my story revisited 8

MY STORY REVISITED 8

i wrote the blog on the neurology visit two days before i published it
i wanted to wait and think about it before i published it
it seemed like so much was happening during that time

this visit was the first time where i had ever had anything significantly wrong
i had  no control over the visit
i didnt really know anyone in the system at the neurology clinic at the university of texas southwestern alzheimers center

i was not in control

i knew i had a problem after i did the neuropsychological exam for the adni study
then
it was verified when i got the phone call from the research director

dr nash you have memory loss thats greater than it should be for your age and your degree of education
we think you should see a neurologist

so
here i am seeing the neurologist

she when she saw me also had a copy of my mri and labs

i got labelled that day

one thing i did was i paid cash for the visit since i didnt want this to show up on any insurance computer until i sorted this all out

later when i was sure i was done for i allowed my insurance to be billed


12-24-2010

THE NEUROLOGY VISIT
today i had the dreaded neurology visit
it really sucks to be on this side of the health care system
my wife she and i drove 3 hours to the visit

originally at check in i spent more time looking at their
electronic medical record as they checked me in
we dont have one but are in the process of getting one
throughout our 300 doctor medical group

so this is what its like to be a patient
i dont like it

i met with the person running the alzheimers research studies
she had called me about my neuropsychological testing
she wants me to be in the adni study but will wait until i see
the neurologist and decide what work up and testing will
need to be done

well i saw the neurologist today
i had a neurological exam
the neurologist reviewed me the results of the neuropsychological
testing with me

it sucks

i have a definite deficit in memory that correlates with early mild
cognitive impairment amnestic type
what this means is that i am heading down the same path that
my mother took and my younger brother is on now
the difference is that i am so early in the disease process that
no one notices anything

remember no one not my wife she nor my nurse has
noticed any problems with cognition but i have
it has not  affected my practice yet

i will be placed on medication that will slow the process down
(its the same medication my mother took and my brother takes
now) for a while then it will take off again after a period of time
what this time frame is is not known for sure

i will have to discontinue practicing medicine as there is a
chance in the near future that it will interfere with my ability
to practice medicine

at least my wife she and i will have had time to plan for our
future whatever it will bring

we have accepted the diagnosis and plan to move on and
make the most of our lives together

the organicgreen doctor