About Morgan, my Wife

[blackwolf]

as a constant source of support for me i return everything i can back.

cyber hugs and kisses and prayers

blackwolf

[Dizzy Dame]

I hope morgan gets the rest she needs. She always has friends here; whenever she feels like returning, we'll be here.

[tracy]

Dave,

Thank you for taking the time to write.

Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.

[Laura]

Morgan, sending you lots of love. We'll be waiting here for you when you are ready. xo Laura

[Miriam Poorman-Knox]

[Miriam Poorman-Knox]

( I can't believe my whole message is gONE!!!!!! I will re write it later Miriam

[lthomas521]

I hope that Morgan gets well soon.

I'm not surprised that she got a diagnosis of a psychogenic problem, but I'm not confident that the diagnosis is correct. Most laymen, and indeed many doctors, have a poor understanding of how difficult it is to establish causality (i.e., the existence of a cause and effect relationship). Yet, many doctors blithely give us the diagnosis that our problems are caused by some sort of mental state, if they can't identify a physical cause. They're really going out on a limb by doing that, because they can't actually prove that an unidentified "unresolved conflict" exists, much less that it is causing a physical manifestation. Theoretically, they could establish a "diagnosis ex juvantibus" (which means a diagnosis based on the results of treatment) if the people who they think have these "unresolved conflicts" would actually get better as a result of psychological treatment. Similarly, you might base a reasonable "diagnosis ex juvantibus" of an infection if the problem clears up in a few days when treated with antibiotic. However, I have yet to see any articles documenting that such treatment is successful in POTS, or any other chronic illness, for that matter.

What I have seen, as a medical editor with nearly 20 years' experience, is that numerous illnesses that had been thought to be the result of psychological factors are found to be the result of a previously unidentified physical process. For example, the latest Nobel prize in medicine and physiology went to the doctors who discovered that most cases of gastric ulcer disease are actually due to infection with Helicobacter pylori. Remember when everyone thought that ulcers were the result of stress?

Doctors who think that they are knowledgeable enough to rule out all physical illnesses are deluding themselves. Just this month, I read about an entirely new hormone that was discovered in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

I, too, went through all sorts of grief with the medical profession during the first few years of my experiences with POTS. When I suggested that I was hypovolemic (because of my astoundingly high pulse), the doctors ran a complete blood count and announced that I wasn't anemic, so there was nothing wrong with me. When I suggested that I might have an adrenal problem, they ran an ACTH stimulation test and announced that my adrenal function was normal. An endocrinologist told me that I didn't have any endocrine problem. A few months later, I went to a nephrologist who works with chronic fatigue syndrome patients. He saw my pallid face and shaking hands and realized instantly that something was wrong. He measured my blood volume and found that it was abnormally low. Then he measured my aldosterone metabolites in a 24-hour urine test and found that I was producing over 8 times the upper limit of normal amounts of the adrenal hormone aldosterone. And the endocrinologist thought he had ruled out all endocrine disorders?

It would be nice if Morgan could recover her health because of everyone thinking happy thoughts. Hey, it worked for Tinker Bell in Peter Pan. However, if it turns out that her episodes were due to, say, normokalemic periodic paralysis, I hope she sues the doctor who said that it was psychological for malpractice. Or at least that she writes a letter of complaint to the head of the hospital.

[dawn]

Dave,

Tell Morgan Hi from Dawn, tell her to email me if she feels like it. I totally understand if she needs alone time to process this.

Tell her I understand, I myself have had 2 episodes this past month where my speech is impaired. I see a neurologist again next week but the neuropsychologist thinks it is somatization disorder. I scored in the 99% on that psychologist test.

Tell her to remember the mind and body are connected, we cannot separate one from the other. Whatever is the cause of our symptoms, it makes no difference.

We just all want to be well.

Hugs,

Dawn

[DancingLight]

Dave,

Thank you so much for posting an update on Morgan.

I knew something was up...and I sensed it even more when her name didn't pop up under my birthday thread--b/c she NEVER misses sending me smiles and love and hugs. My stomach kind of did one of those flip flop thingies when the days starting passing and she didn't post...

I just wish I had better words of wisdom...but I miss her so much here. She's been so supportive of everyone here...and she's smart and funnier than heck to boot. She's also got the biggest amount of compassion.

I know you will help each other and support each other through this...you are both so amazing.

Please tell Morgan that WE ARE HERE FOR HER. When she is ready, we are waiting for her.

I have said this a few times in other posts, but it bears repeating...we will sing her song for her while she cannot.

Do you feel sure of the diagnosis? I don't think any of us care if the cause is physical or psychological, we just care that Morgan feel better. That's all we care about...her feeling better and more like herself again.

I just feel like, how could this be psychogenic? But, it is not my place. I feel compelled though to make sure to ask if she had a brain MRI to rule out a tumor??? I just heard a story similar to hers and they found a benign tumor after eight years of searching for a diagnosis!

I hope this will make Morgan laugh--they just shouldn't have cancelled JOA! That must be the problem! Ugh! Okay, poor attempt at humor. She's the funny one around here...she always makes us laugh.

Please continue to hold each other up and support each other and when you are both ready to reach out here, we're here...or when Morgan is on email again.

Please know how much she has touched my life.

Love to myweeniemommorgan,

Emily

[ariella]

I know the last thing you want right now is another person second guessing a diagnosis that was exhausting and draining to both you and Morgan, but did the doctors rule out a pituitary tumor? I remember her mentioning that something in that direction was abnormal. We have a friend who was told for a year that his disorder was psychogenic, and was placed on psychiatric medication which even helped somewhat, but later found a tumor that could have taken his life. His symptoms were similar to Morgan's. Apologies for exhausting the both of you further, we all just want to see her well.

I am sure she is grateful to be married to such a supportive loving husband.

Ariella

[Poohbear]

I couldn't add anything more to what has already been expressed but wanted to send my love and best wishes to you both.

Please keep us posted as you are able to. I agree with all the others....it makes no difference where her problems originate. We know she is feeling lousy and miserable, we love her and want her to feel better.

She's a part of our family and when she feels up to it she always has a place here!

[DawnA]

I was also diagnosed with conversion disorder for my abnormal gait. I accepted the diagnosis but found that my gait never got better. That is when I sought more medical help. It was later proven that it was caused by a medical condition. However their are still some medical Drs who bring up the Psychosomatic stuff.

If Morgan does not get better and continues to have these episodes. Please search again for a medical basis. She may have to change Drs, because they get so focused on the psychological stuff. It may also be a good idea to hide this label from futhur Drs.

I honestly do hope this is psychogenic in nature because when it is helped the results will be permanant unlike many medical issues. I hope Mogan has a good therapist to get her through this ...it is REAL whether medical or physical or a combination of both. Many blessings Dawn A

[morgan617]

Thank you all, you make me cry. You are like my family, only better, because you KNOW. I love you all. sadandsickmorgan

[Sunfish]

MORGANTHEREYOUARE!

i'll keep this short & sweet but just wanted to say a quick hello & send some (((HUGS))) since i saw your post.

love,

melissa

[goldicedance]

Morgan, Morgan--mother of Westie,

So glad to see that you are reading the boards. Carrie and I send hugs and she sends a nose kiss as well!

Lois

[melly4]

Morgan, Hi!! I'm so glad you are reading our posts and I hope you are getting some spunk and some hope back. I've only just joined here in the last couple of months, and had just started to get to know you. You are so witty and knowledgeable, and I miss you. I cope with bad days with laughter, and I do miss your wit. I wish I could say something to make you laugh and take away your tears. But all I can manage is to tell you I'm happy you're here and that I hope your doctors get your diagnosis right, whatever it is, and that they can treat it.

mellywhomissessadandsickmorgan

[calypso]

Morgan and "Mr. Morgan,"

I was away from the boards and just got caught up on this post. Wow. I am thinking of both of you and also hoping the diagnosis is at least correct. I have suffered from panic disorder for 10 years and also have had a fair number of "physical" ailments as well, and I think that you have to remember the body is all one body. There is no separation of mind. Anything that happens to the body -- i.e., seizure, shaking, paralysis -- also happens to the mind. It's not like the brain just shuts off during these things. Therefore, I personally think the mind plays a much larger role in our physical problems than most others here. But that's just my personal, completely non-medical opinion.

Regardless, I am very glad to hear that you haven't had any more paralysis episodes since leaving the hospital, Morgan. I can imagine they must be awfully scary and uncomfortable, let alone frightening your family or those around you at the time. I hope that if you choose to accept this diagnosis, you are able to lose all doubts about other possible causes, because that may interfere with your treatment or progress. If you really don't think this is a mind-related illness, then I would be honest with your doc and tell him that. You can't force yourself to believe something that you don't think is true.

I so wish I could do something to make you feel better. I will continue to keep you in my thoughts. I miss your jokes and dry sense of humor! Keep laughing as much as you can, and making us all laugh too.

Amy

[joyrose]

Dear Morgan's Husband,

You are doing a wonderful job of loving her and being sensitive to your familys' needs. Thank you for letting us know how she is. Take care of yourself too, and let her love comfort you in this time. -Debi