I’m accustomed to not feeling my best. I suppose that’s why I can’t tell when I have a respiratory infection. And, I suppose it’s why I didn’t think my neck swelling was a big deal.
I’ve noticed for months that there is some swelling on the right side of my neck. It became drastically more prominent this week. So much so that a co-worker commented about it and the marked difference was easily detectable by my husband.
One of few muscles I remember from Anatomy and Physiology class. Sternum, Clavicle, Mastoid.
There can’t be something else wrong with me. It’s not possible.
To satisfy my husband, I made an appointment with Dr. PCP.
“Your sternocleidomastoid is spasming! How did that happen?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you get a new pillow?”
“No.”
“It’s been going on for five days?”
“Yeah, I didn’t think much of it.”
“It’s unusual for this muscle to spasm. It’s usually only seen with torticollis. And your head is tilted to the side, just like torticollis. Look it up when you get home. This might have something to do with your salivary gland, your leg, or a neurological problem. The only thing that helps is Valium.”
Slow down. I now have narcotic pain killers for my leg and valium for my neck. I’m going to end up on Intervention before I ever make it to Mystery Diagnosis! But seriously, I can’t let this go on like this.
Neurologist #4?
Today, I dropped off my records and MRI CDs to Neurologist #4. He reviews the information and decides whether or not he will see a patient. It could be months.
To be continued…
Thank you for reading. I’d love to hear form you!
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: undiagnosed chronic illness, sternocleidomastoid, salivary gland biopsy, torticollis
Something else? That sounds utterly frustrating! It would be great if Mystery Diagnosis could come up with a solution, but I’ve been hoping that you’d get an answer soon – not have to wait as long as that would take. Queen, your optimism through all of this is encouraging. I hope you get your solution quickly.
(how is your father doing?)
Aww, thanks so much WarmSocks. It is hard to believe that my story has no conclusions in sight. I never imagined I’d be writing about a growing repertoire of medical mysteries a year after starting this blog. My consult for a salivary gland biopsy is a month away and Neuro #4 could be months away. I just hope the wait results in real answers.
(Thanks for asking about my Father. He is home but his health is on the decline and his ability to do things independently is greatly reduced. He often feels better when hearing about my latest problems. He feels I’ve got it worse than he does! )
Best wishes always!
-Q