It's been nearly three years since I've received my diagnosis, and I still don't associate new symptoms I have with my disease. This week the irritating earache/headache I assumed was sinusitis kicked into overdrive. The pain was unrelenting and unresponsive to Tylenol, so I decided to go to the ER, suspecting this will mark the beginning of a new wild goose chase. The prognosis, according to the ER doctor was "right acute serous otitis media, left chronic serous otitis media" and I needed to see an ENT — stat.
Of course, as is typical for those of us with chronic invisible illnesses, when the ENT looks in my ears he finds nothing wrong with them. In fact, to quote him exactly, my ears "could be a picture of what a perfectly healthy ear should look like." His concern is apparent as he can see that I am writhing in pain (and dizzy) so he orders some tests. I had blood drawn and scheduled the MRI when I realized that all of this running around would probably lead me right back to Sjorgren's Syndrome or Fibromyalgia, or even better yet, something else that has yet to materialize. Such is life, when doctors who are aware of your condition are unaware of the many different ways it can effect you.
I consider not getting the MRI, the process is so exhausting. But, what if it is something else? Don't I owe it to myself and my family to check it out? And so, I surrender to the chase, and will let you all know how it turns out.
Of course, as is typical for those of us with chronic invisible illnesses, when the ENT looks in my ears he finds nothing wrong with them. In fact, to quote him exactly, my ears "could be a picture of what a perfectly healthy ear should look like." His concern is apparent as he can see that I am writhing in pain (and dizzy) so he orders some tests. I had blood drawn and scheduled the MRI when I realized that all of this running around would probably lead me right back to Sjorgren's Syndrome or Fibromyalgia, or even better yet, something else that has yet to materialize. Such is life, when doctors who are aware of your condition are unaware of the many different ways it can effect you.
I consider not getting the MRI, the process is so exhausting. But, what if it is something else? Don't I owe it to myself and my family to check it out? And so, I surrender to the chase, and will let you all know how it turns out.