Just a doctor, doctor, summer..

I know that might seem alarming or maybe even depressing but that is certainly my summer so far.

Today I went back to the Illinois Eye Institute for another, different, eye exam. I guess I misunderstood them when I thought they said they would dilate me this time.. I could've sworn I heard that but maybe something went wrong during that communication process.

They didn't dilate my eyes after all. They did a color test and a field of vision test. I did fine in both. They weren't too painful.

This is what I wasn't able to get all that clear the last time I was there -- I just wasn't understanding how to question the 'there's a scar.. somewhere.. related to my right eye.' The point of that was the nerve that is in your eye, or more in point, my right eye, and that connects to the brain.. that is more paler than the rest of my eye or compare it to my left, it's more paler. So basically blood flow isn't that good either. We're betting that this happened from the Meningitis. The reason for all these wacky tests is better to be safe than sorry. On friday, I get to go yet again and they will dilate my eyes and they'll take a lovely picture of it. That should be interesting. I wonder if I can get a copy?

After that was decided, I told Dr. Quann that I did see Dr. Shepard of Neurology. Told him, he said I have neuropathy. He gave me a referral to have an MRI done of my head (I think I've now officially had an MRI on almost every near-area of my body..) He also said to start requesting my medical records from when I was a patient at John Hopkins Bayview in Baltimore.

I was a little surprised by that as my primary at Northwestern said it would be difficult, if not impossible to receive said documents because I was a patient for so long. But I'll take a chance and see what comes up.

I picked out my new glasses.. and oddly enough, they won't be new. At least the frames won't. Apparently I picked the exact same pair I had on! Now that was funny. But still.. with Illinois Public Aid, it's going to take.. about two months. So when I start the fall semester, I might have them by then. Same goes for my hearing aids I believe.

Tomorrow I go downtown to Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to get my leg braces fixed.. I hope we come up with solution to makes these feel less like combat boots and make them feel like actual shoes I can wear during the summer!

Then while I'm in the area, I'm going to get my referrals filled - one for the MRi and also see a pain specialist that Dr Quann also referred me to.. And they may even be able to alleviate my pain.. sometimes I have bad days or nights, sometimes not so difficult.. but I'm sick of just putting up with it.

The other thing for me, is even though I'm going to a million doctors lately, I finally feel like I'm thinking clearer and its not all going through my mom. Be that it took practically 6 years, its better than never. During the beginning of my recovery out of the hospital, all of my doctor appointments were accompanied by my mom. There's nothing wrong with that as I do invite her to a few appointments now a days, but before, doctors were telling her a better and more in depth explanation of what was going on and now I'm finally being told the full story and not given the short end of the stick.