Mononeuritis Multiplex....

Mononeuritis Multiplex...I'm still trying to come to grips with it. After being in intense pain, sometimes quite excruciating since Saturday, June 17, I went to a doctor. She tested for a kidney infection which came back 'normal.' She made the diagnosis as a strained muscle. She did perscribe a Rx for pain meds. They absolutely did nothing to cut the degree of pain.

After another week I called my regular doctor but he was out of town and I could see his nurse practioner. She saw me the next day and was just positive that I had a kidney stone. She called and scheduled me for a CT scan that very day. It came back negative. The one thing she did do is write me a perscription for a much stronger pain med. And, she made me an appointment to see a different doctor in the same practice for the next day. The blood tests she had done on me did show a kidney infection but that was not severe enough to cause my pain. She added a perscription for an antibiotic.

I went to see Dr. K on Thursday and he said the blood work came back with some definite irregularities showing infection somewhere but not able to identify it exactly. He did a thorough exam and was quite perplexed. The pain is located on my left flank...from the kidney area in the back, around the side and into the front around the spleen area.

It hursts to breathe, it hurts to walk, I found out that I should never sneeze because that caused something to "pop" in my back and brought me to my knees screaming in agony. Dear hubby was so overcome as he came running because he has never seen my cry from pain in all our 30+ years of marriage.

Anyway, Dr. K kept me on the stronger pain meds and then put me back on neurotin (sigh* I had gotten myself off of it back in the summer). He also sent me for another CT scan, 0nly this time it was the one with the iodine injected in through the IV. He wanted to make sure there wasn't a blood clot hidden somewhere in there. That too came back negative, which is really, actually, great news.

Dr. K said that other than shingles without the rash, which is very rare, he would have to diagnosis my pain as mononeuritis multiplex, which is also rare. What on earth is that? Well, read here for more information explaining what it is.

Hubby and I have been reading in Job in our Bible, reading "Through the Bible in a year." I really identified with Job this time. However, I am so thankful that the Lord hasn't taken my family, our income etc away too. But the physical pain Job suffered I can identify with. I pray that we have caught this early enough so I will have a full recovery. If we haven't caught it early enough, then I pray the Lord will be gracious and allow me to endure and function with grace and dignity. May I be able to focus outside of myself, on others and their needs. In the meantime, I look at ways to be able to function throughout my days. I see my regualr doctor again on Wednesday. I am praying that I will have significant improvement by then. So far, I haven't experienced that but the Lord can do anything!

Meanwhile, we are having a wonderful visit with Pilot. He has been so helpful for his "old" parents! He has mowed the front yard and will do the back yard next. Today he went climbing up in his beloved mountains! Came home quite satisfied. Today's climb was Mount Olympus, about 8,700 ft. Monday's climb will be the Pfieferhorn Mountain which is about 11,000+ in altitude. He has managed to spend some time with friends but a lot of time has been spent with us. It is so wonderful to have your children grow into adults and still desire to be around their parents, hanging out and having fun. I want each day to last forever, however, I know that isn't going to happen. So we are enjoying every minute we have with him.