EMG: Sounded scary--really wasn't.

M drove me to have my EMG done on Monday.  I was nervous about it, what with the needles and the shocking and the doctors warning me that it's a "very uncomfortable" test.  It was, in fact, not that big of a deal.

The guy who did the test was another Neurologist, though he made sure to tell me that he was not wearing his "Neurologist-hat" today--he wearing his "technician-hat."  He wanted to chat about file since I'm an odd-duck.  He also said that I do not have RSD and that it seems autoimmune.  Then we got with the shocking.

I was very nervous at that point because I had been expecting him to put on some electrodes and hit a button.  No no.  He put on the electrodes and got out this thing that looked like a cross between a cattle prod and a taser.  I was unhappy about this.  But he electroded me up and pressed the prod hard into my wrist and hit a button.  Meh.  I've had worse.  My TENS unit zaps me harder than that.  It was a zap and my pinky twitched without me telling it to.  No biggie.  No pain really.  I'm not sure if it normally hurts, since he kept apologizing when he'd miss a nerve and have to redo a zap several times in one spot, but it was really no problem.

On to the needles!  I don't have a fear of needles (even after the last infiltrated IV)--I mean, I've got 4 tattoos.  Needles happen.  I just generally don't want them inserted into my muscles.  Again more electrodes, and this time rubbing alcohol.  He gave me the standard "bit of a pinch now," and yup--it was a bit of a pinch.  Normally, that shit is a lie.  To be fair, he didn't seem to be putting the needle in very deep.  I had been expecting him to shove that needle in a few inches, but this really just pinched on my left arm.  On my right arm I could barely feel it.  One time, I didn't believe he had actually done anything.  That might not be the best of signs, but what the hell, it hurt less so I'm currently for it.  That was it and he said I'd get the results when I saw the doc next month.

 And since this blog is here for me to keep track of all my medical crap--here is where we come to the PROBABLY OVER-SHARE CHAPTER.  Those of you who kinda want to read about my joints but god no--leave your organs out of it! please stop reading now.  We will return to our regularly scheduled jointy problems soon.  (I hope.)

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You gone?

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Okay.  So here's the deal.  A couple of weeks back when I was still on prednisone and starting to come off of it, I started to noticed that my bladder was getting performance anxiety.  Not long after my pee started to look all cloudy/murky which is no fun at all.  This is weird because that had never happened to me before.  And here I'm thinking,  Ha!  Wacky prednisone.  What don't you mess with? I was figuring that it was some odd steroid withdrawal thing and would go away.  But here I am, off the 'roids and the problem is still very much present.  And, in fact, a little worse.  Probably going to the walk in clinic tomorrow to get it checked out.  I checked my temp and it was 99.9º.  I know prednisone makes you extra susceptible to infections, so I'm guessing it's a bladder infection or something.  I've just never had anything like this before, so it's weird.  I don't like it.

For those of you not familiar with the term "bladder performance anxiety" here is what I mean:

Bladder:  Hey you!  I'm gettin' full!  Y'all are gonna have to fix this soon!

(By the way, my bladder apparently talks like Cletus the slack-jawed yokel for some reason.)

Me:  Huh, yes I'm registering that as well.  I suppose I will go find an appropriate area to remedy this situation.

Bladder:  Gotta pee gotta pee gotta pee...

Me:  Here you go.  How about this.  We've been here many times before.  You know the drill.

Bladder:  ...

Me:  ...

Bladder: ...

Me:  Anytime now.

Bladder: ...

Me:  Uhhhh, what's the deal?  Are you going to pee or what?

Bladder:  I plum forgot how.

Me:  :<  That's your only job, dude!

Bladder:  A-yup.  Now if I could just remember...  uhhhhh.  Like this?  Did it work?

Me:    Does it sound like it's working?

Bladder:  Awww, I gotta pee!  I'm full!

Me:  >.< THEN PEE!

Bladder:  A-yup.  That would work.  Uh.  Hmm.  How 'bout... Naw.  'Kay, how 'bout...

Me:  Huzzah!!  Whatever you're doing don't stop!

Bladder: But--

Me:  I'll kill you!

Bladder:  o.o 'Kay.