After months of waiting for referrals and results, testing, talking to doctors, time off of work and lots of prayers, I finally got an answer; ‘we don’t know what is causing your symptoms.’

Thanks to the spinal puncture, blood work, CT scan and brain MRI, I know what it’s not… most likely. It’s not Multiple Sclerosis (which at one point I was convinced that it was), there are no brain tumors or evidence of seizure causing scar tissue or damage. Other than bands present in my blood and cerebral spinal fluid, and an elevated A1C, my blood work is normal. My sleep study reveals I have sleep apnea and the DEEG reveals I have healthy brain tissue. I feel very lucky to have most of these tests come out normal. But it’s twisted; I’d rather have a serious diagnosis to plan treatment for and know the cause of my symptoms, than to know all that is not wrong.

So, to save you from the boredom of having to look back over my previous rants on all my silly symptoms (and sorry to those who are already well versed in my complaints), my main issue is the seizure-like symptoms. I say ‘seizure-like’ because I’m not even sure they are seizures. Depending on the day; stress, pain, certain sounds and flashing/flickering lights seem to trigger what I have read is referred to as an aura – or the feeling you get before having a seizure, which will eventually turn into full body tremors and involuntary muscle jerking. I can best explain it as an electrical storm coursing through my entire body, often most severe in my shoulders, arms, neck and head. I do not loose consciousness like I do when I suffer diabetic hypoglycemic seizures, I remain alert. Most times I develop a stutter and halted speech. Occasionally I’ll experience nausea immediately after and always feel fatigued for the rest of the day and sometimes the next day.

I have good days and bad days. I’ll feel productive for a couple days, although always tired. I will run errands, shuttle the kids around, finish yard work, then the next day I will be wiped out; shaky, fuzzy-minded, startling at the slightest sound, getting chills that run from head to foot leaving me feeling weakened, and needing to lay down after the most menial of tasks. Just odd.

‘What we know,’ says the neurologist, ‘is that you have diabetes and sleep apnea, so get those under control.’ He tells me to sleep sitting straight up or on my stomach since I am not quite ready for the C-PAP, to better control my blood sugars, and see what happens. So that’s the plan… while I’m looking into another career that will allow for my to foster and home school. Sure, no problem!

I have a few ideas I’m looking into. I wonder if this is all related to neuropathy; as if my central nervous system has decided to go on the fritz. I was diagnosed with disautonomic neuropathy years ago, so it’s certainly not unrealistic, although my endocrinologist is not so sure. I am also exploring the possibility of it being psychological; something I will certainly look into further once I get my health insurance secured.

Never a dull moment.