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STILETTO – a high pointed HEEL on a woman’s shoe or a small dagger. WHEELS – a medieval instrument of torture or a vehicle for personal mobility. |
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1998 was a year that felt like a decade to me. What did I learn? 1. Exploratory medical tests are often painful, uncomfortable and undignified. I am injected with dye, hung from my feet, poked and prodded, turned and basted and scanned by every type of scanner – several times! I have an MRI scan under general anaesthetic, several lumbar punctures, endless nerve conduction tests (ouch!), more scans. I am relieved of enough blood to stock a blood bank, invaded and examined in every orifice, undergo muscle and facial biopsy, tests for all cancers, infections, HIV. Why do you get counselling on how you would feel if you have HIV but not for any other diagnosis? Are other terminal / deteriorating / distressing illnesses less psychologically disturbing? 2. Neurology is a somewhat undeveloped science where a negative result does not necessarily mean a negative is proven and a clear diagnosis may not be apparent. Stunningly, all the results of my tests come back negative or clear. Some of the tests did confirm blockages in conduction and severe muscle weakness in my legs. I have no diagnosis despite being unable to stand and permanently confined to wheelchair. They say that this hardly ever happens - peachy! 3. My immune system is attacking me and causing my neurological problems. My Consultant’s diagnosis by default is chronic inflamed poly-radiculopathy, being an inflammation of the nerve roots affecting my spine and head, cause unknown. They call this type of illness an autoimmune disorder. |
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