Recently, I have been suffering numbness in the left side of my face and throat. As time went by the numbness involved pain in my ear and jaw. So being the bright person I am I went to the Doctor and told him about it.
The first words out of his mouth were:
“I guess you need an appointment with the Neurologist.”
His lovely office assistant made me an appointment for the very next day at 8:30am.
The Neurologist asked a million questions and then scheduled me for a CAT scan of my head, face and neck. I had to wait a week for the results and this was frightening. We always fear the worst in these situations don’t we?
Well, the week went by quickly as Bob was home for vacation. We worked hard about the Farmlet cleaning up winter’s debris, mowing, and repairing. We finished up the week by making the geese their very own Goose Chalet in the park side of the Farmlet. They were not appreciative, but that is a story for another post.
As you might well imagine, the night before my second appointment with the Neurologist was a sleepless one.
In fear and trepidation I drove to the Neurologist’s office the next morning. I waited for what seemed like hours and finally was led back to an examination room where, of course, I had to wait some more. Then the Neuro came in, looked at my scans on the computer screen, and in less than two minutes said:
“There’s nothing here to indicate the cause of your symptoms.”
‘Scuse me? You just made me squirm in nervous agony for a week and now you tell me there is nothing wrong? You had the results instantly via the internet and you could have looked at them before my appointment and just given me the good news over the phone!
OK, I was missing the point, and it is an important one:
Neurologically there is nothing wrong.
On the way home I notice that spring is in full bloom. I pass my favorite nursery, Bennett’s, and make a U-Turn to go back. Walking the isles I have time to think about how wonderful it is that I am OK. I don’t have a brain tumor and my future is looking pretty bright and beautiful! (Did I mention I was thinking the worst?)
So, in celebration of a clean bill of health, I bought a peach tree for the orchard we have started here on the Farmlet. We planted it this past Sunday and now we will have to wait for a few years to see it fruit. In the meantime, each time I see it I will remember to have faith for tomorrow, and to be thankful for all the prayers my friends sent up for me.
Lovely, isn’t it?
~*~
NOTE: For those of you wondering, I have an appointment with the Oral Surgeon tomorrow to see if my symptoms are TMJ related.
Life on the Farmlet 
Sometimes we go through things, and we wonder why? God only knows in His infinite wisdom. But, I have gone through things, also, in my health, and you kind of reminded me of me. The fear comes in. But I was reminded of the scripture. God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7. I had to pray. I would pray Jeremiah 17:14. Heal me oh Lord, and I will be healed, save, me and I will be saved, for you are the only one, I will praise. I prayed that for about a year, after getting a bad report. Finally, I got a clean doctors report. What a relief. Thank you Lord. Anyway, what I learned, was: “Life is a gift from God, and what we do with that gift, is our gift back to God.” It has increased, my faith, as to who God is, and his Love, and power, I am grateful. Your new tree is symbolic, to new life. Very appropriate as I think on Christ’s sacrifice for us, at this time of year. I rejoice with you. For your clean doctors report. Blessings, and may you see your tree grow, into a fine and mighty tree, with lots of fruit. Many, many years…
Elena.
Just my thoughts blog.
Elena, thank you! My conscious choice to get a tree did carry symbolism, but I did not realize how deep it actually went. Thank you for sharing your vision with me. I am glad that you found healing through prayer, and that you were willing to share your testimony.
~ Lynda
Your welcome, Lynda, your post, also inspired me.
Blessings, Elena
I am so happy you are being positive 🙂 I love the idea that you planted a tree, it will serve as a lovely reminder, and we all need one from time to time. Peaches are so yummy, too! Again, I am so glad you are well and now relaxed!
Thank you Ginger! I am looking forward to many years of fresh peaches off this tree. 🙂
~ Lynda
It always nerve wracking when you have to see a neurologist. I am glad it went well.
Thank you Tom, and ME TOO! 🙂
I’m no doctor – I don’t even play one on the radio – but about ten years ago I had numbness up one side of my neck and in my lower jaw. It turned out to be – a mystery! It never was diagnosed, but the sports therapist I got referred to said he was sure it was related to a pulled tendon in my shoulder. The good news is it disappeared in about three weeks, and never has come back.
I hope yours goes “Poof!” too – or at least slinks away and gives you no more problem.
Let’s see if I can tell the other story short. We thought my mom was having TIAs. She had an MRI, and they found a small “something” at the base of her brain. Panic all around. Eventually, we went to The Famous Neurologist in Houston. He looked at her films and said, “Hmmmmm… Tell you what. It could be sometihng. It might not be anything. Go home, put these films under the bed, and if you ever have symptoms, like walking into walls or not being able to see, give me another call.”
She lived for ten years with no symptoms!
Linda, thank your for the encouragement. I’m glad to know that these sorts of things can spontaneously disappear! And what happy news about your mothers films! So far I have outlived my father, mother and two brothers. My Father and brothers both died from cancer. So of course when the Neuro said CAT scan I got real nervous. Under the circumstances my lack of any anomalies is wonderful! ~ L
wow………. who needs an amusement park when life is such a rollercoaster!?!
*nice peach tree! When in doubt, plant a tree, that’s my motto too. I always have a few on hand to plant!
Thank you Connie! My emotions and heart rate are a little less rolley now, and I am actually looking forward to my appointment with the Oral Surgeon now! 😉
~ L
That is good news for step 1!
Amen, Nancy! 😀
Well thank god. That must have been deeply terrifying. And I have to add that in the old days you could CALL and they would say either .. you are fine, or come in a see me!! Merciful heaven you must have had an awful week and the peach tree is a perfect celebration! Talk MORE!. Exercise your jaw!! i think this might be the ticket! c
LOL, Cecilia, my husband might argue that I talk too much… He is always asking me to get to the point. Impatient? Well, yes he is. 😉
And yes it was, but with all the work we did around here that week I had little time to dwell on it. I too remember when things were done via the phone, which was why I was so irritated to have to drive all the way into Huntsville to be told he found nothing wrong. He just wanted his fee for the second office visit! And have you noticed that Doctors are no longer prepared for your visit? I remember when you walked in the door, saw the Dr. who KNEW YOU BY NAME, and had already seen and reviewed your chart before you got there. Miss those days…
~ L
Oh gosh what a week you had, and a monster sized phew!!
But what a wonderful way to celebrate by planting a tree, and a gorgeous peach tree too. Lots of hope for bright tomorrows and sparkly futures. Claire
Thank you Claire, bright and sparkly sounds really good, and so do those peach futures! ~ L
I read your post really fast so I could find out what happened, and so I could resume breathing…. Sometimes it seems like bad things happen to such good people, so unfair…I ‘m ectstatic that your brain is OK; the other things can be dealt with in good time. The peach tree will be a wonderful reminder of good news overcoming fear…Happy Easter!
Oh Penny, I’m sorry to get you worried! I am going to be fine, and thank you for caring so much. Happy Easter to you as well! xo, Lynda
Glad you wrote about this on your blog. I wonder if it is a pinched nerve somewhere. Chiropractor?
Could be, Julie… I will just keep checking things off my list till I find the cause or else it spontaneously goes away, as has been suggested here in the comments. It is a mystery! ~ L
Love the image of your tree. What a wonderful way to ‘celebrate’ the good news.
Having gone through your situation with the Neurologist and other Specialists many times, I can fully understand your trepidation.
Unfortunately, no matter how many times one goes through these health scares/episodes, you can never completely relax untill all possibilities have been fully explored Hope it’s only a ‘once off’ inflamed nerve or something that can be resolved with time and/or a simple treatment.
Being a Fibromyalgia sufferer for many years now, I can realte to your situation and thinking processes though.
Thanks Victoria, it is frustrating. I went to the oral surgeon today and he didn’t even know where to start. He doesn’t think it has anything to do with TMJ. He is checking into another issue I have on my jawbone and is going to confer with an ENT to see if there is another possibility for this malady. So now I wait. Again.
Lynda, have you ever had shingles? For whatever reason, I began breaking out in shingles about 4 years ago. For the first year I had them numerous times, now I only get them every now and then. The reason I ask though, is that usually, my outbreaks are preceded by numbness in my toes, the left side of my face and sometimes tingling in my hands. Might be something to look into.
Hope they are able to get to the bottom of it! There’s nothing more frustrating than having symptoms doctors are not able to explain!
~ April 🙂
This makes sense as the virus lives in the nerve tissue. Yes, frustration is the word for it! Thank you April! ~ L
A great post with what I hope, is a happy ending. Thank you for sharing your experience. Happy Easter. 🙂
Thanks Bob! We shall see, but I am much relieved after the negative results in the CAT scan.
I am really glad “the worst” didn’t happen. I hope you will get an answer soon
I love the fact that you celebrated with a tree, a new life 🙂
I look forward to seeing your little tree grow
Thank you Sawsan, the Oral Surgeon is supposed to call me Monday (tomorrow) with some news. The peach tree is a “dwarf” and will grow to resemble a large bush. It will make picking much easier. 🙂
~L
So glad for your good report. Yes, those waiting times can be the worst.
Thank you Patti! ~ L