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Severe vertigo sucks

2007-05-01 - 10:28 a.m.

This is not a pleasant entry to read. It contains graphic descriptions of vomiting and disorientation. I'm also on valium so don't expect Thoreau here.

% % %

Yesterday morning I woke up with my alarm. Moving quickly to turn it off, I noticed my balance was quite off. So off that I knew I had severe vertigo again, the practically disabling kind.

After sprawling back in bed as the room spun around me, I suddenly had an urge to get sick. Getting that over with, I realized I could use one of the trash bags I normally have on hand for laundry. I lay there in the morning sun, hoping this was just some strange temporary thing that I could shrug off to get to class. As soon as I moved my head a few degrees this time or that, though, I'd vomit again. I was propped against the pillow on my side for hours. I felt a wet sensation against my arm but that didn't matter. Anything to keep from the pain and inevitably overwhelming need to get sick again.

Around noon I hatched a plan. I somehow got a pair of pants between my toes and fished out my cell phone. I dialed the only person who really came to mind. Emily asked if I needed to be driven to the doctor. I thought about it. I knew the condition would clear up in a day, but something to relieve the pain would help. I said yes. She took off time from work and walked to my duplex (since I had no car). Brian usually leaves the door unlocked whenever he goes in the morning. I'd been hoping that was the case. I'd otherwise have to sit-move down some stairs and puke for about 10 minutes, then get to the door. Not an odyssey I was capable of.

Thankfully, the door was unlocked, and Emily came in with an appropriate 'aww' sound. I'd somehow gotten a cover kinda over one half of my body and a bathrobe through one arm on the other. She suggested getting dressed. I asked for a washcloth to at least partly clean up myself. The boxers and pants weren't a big deal. The shirt required some skillful maneuvering. Finally it was the moment of truth: getting up and getting to my car so Emily could drive me to a Dean urgent care clinic. I'd already told her and apologized ahead of time that I'd get sick as soon as I moved. Sure enough, bag in hand, I did. And we moved down the stairs like that: her bracing my arm around her, me slowly going down while dry heaving.

I made my way into the car and closed my eyes as Emily drove. The world had become so different, as if I was half there. The colors were muted. Emily occasionally rubbed my head or the back of my hand at stops or when I touched her thigh. I was in a massive amount of pain as a headache began to crawl up my neck.

After waiting at many stops for an unusual amount of traffic, we were in the parking lot. I knew what I had to do. I got out of the car, bag in hand, put it on the back trunk, stuck my head in, and wretched. It was the first time I'd ever gotten sick in public amidst strangers, even if it was a big parking lot and sparsely populated. At that moment I didn't care. The world wobbled as jived as I took steps with Emily, my left hand clutching her shoulder. I felt somewhat stable as long as I kept my head forward and at about the same angle. People glanced over as we inquired at the information desk, then the urgent care desk. The receptionists seemed quite sympathetic as I gave them my information. In the processing of waiting, I opted to just stand. Otherwise I'd just vomit in the waiting room or fall over--and I wanted to keep a little semblance of civility intact.

When my name was called, Emily and I moved through the corridors to an examination room. My lack of balanced walking or coordination was obvious. I was dizzy as all hell. I commented on the burden of having to sit down on the exam table as I did so. I described my symptoms accurately and mentioned the likely cause: a back-up in my right eustachean tube, which would throw my inner ear off whack. I also mentioned this was sudden and I didn't think it was due to cerebellar damage.

After my blood pressure and other things were taken, a second nurse came in. I forget why she was there. They took my bag and gave me a nice plastic bucket. That bucket and I became quick friends. After 10 minutes, a doc came in. The P.A. (I guess physician's assistant?) went through my symptoms. I told him what I thought was the case and suggested why the alternatives were unlikely. He agreed but still asked me to perform some tests that would indicate a sudden lesion/damage to my cerebellum. (That would also cause imbalance problems). Having found nothing, he looked in my ears to see what was up. Though build-up there was, it wasn't the culprit to explain the type of nausea-inducing vertigo I had. During this whole time, Emily sat in a corner and offered words of encouragement or laughed with the nurse's sympathy jokes. When it was just us two, she'd come over and rub my arm or chest. I'd never been so thankfully for someone else to be there.

After awhile, the nurses came in to put an IV in me. This didn't quite make sense at first in my state, but Emily pointed out that they did mention I was dehydrated. That made sense. IV's hurt like a bitch going in. I think the catheter threading is the most annoying part. But pretty soon, I felt this really neat sensation of cold water flowing into me. Then 2mg of liquid valium. That seemed to help some. After some prompting from Emily and the nurse, I decided hell, why not pump one more mg into me. I thought any more would be excessive. I got a note to see a doctor on friday at 2pm at a follow-up. I figure they may be able to say what happened, or at the least I can ask them some questions about a sinus surgery I've been meaning to have.

Emily took me back to her place. I spent the rest of the day either in bed studying (which I did little of), or sitting on the couch with her watching 'girly shows' on Oxygen. She thought it was funny that while she knew I couldn't move my head much, it looked like I was wrapped up in watching the likes of Ultimate Coyote Ugly Search. We both agreed that those bitches were not hot. We expected hot chicks. The hours rolled on and I did feel bad about not studying, but I did get to email all of my business contacts and spend time with Emily.

I got very little sleep this morning, I think. I just seem to remember waking up a lot. Emily woke up at 6:45 and mentioned where she'd parked my car, that she was leaving a set of keys with me, stuff like that. I had to move the car by 10 or I'd get a ticket.

So after reading news and laying on the couch, I thought I'd try to do something potentially stupid at 9:45: I'd move my car. I was feeling better, but I certainly didn't have good balance. Still, walking down this street and that to get to my car, I thought I stood a good chance. My accompanying song in my head for this trek was the orchestral version of the outside theme to Dragon Warrior 1.

So I found my car, got in, steadied myself, and slowly drove out to the main drag leading into and out of Madison. I only had a little way to go, but I wasn't sure how well I'd hold up. Despite some disorientation, I got back to my home district without any problems. I carried my stuff with me to the house, made my way in, and deposited myself in my chair. I told Brian the story later on, since apparently he'd slept in late today and just left 40 minutes ago.

All of my business colleagues insist I just stay at home. I can use this small piece of extra time to make up for yesterday and study through the rest of the night. I'm still in pain and disoriented, but I have no choice. The final for my systems neuroscience class is on May 14th.

The next thing to try is eating something. Emily had made me noodles yesterday. Just plain, mind you. I got those down ok. I don't know if I can do the pad thai in the freezer. Maybe I'll try some soup. Unfortunately most of the soup and bread I have has some cheese in it--and I want to stay away from dairy as much as possible.

I'm not sure.

But thankfully this health problem is only a major incovenience now.

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