Answers

"I can tell you you're not crazy, and something is wrong."

Relief. We felt overwhelming relief at hearing that after a year of doctor visits, some of which blamed anxiety on G's symptoms, that they were so very wrong. Earlier this week our primary care doctor told us that she had nothing left to test for and that his symptoms were the cause of irreparable nerve damage from his tumor surgery; not fixable.

Today we discovered what we should have known over a year ago.

There is something wrong in G's brain.

"I can't tell you definitely if it's a tumor yet, or something else in there going awry, but his brain is not working properly and it's causing these symptoms. We are going to rush the pre-authorizations and get an MRI of his brain and neck as soon as possible, within the next week."

That should have terrified us and yet, we both sat there and sighed in relief. It's an answer. It's a place to start. It's scary as hell but it's better than, "Sorry, you're either a mental case, or we can't help you."

In addition to his body's inability to control his heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature, the neurologist discovered why he can't drive and why he is feeling numbness in his arms and legs. Both signify a problem with the brain or spinal cord.

"There is nothing wrong with your eyes. Your vision is fine, which explains why the optometrist could not find a problem, and why the vision therapy did not make you better. Your brain is the problem. Your eyes can't track because your brain cannot process the visual information. That combined with the severely hyperactive reflexes and your symptoms all point strongly to something going on in your brain. We need to take a look, see if something is pressing on something."

So here we are with more questions, but definitely a direction. For the first time in a year we feel like someone is listening and not shrugging off certain diagnoses simply because of his blood work or the fact that he's only thirty three.

"What's going on with you is not normal and we are going to figure this out."

We both broke down in the car, and while I think we are nervous about what lies ahead, we're grateful that someone is now taking this seriously. We also get the distinct impression that his neurologist is a friendlier, slightly more ADHD version of Dr. House, and it was clear to us today that this man cares about finding the answer. Knowing is infinitely better than not knowing, and hopefully for us, G's brain will tell its story within the next 14 days.