Thank you all for your prayers and wishes. It’s been a few days now since Hazel’s appointment with the neurologist; it’s taken a day or so but I think I have finally got things straight in my head.

All the tests she had have come back normal, the EEG showed signs of change but “nothing to worry about,” the MRI was normal, as was the chest X-ray, and all the new blood tests came back normal as well. She still has an elevated CRP count, and a suggested raised ESR count which indicates an inflammatory reaction taking place somewhere, and a new level, a slightly raised Rheumatoid factor.

All this adds up to the fact that all the main conditions that they were checking for have been ruled out. These are things like MS, a vasculatory brain disorder or something cancerous. This is good news.

We have been given a provisional diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The diagnosis is only provisional as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a condition which is “diagnosed by elimination,” that is it can only be diagnosed is everything else is ruled out and any abnormal test results are explained. At the moment the doctors haven’t been able to explain her abnormal blood tests, and there is still a chance, albeit a small one, that the condition could be caused by a bowel disorder, which would still explain most of her symptoms.

So we are waiting for her appointment with a gastroenterologist on the 5th July. He will check out her bowels and either diagnose something or rule out anything their. We are aware that this may still not diagnose her, but given her symptoms and blood tests it would be ignorant and naive to leave out checking this.

The neurologist has now discharged Hazel, but has referred her onto an immunologist. He specializes in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and if the gastroenterologist report comes back normal then he will start treatment and investigate her abnormal blood tests more fully. The neurologist has also referred Hazel to a psychiatrist so that she can get the help she needs with her depression.

So good news on the whole. A number of serious conditions have been ruled out, and whilst we are again waiting to see doctors and referrals we do now know that one of the next two doctors will begin treating her in some way. The level and speed of her recovery will depend on which one of the doctors ends up treating her, but that is something to consider once diagnosis has been received.

Thank you again for your support, will keep you posted of any news.