It's a Mystery

Photography by Elle Moss

Over a month ago, I wrote about the possibility of having Sjogrens due to some abnormal bloodwork and a couple of other symptoms, since then, I've been to a Rhuematologist, Neurologist and an Otolaryngologist (ear, nose throat - I know, who knew?). I've stumped all three.

I think the only thing worse than having these symptoms is not having any answers. The Rhuematologist can't figure out why my SSB antibody bloodwork came back positive but not my SSA. Normally, people with Sjogrens test positive for SSA and sometimes, not always for SSB, but it's very rare for an individual to only test positive for SSB. The same bloodtest is also used to determine Lupus, but I know I don't have that. So, she's stumped and sent me to a Neurologist.

My Neurologist asked about symptoms and did a once over to see if there were any red flags. Nope and he said it was really unusual for someone my age to be complaining about dry mouth, normally it's older people. He was stumped and sent me in for an MRI. Can I just say that I've never felt so claustrophobic as when I was getting the MRI. I lied through my teeth when they asked if I was, just to get it over and done with. I almost had a panic attack when I felt my upper body slide far enough into the machine that it it was practically touching my elbows. "Just close your eyes, breathe, breathe, breathe...." The results were normal.

So I was sent to see the Otolaryngologist last Friday and had a lip biopsy done. When it was described to me, it sounded far less invasive that it really was. I was told they would cut a small section from inside my lower lip and that I wouldn't even need stitches. When I got there, I was numbed up and had 4 or 5 glands cut out and definitely had stitches. This meant a liquid diet for the next few days, which I hadn't planned on. Crappy. Imagine the looks I got when I checked out at the grocery with my arms full of Slim Fast drinks and Ben & Jerry's ice cream. "What can I say, I want my ice cream without the guilt." Or I'm on a liquid/soft diet. :oP

Now I'm just sore and only have Ben & Jerry to comfort me. Love those guys. Plus they just came out with my new favorite flavor, Milk and Cookies. Yum! I should have results by the end of the week (they're looking for lymphocytes in the glands). We shall see. Oh and I did I mention that hubby has been gone for the last week and won't be home until Friday? Uh yeah, this past week has been super swell.