Hello all. It’s been a while since I’ve written a diary, but I need to vent and I’m hoping a few people hear my story and why I need Obamacare.
It all started back in March. I was leaving my old job (I really didn’t like it), and fortunately had the option to pay into COBRA. My folks helped me out, and I stay covered under their (actually fairly good) insurance. This saved my bacon, as we’ll soon see.
Shortly after leaving it I left for Canada to spend time with my girlfriend. Sometime in mid-May, my appetite left me completely. Even the thought of eating made me want to vomit. I went to the ER there (expensive for non-Canadian) and they said it was just reflux and sent me on my way.
It was not reflux.
Shortly before leaving Canada a couple weeks later, I married my girlfriend, even though I was in a great deal of pain. Right after that, I went home and wound up in the ER a few times. Each time, they said nothing was wrong.
Meanwhile, I started seeing a new gastroenterologist that sent me for a few tests. First an endoscopy (which showed inflammation but no other issues) and then a HIDA scan (which came back clear). At this point, it was late July and I was completely out of it. I had lost around 30 pounds, and I was in constant, agonizing, pain. I wouldn't have been able to work if I was employed, and was unable to look for work so I couldn't even collect UI all that time.
At the same time, I began developing headaches. An MRI with an open-field 0.7 Tesla machine (no contrast) showed nothing wrong.
I went to see a surgeon and he agreed with my hunch; my gallbladder had to go. In early August, they took it out, and we were right. It had adhered to my stomach, scarring it, and they had to scrape it off. Two months later, I’m doing better on that front at least. I can eat more normally, though I still need zofran (expensive without insurance) to control the nausea and Dexilant (also expensive) to control the reflux. But it’s not near as bad as it was.
However, shortly after the surgery I began experiencing new symptoms. I had (and still have) tingling and numbness in the fingers and hands, especially in my left hand. Slowly, it got worse, and manifested in my other hand and even my feet. The tingling and “pins and needles” feeling was so bad that it hurt, and I had difficulty controlling my hand to eat at one point. I also had burning pain in my left arm, and a noticeable increase in blurriness in my left eye.
Those symptoms got better after a few weeks, except the vision, but they have come back in the last few days.
My regular doctor thinks its anxiety. A neurologist I’ve been seeing says that’s likely, and that even though MS does present itself like this there is “no pathology” to suggest MS. My reflexes are brisk and the MRI was clear.
Now, I've been researching MS and MRI technology. Apparently, weak open-field MRIs like the one I used are very poor at detecting MS. The standard for looking for this is a 3 Tesla MRI with contrast. In addition, I've spoken with people who have MS and were in the same situation I'm in. The weak MRI didn't see it, and their reflexes were fine. Thus, I’m still crazy worried I have MS.
All the while, the headaches are persisting. Now, my regular doc things the headaches are sinus related. The neurologist thinks its migraines. To get a third opinion, I made an appointment with a doctor at Northwestern Memorial in Chicago. That’s quite a trip for me, but I know they have a 3T MRI.
When I mentioned the tingling, the NWM doc didn’t fool around at all. She gave me a neurological exam and asked a lot of questions about the symptoms. She also ordered an MRI at Northwestern. The questions she asked made it clear that she’s thinking MS as well, although as a good doctor she never mentioned it. I never mentioned it to her, either, as I wanted her to draw her own conclusions not based on my own pre-conceived notions.
You can imagine what that kind of pre-existing condition will do to my ability to get insurance later on. I've had a hell of a time medically these last six months or so; it’s been all I can do to just try to recover and get back to a point where I can study and then look for work again. The only reason I’m not completely bankrupt right now is because of the COBRA insurance coverage, and that’s expensive as hell on its own. When that money runs dry, I’m in deep trouble. If the ACA doesn't stay in place, I’m in yet deeper trouble.
Even worse, a diagnosis of MS would absolutely, positively destroy any chance of being able to move to Canada to be with my wife and would also make it much more difficult for me to sponsor her to move to the US. (We both prefer if I move up there.)
My MRI is tomorrow. (Yeah, a Saturday. Weird, yes, but welcome.) At this point, I’m fairly confident that it is MS. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be relieved if it’s not. No one is hoping for a clear result more than I am! But, the symptoms line up so well, I can’t help but think that MS is indeed what’s wrong with me. Either way, I’ll find out the truth in the next few days, and I’m incredibly anxious and terrified, not just from the results, but for what might happen in November.
I NEED Obamacare. It could literally mean the difference between getting care and not; between having a shot at a productive, fulfilling life, or a quick downward spiral.
Mr. President, PLEASE, kick Romney’s butt in the debates and win this thing. Win it huge. My life may very well depend on it.