In Progress...The Next Step

I haven't updated this blog since my Vanderbilt consult on June 30 because there really hasn't been anything to update about. I had the consult right before the July 4 holiday, so I knew it would be a little while before I heard back. But two weeks after the appointment, I got antsy and called Vanderbilt. They had not received any information from the Mayo Clinic yet. They suggested that maybe I should call Mayo and see what the hold-up was. So I called and Mayo said that they had in fact received the request that Vanderbilt had sent, but there were so many patients asking for records to be sent that they were about 2 weeks behind in sending records out. I called them on a Friday (I know, probably a HORRIBLE day to call!) and they said that my records should arrive at Vanderbilt by the middle of the next week. I called Vanderbilt back and informed them of this. While I was on the phone with them, it struck me that maybe, just maybe my internist might have those Mayo records. I told Vanderbilt that I was going to call them and see and if they did, I'd have them faxed over to them. Why I didn't think of this before, I have no idea! I called my internist and he did have them!! I requested that they be faxed to Vanderbilt and then asked if those results showed if Mayo had tested my copper levels. They had and mine were fine. I asked what they meant by fine and the nurse explained that copper levels should be within a 75-144 something or other range (I really don't remember, all I remember were the numbers) and mine were 122. At this, I became my own doctor and ruled out Wilson's. I was in a horrible mood the rest of the day! And as much as I thought I had prepared myself for any answer, I realized that I had my hopes on having Wilson's (as strange as that may seem). It struck me that on June 29, Wilson's wasn't even on my radar and by July, I really wanted to have it. It sounds extremely strange and wrong to say that I "want" a disease or hope that I have it, but after pondering that awhile, I came to the conclusion that it's more that I want everything wrapped up in a neat little box, then I actually want a disease. Symptoms could be blamed on one thing. I could take a pill and everything would be good. In reality, even if I do have Wilson's, I'm not sure that taking a pill or supplement will heal everything. It might be that I have walking problems the rest of my life. So, after being in a bad mood the rest of the day, surprisingly I woke up the next day, Saturday, in an excellent mood. I'm not being sarcastic either. I don't know what God did to me overnight, but my mood the next day was a complete 180 from the day before. It was a new day and God saw fit to wake me up. I wasn't going to waste it! I had a most excellent day.

The following weeks were spent waiting on a call from Vanderbilt. Yes, I could have called them and I almost did, but I kept coming back to the conclusion that if there was anything to call about they would call. Plus, I just knew that I had my answer: it wasn't Wilson's. I wasn't as anxious to receive a call as I had been! So I waited. As stated before I am probably one of the world's least patient people, but I really think God was using the time that I didn't hear from Vanderbilt to mold and shape me. I still don't know what He's molding and shaping me into, but I do know He's working on me. Then, this past Wednesday, I got home from work and checked the mail. There was something from Vanderbilt. I got excited for a second and then thought, "it's probably a bill". But I opened it and it wasn't a bill. It was a prescription. It wasn't a prescription for drugs though, it was a prescription for a test - a 24 hour urine collection test (oh joy!). So...this means that the doctor did receive my test results from the Mayo Clinic and he hasn't completely ruled Wilson's out. This is why he's the doctor and I am not. He had mentioned to Mom and I that even if my blood tests came back OK, that he might prescribe a urine test too. So, this is the next step. I called my internist's office and asked if they did those tests and they said yes, so on Thursday I went and picked up the supplies. Thankfully I can do this test over the weekend and can return it to them on Monday. I really hope that people who have to analyze this stuff get paid big bucks because I think it's kind of disgusting! I'm glad I picked up the supplies on Thursday because I ended up having a ton of questions and must have called the lab lady 20 times! I felt so bad, but she was so sweet and answered all of them.

That's where things stand now. I'm going to do the test tomorrow (I don't want pee sitting around my house for any longer than I have to have it there!!). Thankfully, I don't have to refrigerate it, as they want it room temp. I think if I had to do that I'd be sanitizing my fridge for the next month or so. After I do the test, I'm sure there will be lots more waiting. Whoever has been praying that I have patience, please stop. ;) I'm kidding, really. I don't like waiting (who does?), but God's ways are not my ways and He's teaching me something, even if I don't yet know what that something is.