Hey Guys
I have come on this site for many years 99% as a reader and once in a blue moon posting. I wanted to share a story that happened last week that changed my life and how ASFN was a part of it.
It was last saturday night when my wife and i went out for dinner (my cousin was watching our two girls). During dinner I had 2 beers which is not a lot. After dinner as we were walking out I felt a sensation of being drunk. Surely this can't be because of the beers. It felt very odd to say the least.
I woke up the next morning and felt a little weakness on the right side of my body. If you know me then you wouldn't be able to tell. I had a viewing party for USA vs Portugal which was deflating but fun as we salvaged a point.
Monday and Tuesday came and went. I was busy making last second preparations for our summer trip to DC and the east coast. Wednesday morning during a conference call my business partner said i was slurring my speech a bit. This scared me so I decided to take myself to the emergency room at Chandler Regional. The test started at 9am and felt like they went on for weeks. CT Scan / Bloodwork / EKG / Echo Cardiogram...All came back negative. They now wanted to do a brain MRI. MRI machine is tough if you have not been in one. First you have the stress of whats could be happening to your body and then you are placed in what appears to be some kind of closed coffin. Later that night the neurologist came in the room to give us an update..
While they did not find any signs of a stroke or brain tumors they did find a lesion on the brain they believe is MS. Felt like a sucker punch. My good friend is a neurologist spent time with us that night and said the same thing after seeing the reports. It is because of her contacts she set up an appointment with a reputable MS expert at Barrows Neurological Institute. She ordered that I get another MRI in the morning on the spine to rule out any lesions there. I guess this was a way to see how it progressed or not.
The fourth MRI was very difficult for me. With all the thoughts in my head from the day before i could not handle the 40+ minutes. I had a panic attack in the machine. They rolled me out and let me calm down before sending me back in. I tried to think happy thoughts like the NFC Championship game. I relived the final drive in my mind as all this was happening around me. Finally we were done. As i got back in my room, I lost it. I started to cry and wonder if this was going to be my life going forward. My wonderful wife could see how shaken I was and started to hug me.
Still shaking from all of this, I reached for my phone and directly went to ASFN. It was so relaxing to see names I recognized like Shane/Mitch/Brian in Mesa/Gee/catfish and so many others. I have never met any of you personally and yet i was comforted by reading if Minter will get the job done this year or will Dockett stop tweeting : ). I know that there is one thing I have in common with all of you and that is to one day see us celebrate the Lombardi Trophy. I felt calm again.
Skorp didn't realize the true community he formed when he started this. I felt calm after reading a few posts. My appointment went well on friday and this disease is something that can be managed if treated properly. I plan on doing that. I can't wait to be there opening night at our tailgate spot and one day i hope to meet many of you. We tailgate right under the sign at 21 WEST. This is an open invitation for any ASFN'er to join me. I know this post was long but thanks for listening.
Anand
I have come on this site for many years 99% as a reader and once in a blue moon posting. I wanted to share a story that happened last week that changed my life and how ASFN was a part of it.
It was last saturday night when my wife and i went out for dinner (my cousin was watching our two girls). During dinner I had 2 beers which is not a lot. After dinner as we were walking out I felt a sensation of being drunk. Surely this can't be because of the beers. It felt very odd to say the least.
I woke up the next morning and felt a little weakness on the right side of my body. If you know me then you wouldn't be able to tell. I had a viewing party for USA vs Portugal which was deflating but fun as we salvaged a point.
Monday and Tuesday came and went. I was busy making last second preparations for our summer trip to DC and the east coast. Wednesday morning during a conference call my business partner said i was slurring my speech a bit. This scared me so I decided to take myself to the emergency room at Chandler Regional. The test started at 9am and felt like they went on for weeks. CT Scan / Bloodwork / EKG / Echo Cardiogram...All came back negative. They now wanted to do a brain MRI. MRI machine is tough if you have not been in one. First you have the stress of whats could be happening to your body and then you are placed in what appears to be some kind of closed coffin. Later that night the neurologist came in the room to give us an update..
While they did not find any signs of a stroke or brain tumors they did find a lesion on the brain they believe is MS. Felt like a sucker punch. My good friend is a neurologist spent time with us that night and said the same thing after seeing the reports. It is because of her contacts she set up an appointment with a reputable MS expert at Barrows Neurological Institute. She ordered that I get another MRI in the morning on the spine to rule out any lesions there. I guess this was a way to see how it progressed or not.
The fourth MRI was very difficult for me. With all the thoughts in my head from the day before i could not handle the 40+ minutes. I had a panic attack in the machine. They rolled me out and let me calm down before sending me back in. I tried to think happy thoughts like the NFC Championship game. I relived the final drive in my mind as all this was happening around me. Finally we were done. As i got back in my room, I lost it. I started to cry and wonder if this was going to be my life going forward. My wonderful wife could see how shaken I was and started to hug me.
Still shaking from all of this, I reached for my phone and directly went to ASFN. It was so relaxing to see names I recognized like Shane/Mitch/Brian in Mesa/Gee/catfish and so many others. I have never met any of you personally and yet i was comforted by reading if Minter will get the job done this year or will Dockett stop tweeting : ). I know that there is one thing I have in common with all of you and that is to one day see us celebrate the Lombardi Trophy. I felt calm again.
Skorp didn't realize the true community he formed when he started this. I felt calm after reading a few posts. My appointment went well on friday and this disease is something that can be managed if treated properly. I plan on doing that. I can't wait to be there opening night at our tailgate spot and one day i hope to meet many of you. We tailgate right under the sign at 21 WEST. This is an open invitation for any ASFN'er to join me. I know this post was long but thanks for listening.
Anand
