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I am officially diagnosed as a dizzy blond.
06/24/2008

IT is an inner ear problem.

It’s been a frantic couple of days and a weekend of waiting. I started last week out with a tight schedule, I got called in on Sunday to work, and lucky for me I had just finished my morning chores. I headed into the office and spent about 5 hours there. I landed home to watch the Michigan race on the internet and headed out of dinner with one of my friends. Monday was back to the office for a busy day and a service that night for a coworker. After I got home, my plans changed drastically.

I didn’t feel right at the service, had a flash of dizziness a bit of flashing light in my eyes. I thought it would pass and then it was getting worse. I tired to log onto my computer and couldn’t read the words on the screen. I started to panic: the two things I was warned about at the last doctor’s appointment were happening. I had a headache and my vision was affected. I panicked, they were the dreaded symptoms: It was off to the emergency room for me. T. dropped me off, no sense having her sit with me waiting half the night, so she went back to her house and I waited. I waited a long time. I don’t usually mind seeing people I know, but I was a bit unnerved when I saw a coworker and a neighbor as I was sitting there waiting wondering if my head would explode.

I bothered Mother at 2:00 in the morning to help me make a decision. I didn’t know if I should wait it out and get the next test or if I should head home and deal with it in the morning. We decided if it was the really icky dreaded thing, it couldn’t wait. If it wasn’t I would still have to schedule that test to rule it out. I waited it out and got that test done and the results were negative thank God. I now have a copy of my CT scan to take with me to the various doctors. I looked at it on the computer: I now have proof I do have a brain! There are other neat images of my bones, my ears, my neck and my upper torso.

I managed to get home about 4:15 in the morning. I was given something to help me sleep through the rest of the night and a recommendation to see a neurologist by the end of the week. The ER doctor gave me two names and said if they didn’t have openings, instructions to find someone to see me right away, it didn’t matter who. That scared me half to death.

I called communications and asked that they send a page for 7:00 am to my supervisors. I didn’t want to wake them, it was way too early in the morning and I figured with the sleep aid, I wouldn’t make the appointed hour to call in sick. I was ordered to stay home for the day. I found out later in the day that plan backfired. The person that sent the page didn’t hit the delay time, but sent it out at 4:30 in the morning and woke everyone else up. I felt bad about that, but I had tired.

Later that day, I made a couple of phone calls explaining my absence from work and trying to find a neurologist. The ones that were recommended by the ER doctor were booked for weeks out but I managed to find one from another recommendation that could see me the next morning. I am glad I ended up with the one I did. I liked him: I felt I could trust him right off. He took a lot of time to go over the information I gave him, he asked a whole lot of questions. When he started the examination, he told me he thought he knew what the problem was: one of two things. Some balance tests, some sound tests and then some vision tests, those went fine, no problems detected.

Next was a physical test: a combination of head movements and a back bend. He tested the left side first and was assuring me he wouldn’t drop me. That side was Ok, a bit uncomfortable a slight bit of dizziness and then we did the right side.

Oh my Gosh! As he guided me backwards IT started hitting: he assured me he wouldn’t drop me, but had to hold me in that position for a few minuets watching my body react and timing the length of the reaction: My eyes started jumping, my head was trying to move and the whole rush of dizziness hit full force. I was fighting to be able to see, to move and to get away from that awful feeling. Once I was able to get back to a sitting posture, I was feeling quite lousy. That was IT, full force of what I have been feeling the last few weeks. IT was all the way over the top that time. He gave me a diagnosis, classic symptoms according to him. I walked out with some drugs and a prescription and some follow up instructions. IT is an inner ear issue that is causing me all these problems.

I made an appointment that day with a therapist that could handle IT: this troublesome problem. She didn’t have an opening until Monday morning so it was a long weekend, but there was some hope, I had a diagnosis & I had a plan so I was feeling a lot better at least mentally if not physically. It was a quiet weekend, not much but chores, limited driving and I knew what would trigger IT.

I headed to the therapists office for 8:00 on Monday morning. She did a short interview, a bunch of questions and then we got to work. She re-created IT. The symptoms weren’t as bad as when the doctor did them, but they were still there. She moved me around, like a pretzel, good thing I have some yoga training. She was able to get those nasty little pieces of out of the way, back where they will not cause IT to happen all the time.

The next 48 hours will be a challenge: I can’t move my head, can’t bend over or look up. I have a neck brace on to remind me not to nod or turn without my whole body moving. Work was a challenge, and I couldn’t get an excuse for the day. Luckily I have some great co-workers. I couldn’t pick up a few things I dropped. I couldn’t get a file out of the storage area: it was up way to high. Sleeping was a challenge last night: I had to stay at a 45 degree angle or higher: no lying down, no turning my head. I tired the comfy chair, but opted for bed instead. I was propped up on lot of pillows, but in my own bed. I did get to order a pizza last night: the kitchen is off limits the next couple of days. (Break my heart!)

I have another 24 hours of this limited movement and one more test on Wednesday afternoon. I am very thankful I have health insurance, I am sure all these tests and doctors are costing a fortune. I just flash my gray plastic card and give them the co-pay and am on my way.

I am glad IT is something so simple and there is a way to stop IT from happening. IT may happen again since I am not in my 70’s and IT happened once. I will know what IT is and can get to someone that can do the pretzel move on me. I will not have to worry about all the things I have been wondering about. My head will not explode; I don’t have a brain tumor. I have an ear problem, I can become a dizzy blond any time again but I know how to stop IT from happening should it decide to show up again.


	back \| up \| next I am officially diagnosed as a dizzy blond. 06/24/2008 IT is an inner ear problem. It’s been a frantic couple of days and a weekend of waiting. I started last week out with a tight schedule, I got called in on Sunday to work, and lucky for me I had just finished my morning chores. I headed into the office and spent about 5 hours there. I landed home to watch the Michigan race on the internet and headed out of dinner with one of my friends. Monday was back to the office for a busy day and a service that night for a coworker. After I got home, my plans changed drastically. I didn’t feel right at the service, had a flash of dizziness a bit of flashing light in my eyes. I thought it would pass and then it was getting worse. I tired to log onto my computer and couldn’t read the words on the screen. I started to panic: the two things I was warned about at the last doctor’s appointment were happening. I had a headache and my vision was affected. I panicked, they were the dreaded symptoms: It was off to the emergency room for me. T. dropped me off, no sense having her sit with me waiting half the night, so she went back to her house and I waited. I waited a long time. I don’t usually mind seeing people I know, but I was a bit unnerved when I saw a coworker and a neighbor as I was sitting there waiting wondering if my head would explode. I bothered Mother at 2:00 in the morning to help me make a decision. I didn’t know if I should wait it out and get the next test or if I should head home and deal with it in the morning. We decided if it was the really icky dreaded thing, it couldn’t wait. If it wasn’t I would still have to schedule that test to rule it out. I waited it out and got that test done and the results were negative thank God. I now have a copy of my CT scan to take with me to the various doctors. I looked at it on the computer: I now have proof I do have a brain! There are other neat images of my bones, my ears, my neck and my upper torso. I managed to get home about 4:15 in the morning. I was given something to help me sleep through the rest of the night and a recommendation to see a neurologist by the end of the week. The ER doctor gave me two names and said if they didn’t have openings, instructions to find someone to see me right away, it didn’t matter who. That scared me half to death. I called communications and asked that they send a page for 7:00 am to my supervisors. I didn’t want to wake them, it was way too early in the morning and I figured with the sleep aid, I wouldn’t make the appointed hour to call in sick. I was ordered to stay home for the day. I found out later in the day that plan backfired. The person that sent the page didn’t hit the delay time, but sent it out at 4:30 in the morning and woke everyone else up. I felt bad about that, but I had tired. Later that day, I made a couple of phone calls explaining my absence from work and trying to find a neurologist. The ones that were recommended by the ER doctor were booked for weeks out but I managed to find one from another recommendation that could see me the next morning. I am glad I ended up with the one I did. I liked him: I felt I could trust him right off. He took a lot of time to go over the information I gave him, he asked a whole lot of questions. When he started the examination, he told me he thought he knew what the problem was: one of two things. Some balance tests, some sound tests and then some vision tests, those went fine, no problems detected. Next was a physical test: a combination of head movements and a back bend. He tested the left side first and was assuring me he wouldn’t drop me. That side was Ok, a bit uncomfortable a slight bit of dizziness and then we did the right side. Oh my Gosh! As he guided me backwards IT started hitting: he assured me he wouldn’t drop me, but had to hold me in that position for a few minuets watching my body react and timing the length of the reaction: My eyes started jumping, my head was trying to move and the whole rush of dizziness hit full force. I was fighting to be able to see, to move and to get away from that awful feeling. Once I was able to get back to a sitting posture, I was feeling quite lousy. That was IT, full force of what I have been feeling the last few weeks. IT was all the way over the top that time. He gave me a diagnosis, classic symptoms according to him. I walked out with some drugs and a prescription and some follow up instructions. IT is an inner ear issue that is causing me all these problems. I made an appointment that day with a therapist that could handle IT: this troublesome problem. She didn’t have an opening until Monday morning so it was a long weekend, but there was some hope, I had a diagnosis & I had a plan so I was feeling a lot better at least mentally if not physically. It was a quiet weekend, not much but chores, limited driving and I knew what would trigger IT. I headed to the therapists office for 8:00 on Monday morning. She did a short interview, a bunch of questions and then we got to work. She re-created IT. The symptoms weren’t as bad as when the doctor did them, but they were still there. She moved me around, like a pretzel, good thing I have some yoga training. She was able to get those nasty little pieces of out of the way, back where they will not cause IT to happen all the time. The next 48 hours will be a challenge: I can’t move my head, can’t bend over or look up. I have a neck brace on to remind me not to nod or turn without my whole body moving. Work was a challenge, and I couldn’t get an excuse for the day. Luckily I have some great co-workers. I couldn’t pick up a few things I dropped. I couldn’t get a file out of the storage area: it was up way to high. Sleeping was a challenge last night: I had to stay at a 45 degree angle or higher: no lying down, no turning my head. I tired the comfy chair, but opted for bed instead. I was propped up on lot of pillows, but in my own bed. I did get to order a pizza last night: the kitchen is off limits the next couple of days. (Break my heart!) I have another 24 hours of this limited movement and one more test on Wednesday afternoon. I am very thankful I have health insurance, I am sure all these tests and doctors are costing a fortune. I just flash my gray plastic card and give them the co-pay and am on my way. I am glad IT is something so simple and there is a way to stop IT from happening. IT may happen again since I am not in my 70’s and IT happened once. I will know what IT is and can get to someone that can do the pretzel move on me. I will not have to worry about all the things I have been wondering about. My head will not explode; I don’t have a brain tumor. I have an ear problem, I can become a dizzy blond any time again but I know how to stop IT from happening should it decide to show up again.