Dark Days of Winter

I got nothing.

You can tell it’s January in the frozen tundra. People start to get tired of the snow, cold, and frigid temps. It’s amazing what a “nice day” can do to someone’s mood, and when you haven’t had a “nice day” in awhile….makes for long weeks.

Not much happening around these parts. Noah started a baseball camp, will start gun training, and is still playing basketball. Connor is in basketball. Mike is busy ice fishing with my dad, and I am battling vertigo. Gee, doesn’t quite sound fair when I type it out like that.

I finally got the nerve to call the clinic and see about going to Mayo to get this dizzy-spinning thing figured out. I had a bad episode a week ago tonight and that was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. I didn’t “catch” this one in time and ended up a puking mess. In the past two months I have probably had 8 attacks and so I decided it was just time to bite the bullet and go see someone.

I had doctored with this before in Owatonna with the ENT department. They wanted to send me to Rochester, and I was all for it. That was until I talked with the nurse and she told me what they would be doing to me, which included spinning me in some contraption so that the vertigo would be induced. I immediately told her this was not affecting my quality of life enough to go through that. That feeling is the most miserable feeling ever, and I could never imagine MAKING it come on. Plus, the only way I can get it to go away is to fall asleep. Many times I have brought my pillow onto the bathroom floor (so I can continue to puke at regular intervals) so that I can desperately try and fall asleep in between. I just could not imagine how I was going to be in a doctor’s office and handle something like that so I opted out.

When I called the same ENT’s office this past week to inquire about what I needed to do, I told her I had been in a couple of years ago and she said, “actually it’s been 4 years.” Later that night I talked with my mom about it and we basically figured out I have had issues with my right ear (loss of hearing, feeling of fullness, ringing) for at least 20 years. The vertigo started about 8 years ago when I was pregnant with Connor. Seems like long enough.

I have researched enough to know that there isn’t a big percentage of people that find any relief from vertigo. Meds, surgeries, exercises generally don’t work. I am hoping I am one of the small percentages of people something does work for. Living so close to Mayo, I just have to try and see.

Stress is considered one of the bigger culprits of bringing this on. I used to think that was what caused it for me (because I rarely have episodes in the summer months when I am not working), but I don’t believe it anymore.  I have been through many stressful times in my life and had no episodes, and have been casually walking through Target and been struck. So, who knows. So, we will wait and see. I am expecting a call this week from the clinic who is setting up appointments for me.

I decided I needed a weekend to do nothing. I really wanted to go to a movie with Mike and shop a little with my mom, but I forced myself to do nothing.

Friday night we ordered pizza and watched Pirates of the Caribbean part 1. Saturday we made bacon cheeseburgers and watched Pirates of the Caribbean part 2.  The kids love eating in front of the TV. I love eating in front of a fireplace while in a recliner. So, it’s a win-win for everyone!

Here’s the kids shoveling a path to the grill for cheeseburgers……

Sunday I did shower (you are welcome) and made it up to school to set up flowers and candy for student-led conferences that start tomorrow (try to make it a special time for parents and kids). If stress brings on my vertigo I guess this long week of conferences should be a great opportunity for it to rear its ugly head!

Big snow coming this week, a few long nights spent at school, and PARENTS……if I can survive that I am rewarding myself with a nice night out for my staff Christmas party on Friday night. I probably shouldn’t drink any alcohol, but if I make it to the end of the week I think I may have earned one anyway.

Here’s to a week that goes smoothly and quickly……

Love,

LB