A Room with a View

I was supposed to be on the 4th floor, which is the neurology floor, but they had no place for me.  Instead I went to the 7th floor, comprehensive medical or something like that.  It also could be called my home away from work.

Behind this curtain was my roommate.  She lives in the Pendleton area of District 1 and she just so happened to recognize me.  It was nice to talk about the latest homicide that had taken place

just down the street from her house.  Oh, and how her nephew had been shot and killed not too long ago.  Now I just had to hope that I had not arrested anyone who came to see her....Sadly, she got very few visitors.  I kind of felt guilty for having so many.         

She saddened me.  Because of the lifestyle she had lived up to this point, she was told that she could not have a transplant that she needs to save her life.  Again, I realized that I was very fortunate to grow up the way I did.  But, it does come down to choices.  No matter where you are, you know the difference between right and wrong, a good choice and a bad choice.  Sometimes it takes courage to pick the right one, but you never know when the consequences are going to catch up to you.

 

The right side of my half of the room.  I really began to feel a little claustrophobic after a bit.

The view....and my IV.  I did get to watch a bit of excitement.  One afternoon there was a little fire somewhere and I could see some smoke.  Sad that I found that exciting, huh?

People are very nice when you are in the hospital.  They bring you things!  Here are some pretty flowers from Stephanie and Jen.  They also brought me some mints and mini Snickers.  Lisa gave me some cookies, magazines and chapstick (thank goodness!).  Unfortunately, all the sweets were hidden from me and replaced with Insulin when my blood sugar went up to 278.  It was probably the Solu-Medrol they were giving me to try to stop the inflammation in my brain, but I kind of think the Adriatico's Pizza Kat brought me Saturday night may have had something to do with it.

Captivity...Day 1

April 17, 2010

I finally got to my room around 6am.  I get in my gown, and thankfully, the nurse brings me jammie pants.  I love jammie pants.  I nap for a little while.  Around 9AM, they take me to get my MRI.  The trip in the wheelchair was a long one!  I was on the 7th floor and the MRI was way down in the basement.  Way, way down in the basement.  In fact, when the guy tells me we are almost there, we come to the end of the hallway and have to go either left or right.  Right is "MRI".  Left is "Morgue and Body Receiving".  I remember my eyes closing and thinking, "Please go right, please go right, please go....oh, thank God."

The MRI wasn't terrible....as long as you don't mind loud noises and feeling like you are in a little tube.  But, they gave me ear plugs and a blankie.  I just kept my eyes closed.  When I was finished, I was waiting in the hallway for transport to come.  I could tell the techs were looking at something.  I heard them say things like, "Wow", "Now that's a really clear picture" and "Oh, look at that."  So I deflated a little bit.

I clearly remember sitting in the hall, thinking to myself that "This is it.  There is something wrong and those people know what it is.  You can lose an arm or a leg, but it's really hard to replace your brain.  Is this really happening?".

It was about 9:50 when I get back to my room.  I order a scrumptious breakfast of oatmeal, brown sugar and raisins (seriously, it really was the tastiest thing they brought me!).

For the next 2 hours I sit in my bed.  I'm a fall risk, you know.  Can't get up to do anything on my own.  I also start to realize that there really is no hiding from whatever is messing with my brain.  Escape is out of the question, I can't walk a straight line and the whole world is spinning.  I would just break something.

11:30am....I meet my doctor.  He brings some residents with him.  They have me do some exercises, like following his finger and trying to touch it with mine.  Fail - I miss it everytime with my right hand.  He makes me follow a pen with my eyeballs (Hello, OVI test).  If you pulled me over, I would fail miserably.  No smooth pursuit, wacky nystagmus.  Then they ask me to walk down the hall.  It was hilarious.  As I got out of bed, I knocked a bunch of stuff over and couldn't stand up.  I had 3 residents following me with their hands out to catch me.  They didn't make me walk too long.

Then we get me back in bed.  I remember where everyone was and how Dr. Kanter said it, "So, what we have here is an inflamed Cerebellum.  It's what we see in MS."

Oh.

"Don't worry...It doesn't look too bad."

I complained the entire drive to the hospital.  It's what I do, even though I knew Mandy was right.  If I really was slurring my words and now that my lip was drooping, it was probably for the best.  I usually don't have to go to the hospital unless I'm taking a bad guy or checking on a shooting victim.  Well, there was that time I cut my cornea while driving, the time I had that weird allergic reaction, and of course, when that motorcycle guy ran the red light and totalled my cruiser.  Other than that, I usually don't go unless it involves a bad guy.  Regardless, the ER staff knows me. 

I get escorted to a lovely room, pee in a cup and get stuck a couple times.  Lots of doctors come in...I really don't think they know what to do with me.  The MRI people are already gone, so I end up in CAT Scan.  Quick and easy, no big deal. Until, they are wheeling me out and someone says, "Don't worry...It doesn't look too bad."  Not a phrase you want to hear when it's referencing your BRAIN!

I get back to my room and wait for my neurology consult.  The doc gets there and has me walk down the hall (I look like I am drunk).  My eyeballs are working against each other and jiggling around in my head.  I can't focus on anything.  So why am I surprised when they decide to keep me so I can have a MRI in the morning?  Because I am not bright, that's why.

He sits down and tells me what the plan is and what they are looking for.  Turns out its Multiple Sclerosis, cause I'm in that age group (really? thanks) oh, and all the symptoms that I am experiencing, too.  That is the second time I heard MS as a possibility.  I'm guessing that is probably what I have...

But, I shouldn't worry....after all, it doesn't look too bad.

"Um, I really just called to chat..."

April 16, 2010

It was Friday and kind of a big day.  Not necessarily a good kind of big day, but still a big day.  It was my partner, Mandy's last day in District 1.  I felt horrible because I had not been able to work with her during her last week.  We had so much fun together!  And we got in plenty of weird situations together.  One of our funniest and consistent runs was this pair of sisters who always played their music incredibly loud.  We were called there so many times I stopped counting.  The sisters got to know us so well that they gave us nicknames.  Mine was "Misery", as in Kathy Bates' Misery character.  Mandy, of course, was Jessica Alba.  The sisters constantly invited us into their apartment....in kind of an odd way.  Jess and Misery always turned them down. 

We also had TruTV riding with us for several weeks because we were one of the few that tested those Axon Cameras you wear on your head to get our point of view of what we do.  So, not only did they film us when we were on a run, but they recorded us the entire time we were in the car.  They got a lot of stuff for the blooper reel...an impromptu medley of the "Grease" soundtrack and a lively discussion that involved me yelling at Mandy to "Please try my iced tea!  I think it tastes weird!".  I finally wore her down and she gave in, only to tell me it tasted fine....Could that have been another clue???

Anyway, back to Friday night....I called Mandy just to talk a bit.  I knew she would be sad to be leaving District 1.  She asked me about my appointment and when my MRI was going to be.  When I told her Tuesday, she FLIPPED out!  "No! Tuesday is too long to wait."  "You are starting to slur your words!"  And finally, "I'm taking you to the hospital!"

When I could finally get a word in, I said, "Um, Mandy.  I really just called to chat."  Then I did it.  I asked her, "What if I don't come out of my house?".  Her response?  "Then I will sit outside with the lights and sirens on until someone complains."  Really?  Really....What choice did I have?

As I was getting ready and stumbling around my house, I did realize that I was dizzy constantly, as opposed to the little breaks in dizziness I had the day before.  And if I was slurring my words, I guess she was right.  But that didn't mean that I wasn't going to at least make her turn the lights on.

The Appointment

It's finally Thursday afternoon.  Kat drove me to the doctor.  Frankly, I didn't trust myself to do it.  Got in quickly, which was a luxury....I love my doctor, but sometimes you have to wait a long time.  I figure that they will take their time with me if they need to, so I don't really mind waiting.  This visit proved me right.

The doc did a little exam and really wasn't sure.  So she checked with another doc.  She also didn't know.  I should have realized this wouldn't be easy when the nurse told me I won the award for "Strange Symptoms of the Day".  Thanks....I think??

The list of what if's included inner ear infection, a weird virus, a brain tumor, and since I'm at that age (this is never a good phrase to hear), we had to think about MS.  Got some medicine and scheduled for a MRI/MRA....but not til the next Tuesday.  Well, that's OK, because the medicine she gave me for the dizziness is supposed to start working "immediately".  Excellent...I'll be back to walking a straight line in no time!

I'm not going to mention the other medicine she gave me.  It is for viruses and when I took it to the pharmacy, the super-duper senior pharmacy technician (who is also my sister, Bridget) called me a dirtball!  They need some customer service classes at that joint.

Since I found that I can taste spicy foods, Kat and I went to my favorite mexican place, lovingly referred to as "The Mexican Place".  It's been about 4 hours since my appointment and when I took my medicine.  I don't know about you, but my definition of 'immediately' is faster than 4 hours.  We checked with Bridget, who checked with her pharmacist, Joe.  Joe's definition, and most likely the definition of the medicine's manufacturer, is 15-20 minutes.   When Bridget told Joe I was still dizzy, his response was, "Really?  That's weird."   Oh, boy.

So, it was then, that I realized that whatever this was, it was probably not going to be good. 

Kat, I think you are buying me a turtle sundae from Graeter's.

Boy, I'm glad I have an appointment....

The next couple of days things slowly but steadily got worse.  Now I couldn't feel hot or cold on the right side of my mouth (which came in handy when I took a bite of something too hot...I just shoved it over on the right side and all was well).  Even water didn't taste right.  Or chocolate...What's happening???

The day of my doctor's appointment, I had to go to court.  I woke up a little dizzier, but there was no way to miss this case.  It was the murder trial of Mark Pickens (found guilty x 3, death penalty on all).  He was accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, her 9 month old baby and her friend's 3 year old.  My job was to explain to the jury what the scene looked like and what I did.  I will never forget it...I checked the victims for pulses and stayed with them until the coroner took them away.  I can replay that night over and over.  So, obviously, there was no way I was going to miss that trial.

As I walked into the employee entrance of the courthouse and turned the corner to sign in, the walls spun around on me and I fell down again.  Thoroughly embarrassed as I laid on the floor, I thought to myself, "Boy, I'm glad I have an appointment."  I gather myself up and head to the courtroom.  Now, my eyes are all jiggly and I am convinced I have a brain tumor.  I'm praying as I walk up to testify that I will not fall down in front of a packed house and every newstation around.  Thankfully, God listened.  I testified and boogied out of there. 

This appointment can't come fast enough.

"I've been having a little vertigo lately."

April 12, 2010

Today was my scheduled "Day 2" of inservice at the police academy.  Day 2 is supposedly the fun day, the tactical portion.  Frankly, for me, this always makes me nervous.  I have no problem doing any portion of my job out on the street, but when I have to pretend and act stuff out in front of my peers, well, it just stresses me out.

The first part of the day was sitting in classes, no big deal.  When we break for lunch, I decide to go back to the scene of the crime and eat at Penn Station.  I order the exact same meal I had on Saturday.  I'm just sure I will taste the drink and artichokes this time. 

Not so much....tongue is still numb, I'm a little wobbly on occasion still and the artichokes have no taste!  What else could go wrong today??  Oh, yeah...I still have to go shoot guns and tasers.  Back to the academy, I go.

My group first goes to the precision shooting stage.  No problem there, shoot targets with lasers and practice clearing rooms.  The group goes downstairs and the first thing we do is get our heart rate up by hitting some punching bags.  I'm diggin' it...I do enjoy hitting things.  Next I have to go to the shotgun portion.  As I grab the shotgun and begin to load it (fake ammo, everyone will be happy to know), I bend down to pick up a few of the shells.  When I stand up, the room completely spins around and I end upon my back.  Thankfully, one of the instructors grabbed the gun.  As I'm laying there, I think, "Well, this is new."  So I say outloud, "I've been having a little vertigo lately.  I guess I better go to the doctor."  Then I hear the Sgt say, "At least it happened here and not out on the street."  That's a scary thought.

My appointment is the 15th at 2:45PM.