Intake Visit

It is a joy to go to a brand new medical center. The OHSU Center for Health and Healing is a beautiful place. (BTW, I'm told that the Diabetes Center is still in the older buildings at the top of the hill.)

The support staff was wonderful, great receptionist, great nurse. Each of the rooms, while still quite small, was equipped with a tiny computer , with a keyboard and screen on an articulating support arm. The NP kept typing, preparing my file. She went out and consulted with the MD, and they both spoke with me briefly.

Bottom line: some adjustments to my meds (less tylenol, more nortriptylene), an MRI exam for each foot (check on nerves, muscles & fascia), a visit to the neurologist and some nerve conduction studies, and a meeting with the psychology pain specialist, and then back to NP to regroup, hopefully in about three weeks.

It sounds as if they think my foot pain is, plain and simple, diabetic peripheral neuropathy. And it's just bad luck, and it's just because of my diabetes. And I'll just have to find the best way to control/endure/live with the pain and find alternate ways of exercising.

Perhaps I'm reading into what little signals I got today.

I recognize that my pain seems 'nervy' in origin. I know that pain that's worse at night and pain that is bilateral are both associated with diabetic neuropathy. But I'm hopeful that there is some other explanation and some other solutions. I'm not sure I'm ready to begin to accept the diagnosis of diabetic neuropathy.

Wait and see, wait and see.

PS. I went to see my acupuncturist this evening. I didn't intend to tell him about my earlier post about last week's painful session, but I did. He was pretty nice about it, and I think he'll actually let me come back. This week's session was MUCH LESS PAINFUL! I actually did get to relax, rather than just lie there, tense. I owe him a big, big flattering and positive post. Overall my experience with him has been GREAT and I would recommend him to anyone who asked. Oh, and maybe next time, he'll get pictures of my feet with all their little needles and jumper cables. Something to look forward to!