Just Me's blog: "Life"

February 21, 2012:  I woke up dizzy, and went to PT against the wishes of my then girlfriend to go to the doctor.  I took a knee a few times during Ultimate Frisbee but managed get through.  And I am not talking just a little dizzy, I am talking staggering/stumbling dizzy.  I went to 0900 formation, and luckily, there was a HMMWV parked right next to where I stood in front of my platoon for me to "lean on" and keep anyone from noticing my inability to stand still.  

After formation went to my office, and one of the NCOs who worked for me asked me some questions, and he needed some paperwork.  I had it in my truck, and we started walking and he asked me if I had been drinking.  I said no, he said that I was slurring my words and staggering like I had been drinking.  He said I needed to go to the ER, and I said I would be fine.  He said he needed to the use restroom and I told him I would be right back while he was doing that and get the stuff from my truck (plus put the frisbee up.)  When I got back to my office, my commander was there as well, and he ordered me to go to the ER.  I said I would go to the clinic and do a walk-in, be faster.  He said ok. 

Doctor there said I had a double ear infection, but never looked in my ears.  Sent me home with an anti-dizziness drug.  I went home, called the girlfriend, let her know I was on quarters, and she said she would pick me up after she got off work.  (couldn't drive on the meds.)  She got me, and that night, I was REALLY dizzy and slurring, and started to get some major chills.  Could not get warm!  Even with her in the bed next to me, skin to skin, and several blankets, I was freezing!!!! She tried to make me go to the ER that night.

Next morning, Saturday, I woke up with a headache like I have never had before.  Couldn't move, couldn't look, couldn't think, took me 5 tries to get words out, freezing, dizzy, stumbling, and was worser off.  She made me get dressed and took me to the ER.  Went in and checked in, the place was packed!!!!  I figured an all day thing just to be seen.  I had no more than found a seat for me and her when they called me to get triaged.  I went in, she asked me my name, DOB, and all that, and I had trouble thinking of it.  She asked me to read an eye chart, and I Read it just beautifully with my left eye, AS ALWAYS!  Right eye, think it was about 4 lines down I could see.  

The nurse had me sit down, and said she would be right back.  She came back in, and said the doctor was going to speak to me.  He came in, and said he was sending me to get a CT scan.  That was when I started to get concerned.  They had not taken my blood pressure, temp, pulse, pulse ox, nothing yet.  

I got out of CT, got a room, and sent a message to my girlfriend on my phone.  She couldn't come back without us being married.  So I sent a nurse to get her.  She got back there, and she asked what was going on.  I said I didn't know.  The nurse wasn't answering my questions, well mainly cause I wasn't being coherent in my statements.  Heather (the girlfriend) started doing my speaking for me, Thankfully!  

They said a word I never wanted to hear.  They were treating me for symptons of a stroke!!!!!  Nuerologist was called in, and he ran some more tests, to include spinal tap,  MRI, MRV, X-rays, bloodwork, all kinds of good stuff, and then transferred me to the civilian hospital where they had a better stroke center.  I spent four days being used as a human pin cushion, undergoing every test I knew of and a lot I had never heard of.  

I was discharged with a diagnosis of complex migraines.  Followed up with the migraine specialist, and it is Chronic Daily Persistent Headaches, and neurology says Disabling Hemiplegic Migraine Syndrome.  

Since February, I have had 8 MRIs, 5 CAT Scans, given more blood than a blood donor does in a lifetime (figuratively), and gone through so many things to try and figure out what caused it and to fix it.  I have gone two days without a migraine since I left the hospital.  One of those, I was drinking from about 8:00 AM and the other I was given a series of infusions the two days prior.

I have also been transferred from my unit, an Expeditionary Signal Battalion, to the Warrior Transition Unit where I am pending the findings of my medical evaulation board and discharge from the US Army after over 13 years of service.