Lost inTime, Losing My Mind

I really must apologize to Dave-the-Rave, because I did tell him that I was going to post my tantalizing interview with him YESTERDAY... that obviously didn't happen. But I do have an explanation! So ,before he thinks me totally unreliable without some sort of reasoning, let me tell you all about it.

Yesterday was filled with important doctor's appointments and tests, two of which were scheduled more than a year ago. I know that most of you who read here now weren't reading me regularly, if at all, back in mid-2007 and earlier, so I'll try to sum it up for you here. You can find the primary background here, but I'll explain the basics so you don't have to click away if you don't want to.

Anyway, I'm nearly 2-1/2 years out from radiosurgery to destroy an AVM (arteriovenous malformation) deep in my brain. The radiosurgery doesn't "kill" it right away and it can take up to three years to work its magic. After the radiosurgery, routine MRI's (with contrast) are scheduled for one year out and two years out, with an angiogram and second radiosurgical procedure scheduled for three years out, if necessary.

My one-year MRI couldn't even be read by my neurosurgeon because there was so much swelling in the brain, which, he was quick to reassure me, was perfectly normal. Since my migraines have continued since the radiosurgery, I didn't have any profound expectations following the second MRI, which was performed yesterday.

Those MRI's are extremely unpleasant for me, because they actually bring on headaches (no surprise with the loud noise and length of time that I am stuffed into the machine). I waited an extra two hours to see my neurosurgeon, after being at the medical plaza really early for one doctor's appointment (unrelated to my "head stuff) and then having the 45-minute MRI afterward. So by the time I was called in to my neurosurgeon's office, I was more than adequately dazed, tired, hungry and apathetic. I really didn't have any expectations one way or the other, and figured it would be a quick in and out appointment either way.

Well, I was wrong! The good news is that the swelling is receding inside my head AND the AVM is shrinking! The bad news is that it isn't completely gone, so in six months, I have to schedule the angiogram and subsequent radiosurgery. Hopefully, the angio will show no remnants of the AVM and I won't have to go through a second radiosurgery, but that's all in the future, so no point worrying about it now!

The best news of all though was that my neurosurgeon indulged a very long conversation and is referring me to a neurologist who specializes in headaches, so maybe, just maybe, I will FINALLY get some relief from these damn migraines! It may be a while until my first appointment, but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And the scheduling people are well aware that I've battled these headaches without adequate pain relief for years, so they are doing their best to get me in as quickly as possible. YAY! Yippee and Yahoo!

Anyway, by the time I got home from all the appointments, I was physically and mentally drained and my head was throbbing. I didn't have the time or energy to even go on the computer, and had to basically turn right around and go back out, to take the LG to football practice. By the time we got back from that, I collapsed into bed and didn't move until this morning.

So Dave, I'm sorry! Your interview will be up either tomorrow or the next day! I will try to do it as expediently as possible! But I'm not going to push myself too hard until all the effects of yesterday's headache are gone completely! Ta-ta for now!