First Prescription

I got my first prescription today. I am now taking Baclofen for my legs. So far, no side effects which is nice. The paperwork that came with it says that it can take awhile for it to really start working so we'll see how it goes. After a week or so, if it's not helping a significant amount, I will start taking two a day and cross my fingers for still no side effects. My biggest fear with all these new meds/treatments is the possible horrible side effects.

My doctor has lots of experience with recovering alcoholics and is aware of my sobriety so he prescribed a "safe" medicine (rather than Oxycontin or something). I hit the jackpot with this doctor. He totally rocks. I might actually only get to see him one more time though, for my spinal tap. After that I will probably be handed off to the MS Clinic at the University of Washington where the real fun begins....

Frustrating.....

My spinal tap was rescheduled for January 7th. Lame. Now I have to take time off of work to have it done. Oh well.

Merry Christmas!!!!

And the verdict is.....

I have Multiple Sclerosis.

Luckily my brain is unaffected and it's only showing in my lower spine which is why my legs are shaky and I'm having bladder issues. Dr. Copass seems hopeful that we can contain and control it so it shouldn't get much worse than it is. He prescribed some medication for the spasticity in my legs which should also help my bladder. I start taking the meds on Thursday.

MS is a very mysterious disease and many people are affected differently. I'm reading as much as I can about it to make sure that I'm not surprised by any symptoms or treatments that may come up. I am having a spinal tap/lumbar puncture on Thursday morning and then I will know more. There is an MS Clinic at the University of Washington which is where I will be heading for treatments after the first of the year.

I still don't know much about what my future will look like but my spirits are high. All the research I've done shows that MS is a very manageable disease. I WILL however have to quit my dog walking business which is a little sad. It's good money and I get to play outside with dogs all day which, even in the rain and wind, is better than being stuck indoors. I did get a job at my favorite pet store in Fremont where I will be working part-time. I will be able to hand out my business cards and build up my training business which is ultimately what I wanted to do anyway....I just thought I had more time to do it. It will also give me flexibility while I figure out what kind of treatment schedule I will be on.

I've got some big changes coming up in the next few months but I am unafraid. I'm a Coatney, and we Coatneys are fighters ;)

Forgot to mention....

that my mother is staying with me for awhile while I get all of this health stuff sorted out. She's helping me around the house and making sure that I eat enough....and sleep enough, and eat some more....she's going to put ten pounds on me in a week!
Thank you all for the emails/texts/calls/Facebook/etc support. It means a lot to me and makes me feel less alone in this battle.

MRI!!!!

I just spoke with the Neurology Clinic and got my MRI scheduled for next Friday the 11th. After that, I go in to see a Neurologist on the 17th to go over my images.
I feel better just knowing that things are moving forward and I will soon know more about why my body is failing me. I hated the Neurologist I saw in the ER and they tried to schedule me with her but I asked for someone different. I told them exactly why I hated her and they scheduled me with Dr. Copass who is apparently some sort of badass legend at Harborview.
Everything is coming together.......

My Health

This blog is going to be my way of keeping everyone updated on what's going on with my health. It's just easier than individually emailing everyone :)
I've been having some weird symptoms over the last about three years and in the last month they have gotten worse...a lot worse. The worst part is that my legs are not working properly and I am totally exhausted all the time. My legs are shaky and weak and I'm having trouble with my balance and with walking. Two nights ago I woke up at 4am to turn down my heater and when I tried to step out of bed, my legs buckled under me and I hit the ground. I had to crawl to my heater and back to bed. That was the last straw for me.
I've applied for health insurance and was going to wait until January to see a doctor but my stress and frustration level has been getting bad. I was advised that the fastest way to see a Neurologist without going through all the hoops of seeing my doctor, getting a referral, then waiting to see a Neurologist was to go to the ER at Harborview. They have a program for uninsured people and have a Neurologist on-call. I went to the ER Wednesday night and was there for seven hours. I was seen by an MD and a Neurologist. The MD drew a bunch of blood and ran a bunch of tests. All my blood work came back fine. The Neurologist did a bunch of reflex tests, made me walk on my tip toes, poked me and prodded me, pinched my toes..... Finally she said that I need to get an MRI of my brain and spine. YES!!!!!! That's all I really wanted in the first place so it was all worth it. I should be hearing from the Neuro Clinic soon to schedule my MRI. The main reason for the MRI is to try to rule out Multiple Sclerosis. MS causes lesions on the brain and the spinal cord that can be seen in the MRI. All of the symptoms I am having (and believe me, there are A LOT) coincide with MS. There are multiple other diseases that have similar symptoms so now it's just a matter of ruling out what it's NOT...which could take awhile.