Feeling......?

I can not put into words how I am feeling today.  Yesterday Leah had her appointment with the Neuromuscular Specialist and unfortunately, we are really no further ahead.

He and his resident both feel there is something wrong but it does not fit within their area of expertise.  He feels we will be better served by seeing the Neurologist.

The word disappointed comes to mind, but I can't be disappointed to have degenerative muscle diseases crossed off the list.  I should be happy about that.

Defeated also is on the tip of my tongue, but again, it is progress of a sort.  Ruling out syndromes, diseases and illnesses will eventually lead us to the answer.  I guess it is the EVENTUALLY part that is causing the angst.

I knew going into the appointment that nothing happens quickly.  I knew that we weren't going to walk out of there with a definitive answer.  I also knew that it was just one step in the right direction.  But I guess I didn't expect us to get cut loose right away. 

They did a test called a Nerve Conduction Study or NCS.  In a nutshell, this test is used to diagnose

• Pinched nerves and inflamed muscles due to injury, a ruptured disk, disease or other conditions
• Carpal tunnel syndrome, characterized by pressure on a major nerve that causes pain in the wrist or hand
• Primary muscle disorders such as muscular dystrophy (a disease that causes certain muscles to atrophy, or waste away)
• Neuromuscular disorders such as myasthenia gravis (a dysfunction in nerve impulses that leads to chronic muscle weakness)
• Nerve disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease)

So really, in a matter of moments with the help of a couple of electrodes, they were able to rule out a whole bunch of really scary disorders.  It really is some pretty awesome technology!

Now we are back to waiting.  Waiting for the MRI (November 5, 2011), waiting to get the results of her EEG and waiting for that ever elusive Neurology appointment.