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Jim Alfredson

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Everything posted by Jim Alfredson

  1. Need I remind you, Jim, that you're the one who closed the Babes Thread? What's your point?
  2. Tuesday was her worst day by far. Since then things have been kind of stable, but the tingling/numbness has moved into her left leg. We had a round of tests Wednesday and another yesterday. We were supposed to have an MRI of the cervical spine, which we thought was tonight at 11:30PM. Yes, 11:30 at night. The MRI was scheduled for midnight. On the phone, they said "12:00am Friday". Which actually meant last night. They did not clarify that, so we missed it. It has since been re-scheduled. The plan is to see the current neurologist one more time on Tuesday but we're pretty much convinvced he will not be able to help us. Before the round of tests on Wednesday, he said, "I don't think they'll find anything." He also seems to think Alison's throat problems are from anxiety, which is bullshit. It's been a week and they are still there. That's some anxiety attack, bub. Hopefully we'll go to the Michigan Brain and Spine Institute in Ann Arbor. I just have to try to get a referral. I have a theory, with the help of maren, of what it might be, or at least something to look into. Before I handed over her first set of MRI's to the neurologist at MSU, I read the summary chart that came with it. One of the things it said was, "inferior cerebellar tonsiller ectopia extending approxiamately 5mm below the level of the foramen magnum." I asked the neurologist what this meant and he said, "It just means her brain is sitting a little low but we determined it's nothing to be concerned about." Well, what it actually means is that her cerebellum, you know, the lower part of the brain that controls all your involuntary motor skills like breathing, heartbeat, etc., is herniated and sticking through the hole in the base of the skull where the spinal cord goes into the brain. This is known as Arnold-Chiari Malformation. The symptoms are exactly like Alison's and it is even commonly misdiagnosed as MS because the symptoms are so much alike. Here's the kicker: There is new research that suggest that a herniated cerebullar tonsil may not be the CAUSE of Chiari Malformation in all cases, but sometimes may actually be a SYMPTOM. ACM is also usually congenital, but there have been many cases of acquired ACM which presents itself after trauma. Again, we keep telling every doctor about Alison's fall down the stairs a month ago and no one cares. Anyway, I'm getting copies of all the scans including MRI films and such and I'm going to take them to someone who specializes in this stuff and those folks are in Ann Arbor. Alison is feeling ok. There have actually been cases of acquired ACM where the person heals completely on their own as long as they don't aggravate the injury. The only other option is surgery to relieve spinal fluid pressure and create a little space for the herniation to be. I hope we don't have to go that route. But the effects of waiting to long can be permanent nerve damage.
  3. It's the American Way... sponsored by Net Zero!
  4. No disrespect, but if you believe that, I got a bridge for sale...
  5. It's ridiculous. Are we going back to Puritanism in this country? Or are people upset because a white woman went after a black man? You can show a dead rat being thrown into a blender and turned into a liquid which someone drinks on Fear Factor, but a naked woman jumping into a man's arms is offensive? What the fuck is wrong with this country?
  6. No shit. There is more silicon in that shot than at the Intel factory. Yuk.
  7. Jesus, that picture is fucking huge. I changed it to a link. I can't even tell what it is since 34 hours later I see the top of a palm tree.
  8. No, a horrible movie that came out last summer.
  9. Aren't those available on CD? What's the big deal?
  10. Al, just remember the Alamo.
  11. Anyone other than rock/pop critic musicians in there? Didn't think so. Well, it's a rock/pop music magazine. Do you expect Downbeat to review the latest Britney Spears album? Honestly, it would not surprise me.
  12. Does anyone know what they call someone who specializes in the throat? I think we need to see someone like that, since the neurologist (who just called) has seemed to made up his mind. He just told my wife that, despite the fact that we have more tests tomorrow, the numbness should go away and that "sometimes we just have to let it do that." That's great, bub. Thanks. The numbness is in her left leg now and she still has a consticting feeling in her neck, like someone is strangling her. She can feel something strange in her throat when she moves her neck and this weird strangling feeling has come on in the last few days. So, we'll do the rest of the tests tomorrow, and in the meanwhile look for someone who gives a shit.
  13. Anyone other than rock/pop critic musicians in there? Didn't think so.
  14. I should've said Alison is feeling better today. Criminey. I need to get some sleep one of these nights.
  15. Had a round of tests today (including another MRI scan of the brain and spine and bloodtests) and tomorrow we have a MRA and an Evoke Vision Response test. Alison is feeling better tomorrow, although the numbness is moving down into her left leg. Yesterday was the worst by far. Maybe this thing is viral and it's working it's way out. Who knows? I'm just happy she's feeling better and acting more like herself.
  16. Rolling Stone - Best Crap Music Magazine
  17. If you buy that sammich, you better get some of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...5535940927&rd=1
  18. LOL! http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=5535890757
  19. I want to thank my wonderful husband for being so supportive and caring. It isn't fun to look after someone who's ill and take care of an infant. He is amazing! I will hopefully get some answers tomorrow. I'm sure he will fill you in. Thank you all again for all your kind words. It really does help. Alison Wife of B3er
  20. Just an update: We had our appointment this afternoon with the MSU Neurology Department. It turns out it was with the same doctor that saw her in Sparrow (the hospital) and referred us to MSU. Strange. Anyway, today has been the worst day by far. The numbness is in her lips, tongue, and jaw and she says that her throat feels like someone is strangling it or that there is a giant weight on it. The numbness is moving down her left leg as well. So we told all this to the doctor and he seemed a little confused. It was as if he didn't quite believe her claims about the feelings in her neck. He kept going back to that. I asked him a lot of questions and brought up several points, including: Stroke, yes or no? He said no. There is no evidence of a stroke. Aneurysm, yes or no? No. But they are going to run some more tests to totally rule that out. Tumor, yes or no? No. It would've shown up like a red flag on the first MRI. MS, yes or no? Not enough information, but everything is leaning towards no. All the tests they've done up to now should've shown something and they have all been normal. But it is still a possibility. He did say that the pain and discomfort in the neck area is very rarely associated with neurological disorders, which in his words "is a good thing for you." He thinks it could be a virus, but again, more tests need to be done. So basically we don't know too much more than we did, but Alison's progressing symptoms lit a fire under their butts and she's getting a whole battery of tests done in the next two days including another MRI of the brain, an MRI of the neck, another EKG, the Evoke Visual Response test, and an MRA. When I mentioned my sister's theory and the word "chiropracter", he looked at me like I was an idiot, which my sister wasn't too surprised about. If all the tests we have in the next few days find nothing, we are going to go to a chiropracter that has the ability to do X-rays and that specializes in upper cervical subluxation. I found this site today: http://www.upcspine.com/ Very interesting read. I feel a little better at least that they have determined what it isn't (ie, a tumor, stroke, etc). I'll feel even better after the tests are done. Thanks again for all the support.
  21. What digital recording software are you using? Does it support ASIO? That's the best way to go for playing back digital and MIDI and recording at the same time. I suggest the M-Audio Audiophile 24/96. You get stereo analog in and out via RCA connections, digital spdif in and out via RCA, and MIDI in and out. It does have ASIO drivers so most recording software will work with it easily.
  22. Well finally some good news. The insurance company (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) just called and approved a spinal cord MRI for the cervical portion of the spine and gave us an appointment for this Friday. If the doctor we see tomorrow wants to scan other parts of the spine (which doesn't seem necessary, but who knows?) then they will approve that if need be. Phew. That's good to hear.
  23. Thanks, DrJ for your insight. After we decided to go to the ER this morning we were waiting for my sister to arrive to care for Zora and the MSU Neurology Department called. The woman we talked to in person was on the line and got us an appointment for tomorrow at 4pm. So we decided not to go to the ER, since there isn't much they can do. We called our general practioner's office and they informed us that the spinal cord MRI that they wanted to have done this week is being held up by the insurance company. It seems the insurance company wants to know why it's necessary. I love that some huge comglomerate that resides in God-knows-where that doesn't know my wife from the number that represents her decides, over doctor's orders, what tests should be run. Quite the health care system we have in this country, eh? Anyway, hopefully the visit tomorrow will provide some answers. DrJ, the test that the chiropracter did was standard fare, according to my sister who is a physical therapist. She says that PTs perform the same test and if they get a positive, that's as far as they go, which is exactly what the chiropracter did. My sister seems to think that the fall down the stairs may have injured something around the C2 vertebrae and that my wife's dental work a week before these symptoms started, whereupon she sat in the dentist's chair with her neck extended for a long period of time, aggravated the injury and helped bring on these symptoms. She called it a "subluxation of the C2 vertebrae". Does this sound plausable? I hope to get more answers tomorrow. Thanks to everyone for the concern.
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