Mayo Clinic update

I received a questionaire packet from Mayo on Saturday so am in the process of filling it out.  It came from their Dizziness and Imbalance Clinic.  A lot of the questions are "yes" or "no" which I feel don't really paint the whole picture so we are planning to attach a short description of the "road" I have traveled.  I am encouraged that they responded so quickly with the first request. 

Please pray that God either opens or closes the door and if He opens it that the doctors will see me and not just a name and number on a chart.  Also pray that He will give them the wisdom to find the answer to my problems and that they will be able to treat/fix.  Both Skip and I are anxious; its hard not to be.  We both need prayer on the "wait upon the Lord" part.  Thank you all faithful prayer warriors. 

Blessings,
Jeanne

New direction

After a lot of prayer and talking with doctors and friends we have decided to go to the Mayo Clinic.  I talked with my family physician and she was all in favor of going there.  We feel that we are just being bounced from one doctor to another and not really getting any answers.  Dr. Joleen was going to call Mayo on Monday and hopefully by early next week we will have an answer as to whether they will take my case and hopefully get a date set.  Please pray that they will take my case, find the answer to my problem and be able to fix it or at the very least give me some relief.

We are waiting on God,  He us great and He is good!

Blessings,
Jeanne

Dr. Update

I called Dr. Burgess yesterday to find out if they do the type of testing this ENT in Denver wanted done and they don't.  They don't have the equipment necessary and they don't feel it is worth the cost of doing the tests because the they aren't that helpful in diagnosing inner ear problems.  Dr. Burgess, and an associate Nancy, are both certain I have microvascular compression syndrome.  He is prescribing another medication that is supposed to help calm the nerve and lesson the symptoms ~ hopefully that works.  I should see some change in a couple of weeks if it works.  I'm not sure that's the answer but I have a month to decide if I'm going back to Denver to have that testing done or not. God has brought me this far and I trust Him for the rest of the journey!

Please keep praying; we have no idea how God is working right now!
Blessings,
jeanne

Back Home

I saw the ENT doctor this morning and nothing really came of the visit.  He wants to do some testing to make sure the inner ear is not damaged but couldn't get me in for the tests until Feb. 14.  I asked him if my ENT in Rapid could do the tests but he didn't seem in favor of that, but that is exactly what I'm going to do just to rule out that the inner ear is the problem.  He also didn't think the diagnosis that Dr Burgess gave me last week was valid.  He said they are very rare and he's never seen one and Dr. Frei was sure there were no compressed nerves. The inner ear theory may be the reason for the dizziness and imbalance but it doesn't tell me why the left side of my head is in pain and why I have the ringing and pressure in my left ear.  I am disappointed but determined to exhaust all my options!  In Him I will trust! 

The trip home went well, good weather and good roads.  Its good to be back in the hills.  No place like home!  Please keep praying that God leads us to the answer.  Thanks to all for being so faithful in prayer.

Bleassing,
Jeanne

Good news, bad news

I had the angiogram this morning and Dr. Frei found that all the AVM Fistula is gone; he has it all embalized so there is nothing active going on there.  So that is the good news.  The bad news; I am still very, dizzy, off balance and I still have the pain in the left side of my head.  He didn't seem to take seriously the diagnosis that Dr. Burgess (ENT from Rapid) gave me.  The most frustrating was that they didn't talk with one another even though I had asked both of them to get in touch with each other.  I do have an appointment with another ENT here in Denver tomorrow morning.  I'm not sure what he will do.  Dr. Frei said he would have to do some testing on the vestibular nerve but didn't know what the testing would be.  So ~ another day to wait and see. 
It was disappointing today but I have not given up hope.  Ps. 62:6  "He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress.  I will not be shaken."  Tormorrow is another new day!  Another day toward the answer.

Blessings,
jeanne

Safely in Denver

We left this morning (Sunday Jan, 9) at 7AM and arrived in Denver about 1:45pm.  The last 20 miles were a little slow beause of the snowy roads and traffic but all in all we made pretty good time.  We have tomorrow to relax, which I am glad of because the ride has made me really dizzy and off balance. I have to check into the hospital on Tuesday morning at 6AM. ; the angiogram is at 7:30.  I can hardly wait ~ hopefully they will find the answer to my problems.  Is. 41:13  "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you."  I'm sure that includes the Doctors too.  We will keep you posted.
 Thanks for praying
Blessings to all,
jeanne

Jan. 4 update

I went to the ENT doctor this past Tuesday and came away feeling hopeful!  He said he is certain there is nothing wrong with my inner ear, did a hearing test and it is about the same as the first one, which is good news.  I described my symptoms to him and he thinks I either have microvascular compression syndrome, where a blood vessel compresses the vestibular portion of the 8th cranial nerve causing the symptoms I have. Or it is vascular loop syndrome. I'm not clear exactly what that is ~ but at least we have a direction and something specific to look for. 

We are driving to Denver on Sunday and the angiogram is scheduled for Tues. Jan. 11.  It's supposed to snow on Sunday so please pray for clear roads and safe travel.  And as always, for guidance and wisdom for Dr. Frei and us.  I am hopeful.  And God is the God of hope!  I have put my trust in Him and I will wait for Him. 
Blessings to all,
Jeanne