So today was my last appointment for a test. I still need to see the MS Nurse but thats not booked yet and isn't for testing, it is so we can meet and have a chat about MS and hopefully drugs!!
Visual Evoked Potentials and Somatosensory Evoked Potentials test the nerve pathways between the eyes and the back of the brain and from the arms and legs through the spinal cord to the brain. It took a while (1hr 20mins) but was very interesting. They did the visual first and then the arms and legs (easier to type and spell....). The technician took measurements of my head and made marks all over it with a soft pencil. She then used a mixture which rubbed the sweat and dead skin off the areas of skin she had marked. Small metal discs were then stuck to my head using a sticky paste. I also had one on my forehead, one on the back of my neck and then one each of my shoulders. No probe in the back of my head - very happy about that!!
Once I was wired up I watched a TV screen which had a black and white board on it. In the middle of the screen was a single white square and while all the other black and white squares moved around I had to focus on the single white square that didn't move - much more difficult than it sounds and I had one eye covered over.
Next the technician cleaned areas of my wrists and forearms. One at a time she attached a little thing that had two probes to each of my wrists which conducted electricity through to stimulate the nerve underneath. Once the electricity was turned up enough my thumbs started twitching!! I couldn't stop laughing and it took ages to do the test as the trace wasn't clear enough..... It was pretty much the same for my toes but I had given up laughing by then. My left hand and both ankles had to be adjusted (well the electric thingy) as my nerves don't seem to be even close to the place they are supposed to be!!
In the end the person supervising the technician came in to move the probe around and then hold it in the right place so all went well! She had been in once before when the technician wasn't sure about the results from my left eye but as I have had ON in my left eye recently I think it was within the 'ok' bounds.
I won't get my results for around 2 weeks - will have to ask for them as I won't see a neuro for a year now - if all goes well! Still waiting for the MS Nurse to ring but she did only just get back from her hols so I'll wait!!
B and I went out for dinner, was very nice! We've been together for 6 months now which is great! I ended up really tired after dinner and couldn't face the pub afterwards and I felt really bad about it. I'm sure B can't be that happy about it, should have been a good night out.....we did stay up late chatting and having a couple of drinks which was nice. We had a chat about how I am feeling as I haven't been writing much on here. I found it hard to explain cause even I don't know. I feel like I should be more upset about this life long, progressive disease I have and am worried I'm not really dealing with it and am worried that it will hit me hard if it suddenly sinks in.. Having said that I am dealing with aspects such as going to appointments, getting the forms for the DVLA and talking about it with family, friends and colleagues. Who knows, going to just get on with it!!
The fun, great, happy news is that B and I got a hamster at the weekend! Her name is Plum and she is a Syrian hamster with dark brown and white markings. She is still very scared!! B thinks she is very cute but reckons the novelty value will wear off!! I think she is great but she keeps hiding from me........such is life!
Right CSI!!
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