My return visit to Cleveland Clinic leads to a few more answers

Yep…it’s true. Cleveland still rocks. When I got the call from the Cleveland Clinic appointment coordinator saying they were able to schedule all five of my in-person follow-up visits in one day…I was thrilled. And, once again, amazed. These people are scheduling magicians. But, when they said that day was the Friday after Thanksgiving…I was less than thrilled. However, everything fell into place and we had a lovely Thanksgiving with family on our way down to Cleveland.

appointment day

7:45 am: At my virtual visit on Tuesday, 11/1, I went over all of the lab and ultrasound results in detail with one of my CC physicians. There were some abnormalities that were concerning and I was referred to gynecology. This was an incidental finding that had, and still has, nothing to do with my initial visit to Cleveland. The physician obtained biopsies from two different sites to send to pathology. I was being screened for cervical cancer and uterine cancer and would hear from her in about a week.

10:00 am: At that same virtual visit on 11/1, I was told that they had performed two Lyme Disease screenings. One was positive…one was negative. Therefore, she wanted to run a third test. I went to the lab for another draw…only one vial this time…and we would know the definitive Lyme results in about a week, as well.

2:30 pm: The spine specialist ordered two MRIs…a cervical spinal scan and a thoracic spinal scan. The neurologist ordered one MRI…a brain scan. They scheduled these back-to-back-to-back. Parkinson’s, tremors and medication timing made navigating this a little tricky. However, with some minor adjustments and a couple of quick breaks…by 5:30 pm, they had what they needed. Again, I should hear the results in about a week.

7:30 pm: Barrio! If you know, you know.

results

The first results were already back and in my patient portal with notes from the neurologist by the time I woke up on Saturday morning.

Brain MRI: No acute findings. No evidence of hemorrhage, stroke, or mass lesions.

The next results took several days to come back.

Lyme Western Blot: Repeat testing did not show evidence of active Lyme.

I was riddled with anxiety as the next results came back late in the evening on December 1st.

Endometrial Biopsy Surgical Pathology: Benign. No pathologic abnormality.

Cervical Screening: Negative for malignancy.

Benign.

No pathologic abnormality.

Negative for malignancy.

Whichever words they choose to use, however they say it…the report states that these biopsies show no cancer!

The final results to come back were both of the spinal scans.

MRI Thoracic Spine/MRI Cervical Spine: Multilevel mild degenerative changes. No severe central stenosis. Intraosseous hemangioma in the T10 vertebral body.

That last part…

There is a vascular tumor within my T10 vertebrae.

I don’t yet know what this means. I don’t yet know if this could explain many of my symptoms. I don’t yet know if it needs to be treated or removed.

I do know they have scheduled a consultation later this month with one of the neurologists that I saw during my first trip to the Cleveland Clinic.

what if?

I am SO incredibly grateful to have two clean biopsies.

I am grateful for all of you that have had me in your thoughts and have been praying for this exact news. God is good.

And, this may sound so bizarre, but…I think I might even be grateful for (albeit frightened of) a tumor on my spine. Grateful because…”what if?”. I so desperately want my life back. What if this does explain many of my symptoms? I so badly want to hope that the answer may have revealed itself…but I’m afraid to hope. For over two years now, I’ve been accused of exaggerating my symptoms. I have been unheard, unseen, dismissed, and ignored. More than once I’ve been told, “it’s all in your head”. But,”what if?”. What if it’s all in my spine?

blessings > challenges

The consultation scheduled for later this month is scheduled as a virtual consultation and I hope it can remain virtual, because…

• Road travel in the winter is definitely not one of my favorite things to do.
• The trips to Cleveland Clinic…regardless the time of year…between fuel, food, and lodging are not inexpensive.
• I just learned that while my primary medical insurance is covering the portion of the bills that they usually do…my secondary medical insurance will not be picking up the portion that they usually do.

Your love and your prayers are felt and now, especially… I selfishly covet them.

Thank you…from the bottom of my heart…to each and every one of you that continues to check in on me. Your messages and your notes help bring light to the darker days. Your strength and your faith sustain me when fear weakens my own.

Despite any challenges or fears…blessings always abound.