Off to Minnesota
After finding out I had MS, my mom went into super mom mode and called every MS doctor in Kansas City to try and get an appointment. Unfortunately, no doctor had an opening for months. Given that I couldn’t walk 100 meters and felt less and less like the Katherine I knew, we needed something quick. My Grandpa Brown told my mom she needed to take me to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. My mom called Mayo to make the appointments and we packed up the car and started out on the road trip to Minnesota.
I felt like my body was on auto pilot not knowing what was going on. It is the weirdest feeling when you feel as if your body is betraying you.
We made our way to Minnesota stopping at TREX gas station in Lathrop, MO, where my grandparents lived and coincidentally on the way, to have breakfast before hitting the road. I remember the whole way to Minnesota I just listened to music on my headphones staring out the window.
We made it to Rochester checked into our hotel and shuttled to Mayo, That place was one of the most impressive establishments. When checking in they gave us an itinerary for our week. With everything I needed and already booked: neurologist visit, urologist, eye doctor, spinal tap, MRI, meet with nurse to explain MS, physical therapist, and more. It felt like the most unfun summer camp, but if you have ever had to be involved in the medical world it is so awesome to not have to think about calling all those different specialists and orchestrate the appointments. The bus picked us up from the hotel each morning and each day we were dropped back off, and our hotel and greeted with a warm cookie or soup. Reflecting, shoutout to Mayo Clinic, a first-class hospital, and experience.
The first and last day was meeting with the neurologist that specialized in multiple sclerosis. The doctor asked some cognitive questions. One of them I remember her asking was the first president of the United States. I said with full confidence "Abraham Lincoln" (lol), Then saw her face and then said “I can’t believe I just said that it's George Washington.” She said she would have got that wrong too because she’s from Canada. Appreciated she didn’t want me to feel bad. Other things they ask are some simple math counting like counting down from 100 by intervals of 7 and other critical thinking questions.
The next days I had all my tests and other scheduled appointments.
On the last day was going over all the results from the tests and scans throughout the week with the neurologist. They said they couldn’t believe I was able to walk based on the brain scans. They then prescribed me a week of steroid infusion.
I was so bummed the trip was extended, I just wanted to go home, but my mom reminded me it was going to make me feel better. And oh man did it ever!! I had my steroid groove and felt like myself more each day.
The steroid treatments were IV infusion for one hour in the hospital. By day two I had my infusion flow down. Get the infusion started then a pack of Lorna Donne cookies with a crappy cup of coffee. Then if I got hungry my mom would go down to Jimmy Johns and get me a #9. It felt like it took her no time to grab it, and she would come back with the sub and a smile followed by her saying “Freaky Fast”. On day number 3 I had a new nurse who asked at the end of my treatment if I wanted to keep the IV in so I didn’t have to get poked with a needle the next day. Brilliant. Fantastic idea. Well, it was all blue skies and sunshine till about 12 that night at the hotel when the wrapping came off and the IV was coming a little loose without it. Once again, my mom went into super mom mode and drove to Hyvee to get more wrapping. By day 5 I was back to walking normal. It felt like a miracle just happened. Steroids are awesome when you need em. My mom and I celebrated by going to the Mall of America and then headed back to Kansas.
If I were to say I was in a positive mindset at the beginning of my medical journey I would be lying. I was scared, upset, confused, mad, and the list goes on of negative emotions, but then a certain switch turned on and I realized I would be miserable and sad or I could at least make the best of the situation and continually choose positivity and happiness. Choosing the latter made hour-long MRIs bearable, gave me a fighting spirit, and let me bring happiness to every person who came along and was a part of my journey.
