The Diagnosis (Sorta)

Yesterday, I went for my weird leg tests.

I described my symptoms to (what feels like) the fifteenth doctor (I'll call her Dr. Brain) I've seen since my feet started tingling about eight weeks ago.

She made me jump rope.

She made me hop on one foot (and then, the other).

She made me do squats.

She made me walk on my heels.

She made me walk on my toes.

She made me eat cookie dough. (I wish).

She electrocuted me.  (It wasn't bad).

She poked me with needles. (It wasn't fun).

I know she doesn't sound very nice, but she was very nice and the entire interview and testing process took about 1.5 hours.  I think it was longer than usual because she had to do the electrocuting test twice because her computer wasn't working properly the first time (yeah me - actually, I'm just thankful it wasn't the needle test).  

THE DIAGNOSIS:  A mild form of a rare autoimmune disease called Guillian-Barre.  

Apparently, my immune system is attacking the myelin sheath of some of my nerves causing some muscle weakness in my toes and tingling in my feet.  We don't know what causes GBS, but for most people it occurs after an infection (respiratory or stomach) and usually symptoms go away in three months to a year (please, please let me be the three month version).

The strange thing is that I was NEGATIVE on every test she gave me, including the one for GBS, so it doesn't feel like a really definitive diagnosis.  She just thinks I have a very mild (albeit annoying) case of GBS.   I'm thankful all of the really, really bad stuff (that I read about on the horrible, horrible interweb) was ruled out.

Here is a somewhat paraphrased version of my conversation with Dr. Brain after she gave me the diagnosis.

Me:  So, is it all in my head?

Dr. Brain:  No

Me:  Why, because you see something on the test?

Dr. Brain: No

Me:  Then how do you know it's not all in my head?

Dr. Brain said that the symptoms I have were very classic for Guillian-Barre and that I lost my reflexes, which is also indicative of GBS (alternatively, she said people with MS have super-active reflexes) and also kind of weird.

So, bottom line -  I just wait and hopefully in a year or less (please less), I'm back to normal.  Dr. Brain said that for 99% of people who get GBS, they never get it again.  Dr. Brain also said that so long as I'm able, I should keep running (even if it feels weird).   She said that I'm not causing any nerve or muscle damage by running.  I guess this is good news- if only it felt less strange to run.

Oh well.  I'm sure I'll continue to write about my tingly feet periodically on the blog, but for now the case is (sorta) closed.

Cub got a haircut today.  It's pretty short, but I know it'll grow out again.

Wordless Wednesday

Tomorrow

Tomorrow I have my super weird leg tests. Not sure if I'll get any results or if I'll have to wait for a doctor to analyze my results.

My new theories:

• Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome  - like carpal tunnel, but in the feet.  
• Restless Leg Syndrome - although I'm not thinking it's likely because when I move it doesn't really go away.
• It's nothing - like my "joint pain".

Today Cub decided that it would be fun to run outside on the asphalt while it was 97 degrees.  The look on his face pretty much sums up my feelings on the outing.

Happy Memorial Day!

Our family had nice, relaxing long weekend.

Here is my favorite picture from the weekend - we call it the - Cashman Strut.  

Discoveries

Today we discovered a few things.

1.  Tarantulas like our house - well at least one does.  Buttin played tarantula golf and flicked it into the green belt.  I made plans to get an exterminator out - ASAP.

2. Our park is gone (they're actually putting in new equipment), but Cub had fun playing in the big dirt pit.  Yes, this is Cub using caution tape as a swing - I'm a good mom.

3.  There are lots of bounce house places around our house.  We've never been to one (they're air conditioned playgrounds with bouncy things), but we did today and Cub LOVED it.  I think it's going to be a new tradition. 

Filanthropy Friday

I hate it when NPR makes me cry.

However, this frequently happens on Friday because that's when Morning Edition plays StoryCorps.  The stories have been recorded by real people from across America and even when they're funny, they make me cry.

Today's story was a grandfather telling his grandson how he played Taps to mark the end of World War II.  It's only two minutes long, but it just had me sobbing in my car. 

In honor of Memorial Day - I donated $25 to Vet Dogs.  Vet Dogs provides services and companion animals to wounded (physically or emotionally) and/or aging veterans.  The dogs are provided at no cost to the veteran.  

I love dogs and veterans, so it seemed like a great way to celebrate Memorial Day! 

Some Good Stuff

In bullet point form

• For my birthday this year, I'm taking the day off work and having a spa day with my favorite parenting critic, Liz. 
• Buttin and I are taking a little vacation this year.  We'll be celebrating America's Independence Day in Canada - more specifically, Toronto.  Buttin and I are still debating the pronunciation (Tor-ron-to or Taronto); however, I was listening to NPR the other day and they used the deliberate three syllable pronunciation, not the one where it runs all together. 
• Cub had a good appointment today with a new ENT.  He's very nice and he's actually the wife of Ari Brown, the author of Baby 411.  Oddly enough, his wife works at the same pediatric clinic as Dr. Boston (which I knew), so I find it kind of strange that Dr. Boston would have recommended Dr. Butthead Jack-a-tard over her colleague's husband.  I told the new ENT (we'll call him Dr. Calm) about Dr. Butthead and Dr. Calm asked me his name.  I told him Dr. Butthead's real name and Dr. Calm said that Dr. Butthead was extremely smart, but not so great with people.  Dr. Calm said that if his children had serious ENT issues - he would send them to Dr. Butthead, but that any ole monkey (his words, not mine) can remove adenoids.  I like Dr. Calm.  Anyway, we're going to schedule to get Cub's adenoids removed soon.  He said the surgery only takes about 20 minutes and the good news - no pre-op blood work!!!  Yipppe for Cub and even bigger yipppee for me! Dr. Calm does NOT recommend taking out Cub's tonsils since Cub is still so young (as Dr. Butthead suggested).  He said that removal of tonsils is a more involved surgery and that the patient can't really act like a two year old - they have to be able to follow instructions and a two year old can barely sit still for five seconds. 

Even though Dr. Calm was very, very nice - Cub still wasn't very happy.

Here he is after having his nose checked.

 

 Here he is playing hide-n-seek after the doctor left.