10. Over To Rheu (2)

One month before I was due to see the Rheumatology consultant, when Bob and I were away in America, my left thumb became semi numb and I was getting tingles up my arm. I told this to my GP on my return home and he said I may have a trapped nerve and should tell the Rheumatology doctor when I saw him/her (in September).

At my clinic appointment he said there wasn’t much that they could do for my ankle but when I told him about my thumb, he said he’d send me for an MRI scan (how exciting I’d never been in the high-tech doughnut before).

They said that the MRI showed that the arthritis has now reached my neck and the nerve channel has shrunk and is pressing on the nerve down my arm. He said I would definitely need surgery, as this was quite serious, therefore, he’d pass me back to orthopaedics. I was somewhat alarmed by this as I’m sure anyone would understand.

So once again I was waiting for an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon. The funny thing is my thumb doesn’t hurt that much but my ankle is such agony that it frequently reduces me to tears.

My appointment has come through for 16th January 2001 so we’ll see what happens.