MRI Results

Today I got some surprising news that rattled me a little bit, but I thought I might as well go ahead and blog about it, since blogging seems therapeutic for me.

Before I get into it, I have to say – Thank you, Jesus for answering my prayers about not having to wait to learn more about what’s going on: Dr. L.’s office called with the results of my MRI.

The results were, I'll admit, a bit shocking. I assumed (that’s my first problem – NEVER, EVER assume!) that all would be the same as it was in 2009 when I had my last MRI. Not quite. This MRI showed I have a cyst near the shunt. It’s just a cyst – not a tumor or cancer, they assured me, but still it’s unnerving.

The woman I spoke with said that she debated calling me with the results because she had yet to speak with Dr. L. about them. But she decided to call me anyway because if I had questions, she could ask Dr. L. for me. She’s going to get with Dr. L. and see what he has to say, ask him my questions and then call me back. The good news is she is also faxing my referral for deep brain stimulation to Vanderbilt today. She didn’t know if the cyst would prevent me from having the DBS surgery (again, something Dr. L. would have to speak to).

Another surprising result of the MRI was the fact that in 2009 the radiologist reported right side meningeal thickening and on the MRI done Monday there was absolutely no trace of that. I’m not really even sure what right side meningeal thickening means, but the fact that it was there in 2009 and is not there now is interesting.

A co-worker asked if I would have rather not gotten a call today about the MRI then gotten incomplete information. I can say, that I am very thankful for the call! I have been praying that I would know something soon (although I wanted to know about the referral to Vanderbilt, not a cyst on my brain!). Just this morning I was praying that I would hear something today and I did. I am so, so thankful. God answers prayer!

So now, I wait to hear back from Dr. L’s office and his take on this new (or maybe not so new) information. I will not worry until there's something legitimate to worry about. At least that's what I'll tell myself! And as I wait, I'll meditate on my life verse:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6 NIV)