Ultimate Vertigo Test

Just search my blog for the words: dizzy, swirly, vertigo, tilt-a-whirl ~ the posts are numerous! One of my motives for going forward with my decompression was to rid me of vertigo. Since my surgery I have not had one incident ~ knock on wood ~ and yesterday I had the chance to prove my theory.

I drove over to my office and had lunch with my co-workers yesterday. Four days out of five, my co-workers would often choose striped or checked shirts to wear. Mind you that I only work with a handful of people. Anyway, when two or more of them would don the stripes on the same day they loved to mess with me by standing side by side. If I looked at them I would get the serious spins ~ it was just awful to have to talk with someone and look the other way for fear of falling over or throwing up ~ yikes!

So, yesterday, three of my co-workers were wearing stripes or checked pattern shirts. And when they all lined up together the wave of vertigo was no longer there ~ woo hoo! Hooray for the little things that can make life so much more enjoyable. I had yet another milestone yesterday when I tried the Wii Fit step aerobics activity. I did so well I managed to unlock the advanced step exercise. I could almost feel my brain singing as the neurons were firing on all cylinders and working correctly.


More later, I was looking out the kitchen window, admiring how warm and beautiful the sunshine looks, thinking I could maybe go for a walk outside today. Then I checked the forecast and saw that 18 degrees with a cold 25mph wind did not sound so enjoyable ~ drat. So, I am off to the gym to practice my new physical therapy exercises ~ enjoy your weekend ~

A Gathering of Traveling Brain Tails

Just a quick note to let you know that I haven't fallen of the face of the earth, although, there have been moments when I thought that might actually happen! Seriously ~ having vertigo for 4 days straight can get old pretty fast. Think Jack Sparrow sauntering around ~ searching for more rum and wondering why all the rum is gone!

For the past year I have been in conversation with the local newspaper to try and get an article out about chiari to boost awareness. Finally, my contact there has printed a small story about the upcoming Conquer Chiari Walk Across America taking place in Albany, Washington Park at 10am this Saturday. You can read the article if you click on this link ~
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=721409.

More later ~ I know ~ I am sooo behind on blogging ~ I will make up for it soon.

In the Mountains Again

Last week I had the chance to steal away with my husband and celebrate our anniversary early. We had most of the day to wander around the Adirondack wilderness. I don't know what it is about being up in the high peaks region, but I can't help myself ~ my feet want to wander into the mountains.

So ~ keeping in mind that I had vertigo, I tested myself to see if I could still climb. I took my time ~ enjoyed the beauty of the fall foliage ~ hugged a tree every now and then ~ talked to the brother rocks and sister trees. The view from the top was incredible and so peaceful. My experience that afternoon confirmed what I had already decided in my mind ~ I simply can't live life without being able to climb again ~ surgery will put me on the path again to climbing all 46 high peaks. I have a goal.

We took some neat pictures while on the hike and I will post some soon, but in the meanwhile, I found this link of someone who climbed the same mountain later that week ~ enjoy.

Still Dizzy ~ True Story

To my fellow Chiarians ~ avert your eyes ~ seriously ~ had to share how I have felt for the past two weeks ~VERTIGO~ with no end in sight! The medical community has reported that people with Chiari can slip into feelings of depression and deep despair. Just stare at the picture posted above long enough and you too will begin to feel a little crazy!

I wish I had taken the path to medical school ~ I guess there is still time to go back to school if I choose to do so ~ but seriously ~ after all is said and done ~ someone needs to find a cure for Chiari. I don't wish on anyone what I feel on a day to day basis. Let's find a vaccine ~ something!

The Mother Ship Is Calling

Feeling much like the mother ship is calling me and I am resisting ~ vertigo has taken a hold of me this week and it won't loosen it's grip! If I didn't know for sure what was causing me to feel this way I would think that I was loosing my grip on reality!

I feel dizzy ~ lightheaded ~ it feels as if I am literally floating above my body! The fun thing about it is that the only thing I can do is slog through until it subsides.

Crash Helmet

I was packing up my car last night for my camping trip this weekend and tripped on the threshold, falling into the doorway. That middle toenail on my right foot ~ collateral damage ~ wasn't really serving it's purpose anyway! SERIOUSLY ~ I am having trouble walking these days ~ I run into things, trip over things that aren't there ~ I am feeling totally out of control of my own movements ~ not a good feeling.

The most frustrating thing about this is that I can't pin-point exactly what's causing the increasing chaos of my leg movements. Could be tethered cord, could be Syringomyelia (sear-IN-go-my-EEL-ya) or wait ~ I know, maybe it's because my brain is hanging out in my spinal cord ~ TRUE STORY!

Which leads me to the need for a crash helmet. Stumbling around in the forest at night with nothing but the light of my headlamp to guide me is going to be an adventure in and of itself!

Swirling Abyss

Note to self ~ try to plan bouts of vertigo on days when you are not pack for a camping trip ~ No telling what will end up in my bag! I would be better off letting Mr. Bean do my packing for me ~ see cute video below ~

Seriously, this week has been pretty rough for me ~ all week I have had vertigo, electrical shocks running up and down my arms, headaches, insomnia and ultra sensitivity to sounds. I should be the life of the party this weekend! I am looking forward to spending a couple of nights out under the starry skies.