Normal and boring

I had a doctors appointment this past week and for a change the diagnosis was normal and boring! (seriously he said exactly that).  But I'll get back to that story.

Since I last updated you, I can't really say I'm "normal" but on the health front things have been pretty boring - which is OK by us!  Things have improved so much - the walking, driving, balance, motor skills with my left hand, and even the eyes are much improved!  But I still see double and still feel dizzy sometimes (I think due in large part to the persistent double vision) and now that is really driving me crazy.  In the beginning there were much larger issues to worry about, but now everything else is better so I fixate on the vision.  I am kind of grateful to be that annoyed if it means other things are better!  And the patch and magic glasses still work so its fine, but I'd like to come up with something else.  I'll be seeing an ophthalmologist in a couple of weeks and we will see what she suggests. 

The improvements have slowed down in pace but I still find things I can do that I couldn't a week or a month ago.  Here are some accomplishments (some may be TMI but it's a pick me up to see them all listed out!):
*I can shave my legs by balancing on one leg rather than sitting on the floor of the shower
*I can wear non-sensible shoes - like flip flops.  For a long time I couldn't keep shoes on my left foot unless they had a back of some sort.  I'd take a step and the shoe would fly off. Now it stays put!
*I can snap my fingers on my left hand.
*I can get a glass of water to my mouth and back in my left hand without spilling it all over.
*I can do the kicks in the kickboxing DVD and not fall over

We have finished the first 2 weeks of school and it is great to be back.  I'm pretty worn out at the end of each day and am pretty lazy on the weekends!  But its great to be teaching, interacting with students and colleagues, and getting out of the house! 

So back to the boring and normal diagnosis...I was following up with Dr. Stonecipher (primary doc) after seeing Dr. Valliant (neurologist) earlier in August. As per usual he was being thorough and listened to my heart, and heard a murmur.  I was diagnosed with a benign murmur when I was a kid and he was pretty sure this was the same and not related to the brain lesion. But to be sure and to have a baseline he asked me to get an echocardiogram.  I was happy to oblige because hello real time imaging of my heart?!  Uh yeah, I definitely want to see that.  I warned the tech that I was a biologist and was way too excited about this procedure and she totally indulged me.  Made sure I could see the screen and answered my million questions.  It was SO COOL. Here's what it looks like: echo But this week I followed up with Dr. Stonecipher to hear the cardiologists report and as far as my heart goes - "normal and boring".

I'm hoping for more of those.