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historical data on my first symptoms and diagnosis
This is a recap of my first symptom and the diagnosis process
Date: 2/20/2006 11:26:58 PM ( 18 y ) ... viewed 5066 times Hello:
Here is some historical data on my first symptoms and diagnosis.
In the spring of 2003, I think in March or so, my Dad and I were building a deck at my Grandmothers home and I thought there was a problem with my circular saw, for some reason I could not pull the trigger consistently. I knew it had to be the saw, I mean what else could it be? Which makes me think of my Grandfather. When he was alive he was one of those guys that loves a strong handshake. I used to love shaking hands with him and seeing who would give up first. I don’t think I ever saw him back down from anyone on the grip challenge. So of course there was something wrong with my saw it could not have been me, I always thought I had hands like Grandpa Moore.
So from there with the problems with the saw I started to notice a couple of other small thing in the next month or so. I can’t remember what they were now but I ended up going to my local Doctor. He thought that it was probably Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and sent me to a neurologist.
That was a fun time, my first visit to a neurologist, being zapped with a cattle prod and stuck with that needle attached to an oscilloscope or something. The zapping was the worst the first time, now I really don’t mind it. Not only was I probably tense not knowing what to expect, but the technician doing the zapping had just been paged by her alarm company that her house had been broken into. She told me it was most likely her brother again, who had a drug problem and probably no big deal, but you know her mind was not fully on her work…she lit me up. There were a couple of times when she zapped me on the arm it seemed so bad that in contracting from the pain/surprise my legs shot up in the air like I was doing leg lifts in High School Wrestling practice again. But in the long run the Neurologist thought that it might be Carpal Tunnel also. She then sent me on to a head and neck surgeon (?for my right hand who knows why?). He thought Ulna nerve compression near the right elbow and sent me on to a hand and arm specialist. Doctor hand and Arm guy said “definitely not ulna nerve compression and not carpal tunnel” but did not know what it was. He basically said go back two steps and try again with the Neurologist. During this time of bouncing from Dr. to Dr. to Dr. I also had a head and neck MRI (that took 2 tries and a Valium IV) a brain MRI, X-rays at the Chiropractor (Cervical rib on my C7) and some more pokes and zaps.
This takes us up to July, August or September 2003. Some where along here the Neurologist told me she was not sure what was up but was ruling various things out. She also brought up Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis for the first time but said that she could not be sure and there were lots of things to look at and more blood work and such to do before she could make a definite diagnosis. Eventually I was sent to an ALS specialist at UNC Hospital. This guy was an ass. He looked at me for five minutes had me walk for him looked at my toungue asked me a few questions and he and his student went out in the hall. When he came back he quite bluntly said I had ALS and here are some paperwork for MDA and the ALS association and that I should get my affairs in order. But he did give me one good thing a brochure for the ALS Clinic at Carolinas Medical Center. Which turned out to be a very good thing. But I still left the place and called my neurologist crying telling her what he had said.
Well my hands are cramping up from the way I type now so I will cover the ALS clinic tomorrow.
Seeya,
Uncle Jabba
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