CNS, ACM, CSF, PNS? I love Biology!

Welcome to Thriving with Arnie. I've basically started this blog because my current situation is constantly changing and being updated. So as to avoid annoying my friends with endless 14k e-mails... uh ... don't know how to finish this sentence, i blame brain compression (that will become funny if you read on and have a sense of humor). Also I took the summer off for some R&R and it's backfiring. Apparently two days is about all the R&R I can handle before I start losing my mind. Speaking of losing my mind, I am suspected to have, Arnold Chiari Malformation (ACM). It consists of a downward displacement of the cerebellar tonsils and the medulla through the foramen magnum, sometimes causing hydrocephalus as a result of obstruction of Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) outflow. In layman's terms, I am so smart that my skull cannot contain my brain.

There is about three years of back story leading up to this discovery that I will try and sum up as brief as possible. Three years ago (around the same time I came to Christ) I was a bartender and began to have pain in my left wrist, reminiscent of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. In all of my grand wisdom, I decided to get a brace and work through it. The pain then began in my right wrist and by January 2006, I was unable to use either of my hands. The pain grew into my elbows and pretty soon from my biceps down, I had pain. Yada, yada, yada (a Seinfeld phrase used to skip potentially important details for the sake of time), through acupuncture and physical therapy there was some improvement, however; by May 2008 the pain had spread to my feet and I couldn't walk.
July of 2007 I had a migraine that lasted about six days and my doctor ordered an MRI of my brain. The actual MRI took place on February 10, 2008 and I got the results May 4, 2008; a true testament to the efficiency of our medical system. My MRI report showed flow voids in the right side of the base of the skull (which is vague - cerebellum, medulla, inside, outside... details!), asymmetric compared to the left. This basically means that they could not detect the flow of CSF or blood going to that part of the brain. The MRI couldn't be enhanced to get a better look so I'll be seeing a neurologist at UCLA Med to get a CT scan. Unfortunately they don't take Medi-cal and my Medicare won't be valid until July 1st -- but that's a whole other story in itself! Dispite the nature of this news I am relieved that we are actually on to something! Three years of sporadic pain, not knowing the source of it, is extremely trying. It is slightly unnerving knowing it is the part of the body that we know the least about, but cool that it forces me to rest in God and not my own "understanding". I'm a bit of a control freak, so we'll see how that works out ;-D
Feel free to write or comment... about anything really. This past week has probably been the longest week of my life, waiting for my first neurological appointment on July 1st. I still have two weeks to go! I'm planning on crashing dance classes next week to help keep my mind off of things. It will be interesting to see the looks on the faces as I roll up to dance class in my scooter, Miss Blueberry. It is hard to explain that my Peripheral Nervous System is just as confused as they are!