Cleveland Clinic - Part 2

Cleveland Clinic - Part deux..... 


Headed back down to the Cleveland Clinic last week for some cleanup stuff....  however it ended up being quite the roller coaster. 

Upon returning from the original visit in February, it was blatantly obvious that I'd have to return to complete some appointments and testing, and the question became not if, but when.   Mike would be heading to Vegas for the annual Pizza Expo at the end of March, so I figured, what the hell, that seemed like the perfect time to head to Cleveland. 

I would have preferred Vegas. 

However, I needed to focus on my health issues, and going to Vegas would NOT have helped the situation.  I look forward to going next year, and being armed with better tools to deal with the stimuli overload, noise, and exercise (lack thereof).   

Back to Cleveland. 

This would be the first time I'd be traveling w/ my new c-pap machine, and I wondered how adding that bulky bag would affect my well-honed travel configuration.  It may, or may not have prompted the need for a new Vera Bradley bag to handle my bulky health binders, and contents of a purse. LOL
Hey... it worked! Traveling has now become a bit more cumbersome, but what the hell, I like a good challenge!

Sleeping has been greatly improved!  Mike has started calling me Hannibella Lector, as the full face mask greatly resembles that lovely movie character from Silence of the Lambs -- Hannibal Lector.  I can't disagree.  It's quite the site.  eeks. 

I allowed myself a full travel day, with nothing else planned.  I am learning tricks of dealing with Fibro, and this is a very important one.  Remove the anxiety and stress, and travel days are one of my hardest ones to deal with.  Anyone who has traveled with me knows how psycho I am, and how I deal with it.  Even w/ an unplanned EARLY last minute trip to Walgreen's in the Milwaukee area, I still had plenty of time to waste before heading to the airport.  Unfortunately, because it was Spring Break time, and March Madness, the airport parking structure only had 32 spots left - which meant up to the very top I go... yup... the uncovered back forty.  Had a very relaxing three hour day at the Milwaukee airport, enjoyed taking my time, shopping, and having a bite to eat.  My type of travel :) 

Once in Cleveland, I stayed at the same hotel as before -- I really like the convenience of being on site and having those shuttle buses at every turn.  I learned my lesson from last month, and loaded up on soda supplies before leaving the airport!!  The hotel is healthy.... not a single vending machine, nor little gift store to buy the stash.   Let's just say, thank god for American Idol and The Voice for keeping me occupied in the evenings or I would have climbed the walls with boredom.  I had Vegas on the brain, and was missing my partner-in-crime and his funny jokes in the time of my need :) 

The next day was fairly full - first up was the thyroid ultrasound... how easy can one get!?!  Well.. little did I expect that I'd be hearing from the Internist within two hours -- all via my-chart email.  He wanted to alert me they found a nodule on the thyroid, and he doesn't "think" it's cancer, and a biopsy would be in order.  SAY WHAT THE FROCK DID HE JUST SAY?   Awesome, just awesome.  Never once did I even consider the "C" word in any of this.  Routine thyroid check - simple as that.  Great, here I am sitting alone in Cleveland, hearing the mention of the C word, fretting over it, and there's not a damn thing I can do about it.  I pulled poor Mike out of a customer meeting in Vegas to listen to me lose it over that email.  Poor guy - he was feeling pretty crappy being in Vegas, and me being alone. 

An hour later I had my previously scheduled Endocrinologist appointment (excellent timing)!  She reassured me that there is no blood going into the nodule (no blood=GOOD), and we only need to "watch it", and have a comparison ultrasound in 6 months.  If it has grown/change THEN, and only then, will we biopsy it.  OK...... that is MUCH better to deal with, than the C word.  Yes, I know "if" it were, thyroid cancer is slow moving, highly curable, yada yada yada. 

Then... the torture chamber was next - aka - the MRI on both Achilles.  Lovely.  First one up was the right side -- the boxed my entire foot area in -- told me it would be 30 minutes for each one, and I won't be able to move any part of my body at all.  Not to scratch, not to shift, nada.  That lasted about 7 minutes before the nose itched, the arm needed to shift, etc.  Oh yeah, it's about that same time that the sharp, stabbing pains began shooting up from the Achilles to the mid-calf.  Lovely.  Let's just say, the last six minutes I was thrashing my head, and grabbing the pillow, and crying.  I must have been quite the looker.  I didn't give a flying "F" either.  I made it.  I almost kicked the dude when he removed the boot -- and this WOULD have been on purpose.  I asked for a shot of whiskey (channeling my best John Wayne/Duke impression) in order to deal with the other side.  The other side was 100% pain free, and I actually dozed off.  LOL   Ugh. 

The next day, I had a full day too - but this would be purely educational/fun.  I met with the Neurologist - Fibro Specialist who told me she wished all of her patients were as great as me.  I guess I should feel honored?!?  Little did I know exactly what she meant until I attended her Fibro Clinic later that morning.  I AM in much better Fibro shape compared to the others in attendance.  It was a great clinic, very educational, and empowering.  I learned from the expert, and for that I feel very blessed and happy.... it's quite rewarding to KNOW I'm in the best of hands. 

The race to airport, however, wasn't exactly the best way to end a great week.  I was trying to make an earlier flight, flying standby.  Let's just say I didn't enjoy sitting in the Cleveland airport for over 5 hours, AND missing the WI basketball game (March Madness).  Torture.  Little did I know that was the fun part.  I was greeted in Milwaukee with a hard pounding rainstorm, very cold temps too. 

Remember how I mentioned previously about where I parked?  The OUTSIDE back forty?!?!  Yup, it SUCKED walking to car... as I was drenched, dripping wet upon entering it.  Great.  Oh yeah, driving home at 10 pm, in the pouring rain, through the Milwaukee construction, with semi's on both sides... it SUCKED double shots of suckiness!  (lol)  Even dearest Mike mentioned that I should camp out somewhere down there.  Nope, had to keep going.  Glutton for punishment?!?!  

It triggered a nasty flare that lasted until yesterday.  Today I am human again, and kicked ass in the pool. 

YAY