My Life turned upside down for me yesterday..

[matt&jakesmom]

About 2 weeks ago now I felt a twinge in my neck nothing painful just a weird feeling. Three days later I was getting pins and needles sensation down my right shoulder,arm and fingers. Went to doctor last Tuesday who ran exrays and noticed C 5 and 6 were indifferent. Went for nerve test and MRI. Received results yesterday and not good. I have a herniated disc on C 5 and 6 which is what is causing the tingles and numbness, which has gotten better. I have it now only in my right hand and fingers. According to the rest of the report C 2 is showing a neoplasm (tumor). Yes it caused panic for me and thank god my DH was with me. My doctor is acting quickly on this since he wants to find out exactly what it is. I go for another MRI Tuesday this time on my head and then my spine. He also wants a spinal tap done. I wasn't too keen on that but I have to have it in order to rule out other things. He kept asking me if there was a case history of MS in the family. There is none. All family has on either side is arthritis.

We have a trip planned for WDW the end of August and I pray to God that I'll be fine so we can go. Of course believe it or not this is the first time I did not take travel insurance for the trip or even the airline tickets.

I am not going to lie-I am scared. I am 39 and have a husband and 2 DS's ages 11 & 9 who need me. I am I may be jumping the gun since we don't have all the facts as of yet, but the part we do is scary for me.

Please keep me in your thoughts. I will keep you all updated as I know more.

Thanks. Tamra

 

[safetymom]

I will keep you in my prayers. Dealing with the unknown and doctors can be scary. Keep posting here, it helps.

 

[annie1995]

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers

 

[mommasita]

Prayers said

 

[CarolAnnC]

Hang in there and I am hoping that you will get to go on your WDW trip. Having fractured my L5 vertebrae this past winter after a fall on ice, I sympathize with your uncertainty. Hopefully, the herniation may be the worst of it, instead of a tumor. I will pray that is the case for you..

You are young and strong, with a great will to recuperate so keep the faith. Let us know how your appts go...hugs..

 

[frdeb1999]

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[zalansky]

Tamra - I am the same age as you and can't imagine what you're feeling right now, with two kids. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers that there is nothing seriously wrong and that you can heal quickly. Please keep us posted.
Hug & much love to you!

 

[kimis]

I will pray for you.

I know exactly what you are going through. I had the same symptoms a couple of years ago. I let them go. Then on this past Christmas day the symptoms came full force. I had tingling in my feet, legs, arms and hands. My hands were numb as well as my face. I had severe pain (I have a high tolerence for pain) in my thighs. I was dropping everything I picked up. I had a couple of episodes were I couldn't move my hands and one foot. I thought I was having strokes.

I finally went to my gp who thought I had MS.
He ordered a a brain MRI which I toke to the neurologist. She said it could be MS, lupus, scleraderma or a few other things. She ordered a thoric and spinal MRI. She also ordered a lot of blood work.

The tests came back that I had herniated C5 and C6 which pushed into the spinal cord. It actually moved my spinal cord. Because I had waited to long the only fix was surgery. The neruologist isn't ruling out the other diseases until I have my neck fixed. By the way i also had a problem with C2.

I met with a neurosurgeon (that was scarey) who I found out was one of the best. He said surgery was needed and would probably make a huge difference but he left it up to me. I had the surgery and immediately several of the symptoms left. The dr said it could take a few months for the rest of the symptoms to cease. I wish I would have had it fixed a long time ago.
I am praying that all the symptoms go away because if they don't than it I could still have one of the other diseases. I am thinking positive and i feel great.

Good luck. I am praying for you.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention. WHen I talked to the neurosurgeon the first time I asked him about the rides at disney because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to ride them anymore. He said in six months i could ride them but I will use some discretion. I am so glad that I can still walk (it was getting pretty bad before my surgery), enjoy my family and ride the rides I love at disney. I have always told my family whenever they would go through something "it can always be worse". That is so true it can always be worse.

Take it one visit at a time and one day at a time. Know that others are praying for you.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

Just an Update. I did have the second MRI done on my brain and the rest of my spine today. I have a doctors appt. scheduled for Monday. I will keep you all informed.

THANK YOU for all your thoughts and prayers for myself and my family.

Tamra

 

[Angel16]

You are in my prayers and thoughts.

 

[zalansky]

Continued thoughts and prayers for you Tamra. Hang in there.

 

[Punchy]

Tamra, I am sorry you are going through this.

I have MS myself and am all to familiar with the fear and uncertainty.
I will say however that your scans do not sound like typical MS to me. If they found abnormalities and a small tumor in your spine, I wonder why the doctor still wants to test for MS? MS manifests as small lesions in white matter of the brain and the spinal cord - no tumors.

I know it is difficult but please try not to despair. It could be so many things and the odds are in your favor that it isn't anything serious.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

Punchy: Thanks for your thoughts. I think my doctor is testing everything so he can start ruling things out. I have not heard back from him in regards to the blood work taken last Thursday nor about the MRI done on Tuesday. Friends keep telling me that is good news because if something would have shown up in the blood work or something more serious on the MRI, I should have gotten a call from my doctor. I hope that is true. I go Monday at 1:00 to find out the rest of the results.

My family and I have have been talking about our upcoming trip to WDW on the 25th, so it's helping to keep me distracted. Today I planned on making the "do not forget to bring" list.

Tamra

 

[matt&jakesmom]

Angel16 and zalansky: Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. My family and I do appreciate it. Just a few more days and hopefully I'll know some more information. Funny thing is I feel great. No pain or nothing. My tingling in my right arm and shoulder have been gone for over a week now. I just have some slight numbness left in my fingertips.

Tamra

 

[Angel16]

Tamra, Thank you for keeping us posted, you are so sweet. We all were put on this earth to help one another. Try to keep your thoughts on Disney, your family and Praising God. (Not necessarily in that order ) I have been through 4 very major scares and surgeries with my DH. The fact the doctors have not contacted you in indeed a good thing. When there was a problem with my DH scans or tests they ALWAYS called us ASAP. I am so very glad to hear that you do not have any pain and your symptoms have left. You and your family are in our prayers.

Keep planning that great trip for August 25th Woo Hoo

Have a great week end.

Angel16

 

[Mrs. Pookie]

Sweetie, I will keep you in my prayers and I hope you hear good news from the doctor. Just keep thinking about your trip whenever you feel upset!

 

[Rustysmom]

I hope you get good news.

 

[kimis]

Hi Tamra I hoping good thoughts for you today. Sending lots of prayers and pixie dust.

 

[matt&jakesmom]

Thanks so much for all your thoughts. I will be leaving work shortly to meet DH at doctor's to get the results of the blood work and MRI. I will let you all know later.

Tamra

 

[Puccaw]

Thoughts and prayers to you and your family