Ears to you!

Well, this past week has just been crazy.

On Saturday, while mowing the lawn, I was overcome by a sudden faint feeling with dizzying effects. Unbeknownst to me I had just entered the Twighlight Zone and was given the gift called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV for short.

This is what Wikipedia says about BPPV:

Within the labyrinth of the inner ear lie collections of calcium crystals known as otoconia. In patients, the otoconia are dislodged from their usual position within the utricle and they migrate over time into one of the semicircular canals. When the head is reoriented relative to gravity, the gravity-dependent movement of the heavier otoconial debris within the affected semicircular canal causes abnormal (pathological) fluid endolymph displacement and a resultant sensation of vertigo. The primary symptom is the sudden onset of severe vertigo and nystagmus that occurs exclusively with head movement in the direction of the affected ear. It is often associated with nausea. Patients do not experience other neurological deficits such as numbness or weakness, and if these symptoms are present, a more concerning etiology such as posterior circulation stroke, must be considered.

I think we all know that Wikipedia is the most credible resource available for medical information posted by average people like you and me.

Anyways, the symptoms can be similar to a stroke, which probably helped me jump line a bit at the hospital - I only had to wait 30 minutes... OK it felt like 30 minutes but it was probably half that time. When they finally wheeled me to the bed, I couldn't even stand up on my own - I collapsed and had to be lifted into the bed and disrobed by nursing staff. They quickly had me connected to the machine that goes 'bing' and set up an IV... stat. After some diagnosis and seeing a couple of doctors, I was told that I had BPPV. That was day one.

Day 2 - I wasn't feeling too bad, went to my parents to celebrate my little brothers' birthday... at 36 I guess he's not so little any more. I couldn't walk very good at all and was so tired from all of the anti-nausea drugs that I spend most of the day laying down.

Day 3 - First work day of the week, let's call it Monday. I got up at 6 am, started to get ready to go into the office, for some reason the shower stall was spinning around me. I called it quits and went back to bed... I slept almost all day - got up to do a few e-mails but that's it. No improvement, in fact I felt worse that I did the previous day.

Day 4 - I decided that I needed to get into work however bad it felt - my wife dropped me off at 7 am and picked me up at the end of the day 8:30pm (that's what happens when you marry a soccer mom)... a very long day indeed. The guys in the office got a good laugh from watching me walk around like a drunk.

Day 5 - behind the wheel again. I had been practicing my walking and balancing and it seems to be getting better... so, I drove to work today - had an off site conference call which was very dificult for me - most of my concentration was spent in staying upright, nevermind trying to explain concepts.

Day 6 - driving is easier, walking is getting easier - still a bit unstable and can't get my head out of the fog. I think the old brain is spending too much time counterbalancing and not enough time thinging about everything else it usually does... either that or the drugs are creating this haze. Inclines and declines use a lot of concentration - the brain is amazing, all the little things it does just to get us walking in a straight line are easily taken for granted... until you get BPPV, then you can appreciate all those little things.

Day 7 - is Friday and I am hoping that things get a bit better, I got so many things to do, but can't in the condition I'm in... fingers crossed, every day it's a bit better so we'll see.

On Monday I am seeing a specialist... There's a man I've found could bring us all joy, there's a doctor I've found can cure the boy - there's a man I've found will remove his sorrow, he lives in this town, let's see him tomorrow.

We'll see how it all goes down.

BTW - The staff at the Rocky View staff were awesome - many thanks for getting me back on my feet... Here's a tip: nail polish remover will take the heart monitor adhesive strips off your skin.

Oh yeah, I sold the trailer.