December 19th - CT Scan

After last appointment I figured it would be in to January before I got a date for my CT Scan but I was wrong! I got a call on the tuesday asking if thursday would be okay for an appointment.  Of course I said yes as I was glad that I could get it over with before the holidays.  I got nervous when she told me I wasn't allowed to have anything to ear for two hours before the test as I knew this meant that it would be done with contrast.  I have only every had one other CT scan before and it was on my knee and no contrast was used.  I don't like not knowing what is going on!

Mom had things to do that day with it being so close to Christmas so it was agreed that my Dad would take me in as we didn't know how I would be after or if I would be okay to drive (we err on the side of caution with that, if I am having basically any testing done someone comes with me).  We got there and waited and waited then got called to another room and waited some more.  Finally the nurse comes to get me to start the IV.  I had left my Dad with my iPod and he was trying to play a game.  I gave the nurse the run down of EDS and what was going on.  She tells me that they have to do the IV in the right arm and I told her that was okay, just do it in my hand.  She was just about ready to start and Dad pops up over the divider asking how to turn off the iPod, she laughed at that.  She inserted the IV needle in a way that has never been done on my before.  She had my arm on the armrest and my hand hanging down over the end at a 90* angle then inserted the needle up and in almost near my wrist.  Then she tapes it up and tells me to wait some more.  Of course I am terrified to move in case it comes out and I don't want to look at it so it felt like we were waiting for a long time!

I get called back and they tell me they are going to do some scans without contrast and then someone would come in and insert the contrast and they would do some more scans.  They told me to not worry but when they insert the contrast it will feel as if I peed my pants!  I wasn't to sure about that and was glad I had gone to the bathroom first!  They told me that no one ever has peed themselves it's just what it feels like.  So I got up on the bed, had to ask for a pillow to put under my knees as they don't really do straight and got comfy.  They did some of the scans then I felt someone beside me grabbing my hand and could instantly feel the contrast.  It felt so weird!  They did a few more scans and I was out.  They removed my IV and told me I had to wait there for 10 minutes before I went home.

It was another day of feeling crappy so I just went to bed to lie down for a while.  That was weeks ago but I still have the bruise! I look really festive in Christmas pictures with my nice big green bruise covering most of my hand!  I haven't been back to get the results yet but hopefully I can get in soon and we can figure out something to do about my neck!!

December 11th - GP Visit

Mainly this appointment was to get a few refils on medications and to tell him about my neck and get him to order some tests.  Because of the last appointment I had my Mom decided to go with me as backup.  I got me refills with no problems and then told him about my optomotrists appointment last month.  How Dr. D. wanted me to have a CT Scan to check out the right eye socket as I have been having weird feelings in the area.  

He looked up the old bone scan report to read it through again and when he came to one part where it showed degeneration in the joint he just laughed and said "She has EDS of course there is degeneration in the joints, that's what it is!"  Mom and I just looked at each othere and I though that maybe he is actually starting to get it! My GP wasn't sure what to do with that but just grinned and said "I know what will come back but we will order it anyways" so he filled out the forms to get my head and eye scanned. 

I then told him about my neck and how it was really bothering me.  He didn't seem to really want to do anything but then my mom asks if they could not just scan my neck while they were doing the CT to check for problems.  He agreed to that and said he wasn't sure they would do it but that he would request it.  Before having the scan though I had to get bloodwork done and since it was about another few weeks until I had my thyroid tested again he just lumped it all in together for me.

Mom then asked about how often I should be having bone scans and went on to explain my old Rheumy's therory of getting them done every other year to watch for problems.  My GP agreed except said we dont want too much radiation as it could cause more problems but that he agrees that it should be repeated every 2 or 3 years (3 if no problems come up, 2 if I have a bad injury or something seems 'off').

As we are leaving the receptionist suggests that I go get blood work done now as the lab was still open and she couldn't process the CT request until she had the results so mom and I stopped at the clinic on the way home.   Thankfully my girl was there and just laughed when she saw me.  Like usually she got it in using 'our' way of a butterfly between my knuckles and remarked that one of us was getting better at blood draws.  I mentioned this to mom on the way home and she says she thinks its because both me and my blood taker are very comfortable together and that there was no more stress or worry on either our sides anymore.  I know she won't try digging and will get it or pull out and she has learned where the best place for geting blood is.  It's a win-win on both sides.

Of course I came home and crawled into bed.  However I forgot the crucial step of having something sugary to drink and felt horrible when I woke up.  Took a few days to get over that as since I didn't know I was getting blood drawn I didn't load up on water before the test and then didn't get something in me when I got home.  I will NOT make that mistake again!