So 1 week post-diagnosis and 1 week into medication, I dare say that I think Max is on the mend! Unfortunately I'm not 100% sure of this, but have decided that he must be getting better. I've been watching him way too closely and over-analyzing every little move that he makes...did he just stumble? or is he wobbling? I've decided that if I have to ask the question, it's probably fine. It was pretty obvious that he was having trouble with balance before and it's definitely not obvious anymore. Also, he was always a little wobbly anyway since he's such a spaz. It's hard to keep your footing when you're bouncing all over the place!! I haven't noticed any intention tremors at all, but I very rarely noticed them to begin with. So...I'm saying that I'm 90% sure that he's getting better. I was worried because I had read that I should notice in the first few days if he was getting better, but I didn't. This was partly due to the fact that over the weekend, Max was a little bump on a log, lazy dog. He just laid around all day, didn't show any interest in his toys. Frankly, I was a little concerned. I chalked it up to the medication, but after further thought...he was just being a lazy dog. There have been plenty of past days where he just lays around and sleeps all day. Just like his mom!! And, thankfully, he has yet to figure out that I'm giving him a pill...hidden in a small mound of peanut butter, on top of a Cheddar Bunny (Annie's Cheddar Bunnies are de-licious). He's none the wiser and goes completely bonkers for the concoction. Which is good because he'll be on the Prednisone for 4-6 months. Apparently when you take steroids for a long period of time, you have to taper the dose in order to get off of them. No biggie...just hope I don't start to forget when it goes to every other day. Anyway...I have to call the neurology dept tomorrow to give them an update and probably schedule a follow-up appointment. Hopefully I don't have to go back too many times...their exam fee is $150! Geez.
On another note...or rather...On a similar note: My dad had a TIA (transient ischemic attack) or "mini-stroke"! He's totally fine (whew), just has to take an aspirin a day and be aware of the fact that he is now predisposed to have a for-real stroke in the near future. The symptom was double vision in his right eye. He went to the ER and they ran some tests, couldn't find anything wrong, the double vision went away, and they sent him home. Later that night, double vision again, another trip to the ER, this time he was referred to the Neurologist (aw, man...not this again!). He had an MRI and some other tests, had to stay overnight for observation, and was told that he'd had a mini-stroke. They don't know why, but for some reason he had a blood clot, or some kind of blockage of an artery in the area of eye function, which caused the double vision. It is by definition a transient event, meaning that it happened, it's better, and there is no lasting brain damage. While I will now be on Red Alert for signs of stroke, I am very thankful that it wasn't more serious.
Okay...enough of this business. Everyone must remain healthy from now on! That's an order. I am including myself in that which means that I really need to get into the Dermy to check a couple of questionable moles, and go to a regular doc to ask about this bony growth on one of my upper ribs. I'm calling it a bony growth, but it's probably totally normal. It just looks weird. I am a hypochondriac...I just don't go to the doctor. :P
