.  I didn't want to go, but when all of my limbs were so weak I could barely stand, or hold a cup I finally gave in.  It happened so suddenly and all over my body.  It started with my right leg first and spread all the way up my leg to my right arm then my left leg to part of my left hand.  My limbs felt weak, cold and heavy.  I even had a hard time signing my name (I'm left handed) when we were checking in.  They did the normal myriad of tests including a CAT scan.  I did have a headache too in my right temple.  After about 3 hours all the test came back clean.  My cat scan didn't show a stroke or blood clots.  I was a little nauseous and they wanted to give me medicine for it but I refused.  I was pretty sure it was just because I was hungry and I didn't want it to mess with the HINT trial I am in.  By the time we were ready to leave, my headache had gone from a 6 to a 1 on the pain scale and my legs were back to normal.  I still had issues with my right thumb and index finger but it was nothing compared to how it was earlier.  I was wheeled into the ER and I walked out of there with a spring in my step!
After talking with doctors we came to the conclusion that this episode was brought on by caffeine.  It was the only thing out of the ordinary that I had done.  I  had a coffee and pain medicine with caffeine in it that morning.  I thought I had read the ingredients and I didn't see caffeine on the package.  Later, Matt found the continued section of the ingredient list where it was listed.  Oops!  I normally don't drink anything with caffeine and that morning I had giving my body a double dose of it.  No wonder my system was freaking out!  I'm fine now.  All the weakness and tingling have disappeared.
I PRAISE GOD with my boldest of text for His loving healing and care.  I certainly got a scary hint of my possible future, but I also got to see how loving my husband is during a hard trial!  He was my rock.  I'm thankful to the Lord for giving him to me.  When I was in doubt about going to the ER, he was and is unapologetically sure it was the right decision.  He kept me entertained while waiting for test and never complained about having to sit there.
Now I'm off to talk to the insurance people.  Pray we don't pay an arm and a leg for this little ER visit.

My first MS symptoms in my appendages.

Yesterday my right calf leg muscle felt like it was...I don't know how to explain it.  It was kinda tingly but it also felt stiff.  It didn't feel weak though.  This morning my leg was back to normal, but my right hand and half of my left now is tingling.  It feels like it does when your hand starts to fall asleep. It is weaker than normal and it's making typing well, interesting. I really hope it goes away soon.

Blown veins and contrast on my clothes...good times.

Had my 2nd MS HINT observation today.  Only 3 more to go before the actual trials.  I always have to have blood drawn for these observations.  Until now it has been fine, but not this time.  They decided to just have my blood drawn in the Research Lab.  That is were things went wrong.
Instead of doing the individual tubes the lab nurse decides to just draw out my blood with one big tube and then separate it in individual tubes.  This means she has to draw the blood out instead of letting it flow naturally.  Plus, she used my left arm which is usually not the best.  I prefer my my right for all needle excursions.  I started to get very nauseous and dizzy.  The needle was also right on a nerve so it hurt A LOT.  I stuck it out as long as I could until I just started to pass out.  She stopped drawing the blood, had me lay down and drink Juicy Juice.  We were done drawing blood for that day.  They said I looked pretty pale.  I mean more pale than usual.  They decided to switch arms for the catheter.  She got it in and then it wouldn't work.  So she had to take it out to see what was wrong.  It was bent.  That was vein number 2 that was now useless.  She tried again on a new vein and started to put in the saline (to flush out the vein) when my arm started to feel like it was on fire.  My eyes started watering and I told her to stop.  She knew she had blown my vein.  That was the 3rd useless vein and my first blown vein.  She took her gloves off, put her hand in the air and said "we are calling a pro. to come in."
He had to come from the hospital lab so it took awhile but when he got there he found a viable vein in my right arm and got that catheter in in no time.  He put gauze over the needle tapped it on and I was off to the MRI.  Now they do the first round of test without the contrast.  I just lay in there with the tube connected to the needle in my arm.  As usual, I fell asleep.  I woke up when she announced they were putting in the contrast.  I've done this many times before and it's normal to feel the cool liquid flow up the tube and into my arm.  This time however, I felt it flow up the tube but my side started to feel wet.  I squeezed the emergency ball and told her I felt wet and suspected the catheter fell out.  She was flabbergasted and shut the machine off to come investigate.  She pulled me out, looked under the covers and felt my wet clothes.  The best part was when she lifted the catheter and it started spraying contrast all over the place!  Mainly on me, the machine, and the floor.  We later came to the conclusion that the reason the catheter didn't stay in place was because of the gauze.  Normally they tape the needled right to my arm.  Nice tight seal.  This guy had a different approach.  One that doesn't work well when liquid is being pushed in. That was vein number 4.
A new nurse came in and asked if I wanted to still try and do the rest of the MRI ( I only had 3 more test to go).  I was game.  She looked at my right arm and said that one was spent.  She was going for the left.  She gets the needle in and starts putting in the contrast.  It felt like someone lit my arm on fire.  I told them to stop.  That was vein number 5 and the 2nd vein that was blown.  They were done trying.  The rest of the MRI was canceled.  It wasn't a complete wash though.  The images they got without the contrast can still be used.
The ladies in the research lab must have apologized a hundred times.  I told them I was going to take pictures of my bruised arms and bring them the next time I come for my MRI.  And because teasing doesn't translate well in print I will clarify that I was joking with them.  We did have a good laugh about the catheter debacle.  I'm glad I'm in this study.  The people at the UW research lab are really down to earth wonderful people.  I'm not just doing this research for me but for them.  They want to cure MS as much as I want it to be cured.  And I'm glad we all could have a good sense of humor about days like this.