Let me tell you about 2020. I posted around Christmas time that I
was pretty down. I was missing family, missing the East Coast, missing my Mom
and my Dad. It was just sad. I made it through the holidays because I was
looking forward to visiting my cousins in California. I have a couple
California stories. I'll share them next time.
I flew to Oakland to visit my
cousin, to have dinner with Jacque, and to hang out with Denise. It was all
fun. Visited with friends and family. I went to Miss Ollie’s for lunch in
Oakland, a fine restaurant in Fairfield, and the Beach Chalet in San Francisco,
When I got back to the house in El Cerrito, I felt a little ‘hitch’ in my
crotch. Thought it was my leotard pinching. Packed my bag, hopped on the BART,
then hopped on a plane home on Monday.
Took a nap Tuesday afternoon and when I woke up my foot was numb,
like it had fallen asleep. It was like that the rest of the day. Went to bed
that night and when I woke up on Wednesday my other foot was numb, too! Seemed
crazy to me.
The next day I had to teach school. By Friday I wasn’t any better.
As the weekend went by, I noticed that my peeing was getting slower and slower,
and then less and less. I certainly wasn’t drinking any less. And by Sunday, I
realized that I hadn’t really voided at all.
Monday morning I called the doctor and she said to come in on
Wednesday.
Monday evening I went to Bloom for my Mastermind group meeting. I
noticed that I had not had my ‘morning constitutional’ that morning. I actually
still hadn’t peed either. Tuesday I went to the Storytellers meeting at CSN. By
then I noticed that I hadn’t been to the bathroom at ALL. Good thing I was
going to see the doctor the next day.
She emptied my bladder. 250ccs of urine. Our bladder only holds 30-50
ccs before we need to void. She said go home and see what happens.
I had to go back the next day. Nothing happened in between. Crisis.
I got a walking catheter. My legs were still numb. She told me I had to wear it
until I had my urologist appointment – which was in 10 days. I was in tears. It
was kind of overwhelming, I mean, I just came in to find out why I couldn’t pee
and now I had a walking catheter! My legs and feet were numb and I didn’t know
what was happening. I begged her to let me check back with her earlier than
that. She gave me until the following Thursday.
When I went back to my appointment on Thursday, she recommended that
I go immediately to the Emergency Room. She wrote a letter outlining the severity
of my situation and I was admitted within 15 minutes. My husband had just made
it in from parking the car…
The hospital is a whole other story. The outcome of which was that
my bladder finally started working again, I got intravenous steroids and I got
released. However, my feet and legs were still numb. The neurologist said it
was a single episode of transverse myelitis. I got two referrals – a urologist
and a neurologist outside the hospital.
I got a clean bill of health from the urologist. Bladder is fine he
said.
Nothing but more referrals from the neurologist. He asked me twice
if I had cancer. Even referred me to an oncologist and ordered a Spinal Tap. No
sign of cancer, said the oncologist. Spinal Tap was clear.
Now about the neuropathy…
Since no one was addressing the numbness in my feet, I went online in search of a natural solution to my neuropathy. Discovered the author of
the book Natural Neuropathy Solutions. He has a clinic right up the road in
North Las Vegas – around the corner from Costco!
Monday morning therapies. Friday Morning therapies. Supplements.
It’s been interesting. The reality is that it was much worse and much more
painful than it is now. It’s been weeks. I was on a 90-day regimen. I have a
little more than 40 days left. My back is better. The numbness is subsiding. My
feet…well, they go back and forth. What’s my goal? I want to take a Zumba class
again…someday soon.
I have faith in my body, in my healing, and in my recovery. This
is not a setback. Les Brown says ‘Every setback is a setup for a comeback.’
I’m ready for my comeback.
