dead brains don't dance

Well, the neurologist seemed a decent enough chap; at least he didn’t pretend to any knowledge, let alone certainties, that he didn’t have. His general approach was that my Event most likely was MS-related, but that it could also have another cause and could they do some more tests on me?

I turned down the lumbar puncture he offered - there’s no way I’m having one of those unless it’s absolutely necessary. He wasn’t pushing it in any case; it was more in case I was looking for potentially greater certainty of whatever nerve related horrors that might turn up. As ramtops pointed out, even if I had the thing and it turned out to up my probability-of-MS from 50ish% to, whatever, 80%, there’s still fuck all they can do about it.

I consented to the other tests: circulatory tests in my carotid arteries (it seems that stenosis thereabouts could be an alternative cause) and some flashing lights / optic nerve datatap thang to get more data on the state of my myelin sheaths (both to be dealt with at BRI when they fit me in for an appointment), and bloods, to be done straight away by a nurse. Five vials full he took, whilst chatting to me about web development and Tony Hancock, for cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid and Other Things I cannot recall. ramtops did the Hancock joke too when I emerged.

So, more waiting: the doctor said he’d write as each set of results came in, and then call me in for yet another appointment when they’re all in his paws. This will be some time well into 2007 by the probabilities, so I’ll just carry on carrying on largely as though nothing had happened in the mean time.

distended with blood, and flipped over onto its back on a book (sorry ianmcdonald, but it's what I'm reading and it was handy); it detached itself from Iggy, having presumably had its fill, only to end up splatted on the patio steps, next to the gobbets of the local population of exploded molluscs.