Initial Verdict & LIfe Update

Hello friends! Happy Thursday.

It's been pretty busy around here the last couple of days. I just realized that I missed my "I Love" Sunday post this past week, which kind of bums me out. I will get caught back up on that this weekend.

Mo's surgery went well. He went in the hospital on the morning of the second and came home the next afternoon. He got another two weeks off of work, so he's been hanging out around the house and relaxing. I haven't gotten to see him since then because I've been in rotation at work, but we either talk over the phone or FaceTime every day.

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So, if you've been around here for a little while, then you'll remember when I said I hate medical appointments last month.

About a week after my blood draws, I was told that my doctor was going to be assigned elsewhere for at least a month and we didn't know who was going to be filling in for her. This is a problem because in Army Aviaiton, we're not supposed to see any other doctor but our Flight Surgeon. I did find out from the nurse about a week ago that my blood tests were normal. I still currently don't have access to my doctor and I have a lot of questions for her. -.-'

On the 1st of April, I went to a counseling briefing where I met my PEBLO (Physical Evaluation Board Liason Officer) after some briefings. This is the person that I will be in contact with throughout the rest of this process. It's kind of awesome to finally know who my point of contact is for all things MEB related. ((After that appointment I had to drive to Mo's place for his hernia surgery))

Yesterday was my appointment back in Landstuhl to talk to a Rheumotology specialist. That was another four hour drive there. Landstuhl is pretty much the biggest medical facility in Germany. The Army tries not to send us off post to the German economy for medical appointments because then they have to get everything translated from German to English and it apparently takes too long. The sad part is the German medical system is much better then the American Army one. They take better care of their patients, because of the way the entire system works.

We got to borrow a TMP (the Army's version of a rental car for free to get to/from certain events so you don't waste your own gas), which was fine except that the charging port where cigerette lighters used to be plugged in wasn't working. Our GPS died while we were on our way, so we didn't have a GPS for the ride home. Luckily I have a GPS on my phone, but I couldn't use it the whole time because it would have killed my phone battery. The funny part is that the ride back from Landstuhl , after a certain point, is the same drive that I take coming back from Mo's house. So on the way back, we got to a certain point and realized that we were suddenly heading to Mo's place instead of finishing the drive back to our home station. We aren't sure what happened or what turn we apprently missed, but it was funny because my GPS had it's own plan for us last night. The drive sucked because it was a long drive, and since I was driving, I couldn't stretch out or readjust my position too much, so my body was hating me once I got back to my personal vehicle.

I spoke with a medical COL who specialises in Rheumotology. He reviewed the basics of my medical records, reviewed my recent blood work, and asked me a lot of questions. He poked, prodded, and twisted me around to test some things for my joints as well as my pain. He gave me a initial diagnosis, but ordered more blood tests just to rule some other things out before he decides for sure if this is what I have. Between you and me... I really hate being stuck with needles and having my blood drawn, so mix that with my stomach not liking what I had for lunch, I was a little nervous. The lab tech that drew my blood wasn't very nice about sticking me with the needle, which means I now have a nice bruise on my arm where she stuck me, but she made sure to keep me talking and not focusing on what she was actually doing. I have to go back on 28 April to find out the finial determination as well as three MRI's on my back. That means 1.5 hours in an MRI machine because they want to do an MRI on three seperate sections of my back. I'm not looking forward to that, I'm slightly claustrophobic in MRI machines and elevators... so spending 1.5 hours not moving in a machine doesn't make me happy.

My appointment with my couselor went quite well. She seems to think that she won't have to do much to help me get on track with the anxiety and PTSD. It's helpful that she is someone I know, so I feel more at ease talking to her. I know that she really just wants to help, she isn't there to judge me. I have a hard time talking to people I don't know about my problems because I am not comfortable with them. She sent me to a psychiatrist who prescribed me some medication for my insomnia. I used it for the first time last night, while it made me go to sleep sooner, I still woke up a couple times throughout the night. At least it's a start though.

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The upside to yesterday's appointment is that the doctor has pretty much determined what is wrong with me. I also went and purchased a LifeTrak watch that monitors my steps, the distance I walk, calories I burn throughout the day, amount of sleep that I get, as well as my heart rate throughout the day. This is awesome because I need to start excersizing again as well as needing to better monitor my heart rate since it's a little out of control.


I also picked up an Apply TV box for $69! People said that that was cheaper then when they bought it, so I couldn't pass up the oppurtunity. I haven't hooked it up yet, was planning on doing that tonight after work and watch some Netflix! Pretty excited about that.

Tomorrow I am going to share a post with you all about my upcoming Relay for Life event here in Germany, something else I am super excited about! This links up a couple of my favorite things and it helps pass the time here in Germany.