Tonight I had planned to talk about an article I read in Scientific American regarding the lack of public access to on-line science journals--but I'll save that for another time. Instead, I decided to post something I've been entering in a private blog--mostly because I've been able (or better, had to) avail myself of some pretty amazing medical diagnostic technology due to an usual problem I've been experiencing.

Sunday, Aug. 17
I started experiencing periodic episodes of numbness combined with a weakness and muscle spasm in my right arm this week. It's a hard feeling to describe but it stops me in my tracks until it passes. A few times it was so severe that I couldn't even move my arm--it felt paralyzed for a few seconds. Finally it alarmed my wife (and me) enough to go to my doc about it. X-rays (looking for some skeletal abnormality in my neck that might pinch a nerve) were inconclusive. However, there's enough worry that I have to get a CT scan tomorrow--and we are supposed to leave on our vacation to Chelan. It's going to turn out to be nothing (I hope) and we can get out of here for a week's relaxation with my family. I've had fewer "spells" today so I'm hopeful I just inflamed or pinched a nerve. Maybe I shouldn't be typing!

Monday, Aug. 18
A somewhat disappointing day. We are unable to go on our planned vacation because I need more tests. The CT scan I had today was inconclusive as to the cause of these muscle "siezures" in my arm. The initial read by the radiologist had him suggesting I had had a mild stroke-like event in the left capsular lobe of my brain. I then had a followup appointment with a neurologist who showed us the CT scan and and told us he was not convinced that the spot pointed to by the radiologist was anything. However, he insisted we postpone our trip and tomorrow I go in for an EEG (electroencephalogram) and an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) on my head. He is thinking these may be a type of seizure. While writing this I had another one, only my third of the day, but it seemed a little more intense than the ones I've been having the last couple of days and this time I felt it on my side below my arm. Time to put away the laptop and get some rest.

Tueday, Aug. 19
Tonight I was finally able to talk with my neurologist (never thought I'd have one of my own) about the results of the EEG and MRI tests I had today. The EEG is the test where you have 20 electrodes stuck to your scalp (the tech was appreciative of the fact that I had thinned my hair for the test); 8 on each side, 3 down the middle and a ground. In all things electrical, the ground is always important! The EEG results were normal (I have brain waves!!), with no evidence of stroke or major seizure disorders. The CT scan from Monday (which is like entering a small Stargate on "Stargate") and the MRI today do not reveal anything major, no tumors, no evidence of stroke, etc. However the MRI did appear to show that I have what's called a "venous angioma" on the left side of my brain, which is a disordered clump of veins that drain the blood supply there. It's possible I've always had this but just now focal seizures have started because of it, possibly because of some scar tissue there (and my seizures just happen to be localize to my right arm, which is better than headaches, blurred vision, etc). Evidently venous angiomas are fairly common, and in general do not represent an increased risk of bleeding, aneurysms, etc., nor is surgery indicated. The radiologist and neurologist want to schedule another MRI, this time with a dye to get better contrast in those blood vessels. MRIs of your head are not that much fun--there's a reason why they ask you if you're at all claustrophobic or jackhammerophobic. But in the meantime, I meet with my neurologist (I'm sounding a bit possessive about him aren't I?) on Thursday to discuss some possible mild antiseizure medications.

In the meantime the incidence of these "spells" or focal seizures has decreased from ~6 a day for three days down to 2 yesterday and today. While the diagnosis of the cause appears to be somewhat benign, with a fairly good prognosis, overall the episode does make one think about the other possibilities. I was a bit thrown today when the EEG specialist asked me if I was related to someone he had seen 12 years earlier with the same last name. When I replied the person was my uncle, he stopped and said he remembered him well and the fact that my uncle had died of an aggressive glioblastoma (very malignant brain tumor). He quickly went on to say that my test results so far did not indicate any tumor of any kind but it was something one can't help but think about. Just a year ago a neighbor friend of ours died of the same thing, less than 6 months after the initial diagnosis. Our mortality becomes more and more real as we get older, that's for sure.