Here I am, a lot has happened in a very short time and in a long time. A few years ago, I started having problems with my circulation-my fingers and toes would go cold and in winter my toes would go hot, very hot. After doing all I could to figure out what was wrong, such as surfing the web and talking to my doctor, the answer I found was Reynaulds syndrome. Reynaulds syndrome is recognized by having poor circulation in the extremities, such as the fingers and toes. After dealing with these symptoms for a few years I suddenly gained new symptoms. Last year when I worked at Brook Cherith Camp as a support staff, I worked as a dishwasher and so I would handle hot plates and bowls as they came out of the dishwasher. I started to realize that my thumb on my right hand was starting to feel numb. I thought the numbness was due to handling dishes but soon I realized it wasn't the only anomaly. As many people know the hand sign for 'live long and prosper' from Star Trek is to make a V with the pinky and ring finger together and the other two fingers together; something I have been able to do since third grade suddenly I can only do with my left hand, my right hand seemed to have lost dexterity for no obvious reason. Over the course of the next few months more things started to happen. My circulation problems became right-sided and my right hand lost more dexterity as well as feeling. By January my right leg started to feel tight and stiff and I could no longer run as easily as I used to, now I run as if someone shot me in the leg and despite doing daily stretches flexibility has not improved. My right arm has also become tight and I have lost strength in that tricep over the last few months. One other thing that has started to happen is that I have recurring back pain mostly situated on the spine low and to the middle. Considering that I work at a horse barn I thought it was back pain or strain. Truth be told I had mentioned to my doctor before my concerns about the circulation but with the recent changes in my right side I made a point of telling him my concerns. My doctor ordered some blood tests but they all turned out fine. He gave me a physical examination which showed him I have less balance than I used to and eventually he ordered I get an MRI of my brain. The results came back fine, I indeed had a brain in my skull, but nothing looked wrong. He then ordered an MRI of my neck.
Friday, July 8, 2011 at 2pm I went and got my neck scanned. 3 hours later I was contacted by the radiologist who looked over my MRI. His first question was 'if I was all right'. He was quite surprised that I was functioning as well as I was considering the MRI scan revealed a small mass at the back of my neck, AKA, I had a tumor pressing against my spinal column. The presence of the tumor seemed to explain all my recent symptoms, the numbness and lack of dexterity and maybe even circulation problems. In any case the doctor said I should come into the ER right away and so mom and I missed a chance to go to the beach and instead took me into the ER where we waited quite a while for more information. During the waiting I was called back to a room to have blood drawn and ended up having a minor anxiety attack in which I nearly fainted which is not something that has ever happened to me before. After watching parts of the matrix trilogy in the waiting room mom and I were taken to another room where we watched the matrix trilogy number three, while we waited for the neuro-specialist. Eventually the specialist came and though I cannot remember how to pronounce his name I've started to call him Dr. Snickers because it sounds like his name. Around midnight I was officially admitted into memorial hospital in a single room. Mom went home and we both went to bed. The procedure has been explained to me, that this tumor is at the back of my neck and must be removed before more damage can be done to my nerve system although there is still chance that I may have some permanent numbness due to damage already done, but best to stop before it gets worse. What I have been told will happen is that I will be drugged and operated on; they will open up the back of my neck, pull my muscles apart and hopefully remove the tumor (which looks somewhat like a pear in shape from what I have been told; that a part of this tumor, which is smaller than a grape but larger than a raisin, is pushing against my spinal fluid and the rest of the tumor is hanging down in a bulge, all this between my third and fourth vertebra. It must be removed, soon. Very soon. This coming Tuesday or Wednesday it will be removed, until then I'm on a steroid which I take every six hours called decadraw (or something like that) which will hopefully shrink it and make it easier to remove. Though I doubt that this steroid will allow me to pitch like a major league baseball player, I have been told it can make me a bit peppy, which is like me with out my Aderall.
I will have a long road to recovery, but considering that God has kept my symptoms as small as they are considering what kind of symptoms I should have had with something like this and for the length of time I've had this, I know I can make it. It just might take awhile before I'm my old self again. My neck will probably be sore for a while and it will definitely take some time before I can go back to work, though hopefully I can still go to classes in the Fall which I am signed up for. It's all in God's hands and I trust Him completely.
Sarah
