Tales Of Twitch: Part 11 Etc.

Today’s summation: Nobody knows anything. Least of which me.

On Friday I got a call from UC Health Denver. The referral on my Chiari had been made. Apparently a referral in medical parlance means very little more than, “Here’s the name and number of a guy who needs your help.” Because the nice lady from UC Health Denver (who, again, called ME) had no idea what was going on with me or why I would be visiting them or whether I was visiting for surgery or advice or what-all.

Eventually she had me call a different number and leave a detailed message. Which I did. That was Friday. So, we’ll see. For insurance purposes, it is really important that this surgery happen before the end of the year. I think it may take all 184 remaining days.

In the meantime my doc called today and announced, based on results of some blood work, that he was adding a med to my lineup. I decided this would be a good time to tell him that I believed one of the meds I was already taking was giving me a variety of miseries. He replied by saying he felt I could go without it.

The pill in question is hydrocortisone (Cortef). They gave it to me in the hospital and I’ve been taking it right along since I got out. I have been taking it more frequently, and in higher amounts, than any of my other meds. And now, I will be weaning off of it. (You have to wean off it or you’ll really go, and here I use a medical term, “batsh*t looney”.)

I’m hoping the new pill, combined with the weaning off of the Cortef, will keep me healthy while saying farewell to some bonkers physical and mental Cortef side effects. The weirdest (and frankly most trivial) of which is Lowered Pitch Perception. Yes, it has a name. This is obviously not a huge deal but it really messes with my head….every song I hear sounds……..*off* in pitch. I’ve had this same side effect with other steroid-type pills (usually antibiotics). Again, it’s the least meaningful side effect…but in my line of work, God it drives me batty.