If this was the longest night of the year

[mdlbear]

How come I only got three-and-a-half hours' sleep?

Answer: because I woke up at 3:30am feeling numb in my left arm and on the right side of my mouth. Roused the flower_cat and had her drive me in to Kaiser, then after 45 minutes or so of waiting around sent her home to catch up on her sleep. She bought donuts for breakfast, instead.

Finally got a CAT scan a short time later, meanwhile they were looking for me in the lobby because they'd finally freed up a room. More waiting... Blood tests... No problems seen on CAT scan... No problems on blood work; just one more test that hasn't come in yet...

It was at this point that Dr. Patel vanished in a shift change, they moved me into another room, and I got to lie in bed for about two hours until the day-shift nurse came in and chased down the loose ends. By that time, nearly 8am, the symptoms were all gone. Went outside and called for the Cat Bus.

It's all very tedious and annoying, and I feel fine now. I never had any of the more serious symptoms, like weakness, vision problems, speech problems, or nausea. Problem is, apparently one can't always tell at the beginning whether it's going to be a TIA (where the T stands for Transient) or a stroke. Grumble.

Comments

[jilara.livejournal.com]

It actually sounds more spinal-related, based on your symptomology. Not a good sign, either, but I can make some educated guesses at which discs and nerves could be involved. They should have x-rayed your neck. (I speak as someone with degenerating disc problems in her neck.)

[mdlbear]

Face plus opposite arm? Dr. Patel mentioned some arteries in the back of the neck that could have caused it; she's put me in for an MRI. Don't know whether the CAT scan went down that far, but it's possible. I don't think the facial nerves go through the spine; that's why the effect is on the opposite side from the arm.

[mdlbear]

... The doctors do seem a little puzzled, though; I've also been referred to Neurology.

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

I was about to suggest something like that, because what you need is a medical detective. It certainly beats flailing around in the family Merck Manual with hypochondria.

[mdlbear]

I haven't been flailing around much, just trying to match symptoms with what little I know of the underlying mechanisms.