MRI Results - Need Feedback
 

I have been struggling with unexplained headaches. Doc scheduled MRI and I got the results back today.

Doc wants to do an MRA because he said that I have a benign venous angioma.

After reading about this diagnosis on the interweb I came to the following conclusions:
1) It isn't a big deal and a lot of people have these.
2) The Doc is covering his butt (by suggesting MRA) in order to prevent a possible lawsuit should I end up down and out b/c he missed something.

I don't blame the Doc. I would do the same thing if I were in his shoes.

So, what should I do? Has anyone had a similar diagnosis?

No clue.

On a side note, your avatar. That what you do for a living?

I am a Flash developer / designer. The avatar is the Adobe Flash logo.

your choices seem to be:
a. trust the expert
b. use a "life-line" by trusting opinions of some people on a message board who probably don't know what MRA designates (not a dig...only the truth).

I'm not very conservative, but I'd go with a.

Let us know what you choose and good luck!!

Begin a vagina sounds dangerous to me.
I pick A.

Well, the issue is also that it will cost me $1000 - deductible.

http://www.brain-aneurysm.com/dva.html

After reading about it in the above link, seems like it goes untreated anyhow. And I am not having seizures. Also, look at #7. Says MRA won't show anything. Thoroughly confused at this point.

Guess I need to chat directly with the doc tomorrow before I cancel Friday's appointment for the MRA.

What was the specialty of the Doc that you saw for the MRI. Maybe consult with a(nother) neurologist for a second opinion prior to going forward with another procedure? Columbia or Medical University of South Carolina?

Flash developer? I think you should have your eyes checked and get a Herman Miller Aeron chair. Not kidding. How are your ergonomics?

Wait a minute....how could I miss the obvious? Your a Flash developer, and you get headaches? Is there really a mystery here? Doesn't it actually say in the Flash licensing agreement, "Product will cause splitting headaches." ? :P

Ah ... no no no. Actionscript programming is anything BUT a headache. I thoroughly love it. Also never had a complaint about any Adobe product.

The headaches are not due to staring at my screen. They come on at night, weekends and even during vacations.

Go with the MRA..just in case the MD misdiagnoised the problem. Better to cover you but then to find out it is a life altering situation. It also will give you piece of mind.

Met with general practitioner doc this morning so that I could read the radiologist report. Something was lost in translation when the nurse called me to share the report findings yesterday.

Turns out the radiologist "thinks" (but not certain) it is a benign venous angioma - while the nurse informed me that it "was" a benign venous angioma. He suggested an MRA to be certain that it wasn't something of more concern.

Instead of going through with the MRA at this stage, I decided to review the MRI with a neurologist. I want his opinion before moving forward.

Thanks for the input.

You certainly do have some sort of brain injury :p

Sounds more like screen withdrawal! :D

You must be on a Mac.:eek:

Yeah, I know that. It's why I asked.

Had someone on the board once before that used an Adobe CS icon as an avatar but they did not know what it was.

You have a full time gig or do you freelance?

Full time gig.

I freelanced for nearly a year (prior to current job) which was pretty enjoyable. The only downside was that I had to handle every aspect of the project - planning, production, creative, programming. Now I am able to strictly focus on creative and programming.

Why do you ask? Are you in the same field?

Asking because I don't have enough stuff going on right now to justify a full time Actionscript guy but do have a need for talent.

I hate outsourcing the work to ad agencies cause most of the time they're going to farm it out anyway and I hate paying the markup and losing some measure of control.

PM me and we can discuss. I totally agree with your stance on ad agencies. We work with a bunch of them. Pretty large mark up - little value added.

Either I can lend a hand (depending on magnitude of project) or help you find some competent talent. I try to build my projects so that they can be fully managed/updated but others - xml driven, stylesheets, etc. That way clients don't have to pay me to make easy edits - easier for them and easier for me.

1. Cease the consumption of anything containing aspartame... aka Nutrasweet.
2. Come back in a week and post the results.





(Totally cured my unexplained headaches)