Sorry for the lapse in posting!

Since I last wrote, I spent a week up in Noho, which was absolutely wonderful. I was staying with a dear friend, but I unfortunately got her all worried when she saw how bad I get when I really crash. However, even though I did crash out pretty badly, it was definitely worth it to be able to see all of my friends. I got to visit my old workplace and see all of my co-workers and babies, I saw an AMAZING performance by deaf comedian C.J. Jones, and I got to sit in on lots of Carlie's classes, which made me all excited about ASL and Deaf Studies. Not to mention that I ran into lots of folks that made me feel warm and fuzzy. All in all, it was a wonderful trip.

I had another doctor's appointment yesterday, which offered no concrete answers, to my continued chagrin. Here's what I wrote a friend about the experience:

"I got to see a rheumatologist yesterday, who once again gave me a shrug and a send-off. She mentioned that my symptoms were inconsistent with CFS, but she is also an arthritis specialist, so maybe she isn't the best person to know. She also said that it was a diagnosis of elimination, and she was also the first person to spontaneously mention CFS without my prompting, which may be helpful. In any case, I get to go see a muscle specialist when I get back from Canada, which may lead to a visit to Columbia University to put big needles in my muscles to see why I get more tired after exertion. So, long story short, back to the drawing board, and I'm still just in a place where I want a doctor to give me helpful advice of what I should be doing to build myself up again. Though I know that the answer is probably to just be resting infinitely, since I'm only feeling comfortable at rest. But since that's not the answer I want, I guess I'll be going to doctors until I get any answers at all, even if they're not the ones I want."

Although the doctor/diagnosis scene is still looking bleak, nearly everything else is going pretty great. I am so thankful for everyone I have in my life, especially those who are learning every day with me how to be patient, kind, and at a pace I can handle. I love you all so much.

In the meantime, I'll be visited by three friends starting tomorrow until I leave for Nova Scotia on Thursday, where I'll stay for about 3 weeks! I love being able to have these little adventures.

No diagnosis.

Well, I shouldn't say that I'm surprised. As I walked into the doctor's office yesterday morning, I looked at the business card that said "Gastroenterology" on the top and realized that maybe this guy wouldn't have the answers I was looking for. However, since he was the last person I saw about being completely wiped out in June (when it may well have only been an infection of some sort, because my liver levels were through the roof), I figured at least he would send me for some tests to play the Elimination Game - we're looking to cross out any liver disease and anemia with the bloodwork he sent me for today. I have an appointment with a new endocrinologist next Friday, and if I still don't have any answers, I'll likely be going back to a specialist, hopefully in chronic diseases.

Honestly, the more I think about going to the doctor, the more I wish I could just bypass the Elimination Game and get to the part where they diagnose me with chronic fatigue syndrome. I've always been impatient, though. And maybe it will prove important to go through all of these tests to rule things out because hey, I just may wind up having something that is testable, diagnosable, and curable! However, recent webmd-searchin' and book-learnin' have taught me that not only do my symptoms match with those of CFS, but that doctors don't always know how or when to diagnose it.

Hopefully, a diagnosis is just around the corner, but until then, I'm set to head back up to Noho for a little bit and then onto Canada. I'll be taking it easy as best as I can with the people I want to see most, which, even sans diagnosis, will definitely be the best medicine.

Having a good week!

Seems I don't really write in here unless I'm stuck in bed, and it's a good sign that I haven't written in a while! My week has been great and has included seeing a lot of people that I love, who have helped immensely at keeping my spirits up. I finally have a set doctor's appointment on Monday, where I will hopefully get "official" answers as to what's going on. Seeing as how my last diagnosis was a sinus infection, I know that I have enough evidence to make a good case for CFS, if nothing else shows up in bloodwork.

I've been keeping a daily journal of how I feel day-to-day, and my goal for tomorrow is to make it so I can see things that happened over the course of a week, since it's been over 5 weeks since I first crashed. That should also definitely give me some credibility when it comes to getting a diagnosis on Monday. Not to mention that my daily range of motions still doesn't feasibly rise above being physically alive, awake, alert, enthusiastic for more than two hours a day, tops.

I will keep you posted!