Where Can Lesions Be?

I finally had my MRI and visit to my neuro yesterday and am even more
confused than I was before I went.

The MRI was of my head and the neuro showed me my old stroke sites on
it, one new stroke and numerous tiny stroke sites. He said this was
indicative of the connective tissue disease and lupus-like disease I
have, but that there were no changes that would denote MS. I've had
lesions on my brain in the past three years and on my brain stem a year
ago.

Then, he told me about my evoked potential test and said that it was
classic MS results. The final conslusions said "Evidence for
disseminated demyelination in brainstem, cervical, and thoracic spinal
cord. Likely lesion in the lower cervical cord." Can you have lesions in
the spinal cord and not really any new ones in the brain? Why wouldn't
he go back and order an MRI of my upper spine with this EP results and
head MRI results? He's ordered a lumbar puncture for March and another
appointment with him in April after that.
He said that I was a difficult case and could possibly have both Lupus
and MS...he just wasn't sure of anything yet. I'm confused and worried
and to add to everything else, I read a notice in the office that he was
going to impliment a plan where people on Medicare and Medicaid would
have to pay his up front and file their own claims. I don't have the
money to do that. I don't know what I'm going to do if he puts this into
effect before April. It's really upsetting me.

To put the top on it all, he recommends that I not have the back surgery
I need so badly because of the brain MRI. He said I have a 15 to 20%
chance of having a majpr stroke or heart attack if I do. I can scarcely
walk with the pain from it now. (Does the total frustration show
through?)

.

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