PERICARDITIS

July 1, 2013

My stressed level seemed to increase weekly, no matter how many hours of sleep a night I had. Usually I had to take a nap when I got home from work. I tried to take all of the substitute jobs I could. The local vocational technical school was always in need of subs. I was a good disciplinarian and respected by teachers and students. I still remember feeling fine when I walked into the school building. But climbing up to the 2nd floor left me huffing and puffing. It was either 1st or 2^nd period and I felt my chest tightening. I had difficult time breathing. It felt more like a bad case of bronchitis without the coughing. The kick was how rapidly I started having chest pains, sharp stabbing pains. At that time, women were not the same as men when it came to having a heart attack.

I had a student go to the office with a note saying I gotten really sick and needed to leave immediately. I would try to stay until another adult came to take over the classroom. I certainly did not want to put a cramp in any future job offers. I drive myself home. One of my sons was still at home at that time and just barely had his license. He was in school when I called an ambulance. They carried me downstairs in a chair, off we went. This period of time still has some fuzzy spots in it. Recently my son told me he remembered taking me to the hospital, more than once. But this was the first time. I must've called him at school and told him I was going to the hospital. I remember him telling me at first he thought the whole thing was really cool getting to drive fast behind an ambulance with sirens and flashing lights. After that, not so much.

Well, I did not have a heart attack thankfully. The diagnosis was acute pericarditis. There is a sack, around your heart called the pericardium. When he gets inflamed it is called pericarditis. The pericardium holds the heart in place. Pericarditis is usually caused by an infection. A viral infection is the most common cause. Although a serious heart condition, with proper care, full recovery is possible for most people.

They put me in intensive care in the hospital. I was pretty sick and really had not wanted to see or talk to a bunch of people. The priest and my son and a BFF were good enough. Next door was a patient who always had company from breakfast to 10 PM. It sounded like a party. When I started to come back into the real world, I complained-please shut those people up. This was supposed to be a place for really sick people. The nursing staff enforced quiet hours and the number of visitors. But the neighbors were not my only problem. This was about the time health insurance companies were starting to be primarily in a profit making business mode as opposed to the healthcare business. I was admitted into intensive care in the early evening. After one full day the insurance company was ready to boot me out and send me home. My doctor and the nurses were flipping out. I was in no shape to put up a fight. I knew I did not want my 16-year-old son to have to worry about taking care of me, or worry that I might die. It took some creative coding by the medical staff to get me an additional day. However, I had to be transferred out of intensive care to a regular unit.

It was 12 years before I returned to substitute teaching. I did manage to keep up with a couple of days a week working at the department store. This was until one day I got out of bed and fell on the floor because of the stabbing and burning in my feet. I felt like I was walking on shards of broken glass. It was about this time that my cousin said, you need to think about filing for disability. I was raised to believe that with an education and hard work, you should be able to get a good job and support your family. I had never experienced living with a chronically ill person, let alone being one. My world was rapidly crashing around me. However, I was not going to give up the fight

MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE

June 27, 2013

According to Mayo Clinic report #D500675, http://Mayoclinic.com/health.MCT, it is mostly young women who get this disease much like Lupus. It can also feature symptoms of Scleroderma and Polymyositis. I haven't gotten either of these last two diseases. In addition these symptoms don't present all at the same time. Mixed connective Tissue Disease often involves the fingers which turn white and numb. Raynauds had already been diagnosed for me by this time. In the later stages of MCT the lungs, heart and kidneys may be involved. AS in most of these autoimmune diseases it is difficult to get definitive diagnoses.

 

Symptoms of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease

• A general feeling of being unwell and sometimes an increase in fatigue.
  
• Cold and numb fingers. One of the most common early indicators is known as Raynaud's phenomenon in which your fingers feel cold and numb in response to cold or stress. Toes also can be affected.
  
• Swollen fingers. Many people with mixed connective tissue disease experience swelling in their hands and fingers.
  
• Muscle and joint pain. Next connective tissue disease can result in muscle aches and joint swelling. Joints may become deformed similar to rheumatoid arthritis.
  

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment if your symptoms are bothersome enough to interfere with your daily routine, especially if you have already been diagnosed with Lupus or another connective tissue disease. Doctors don't know what causes the disease. It is known as an autoimmune disease. In mixed connective tissue diseases your immune system mistakenly attacks the fibers that provide a framework and support in your body. Women under the age of 30 are at the greatest risk. You may not need treatment if you have a mild form of the disease.

Medication

• Corticosteroids. Prednisone is one of the standard drugs used to control your immune function. However, side effects can include mood swings, weight gain, high blood sugar and increase blood pressure or weakened bones and even cataracts
  
• Immunosuppressant. If your signs and symptoms of organ involvement, similar to those of lupus may call for a stronger drug
  

 

Resources

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD): patient assistance programs, patient information Center online communities, news about clinical trials, patient stories, rare disease database, patient organizations database, advocacy alliance, news and events.

 

 

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Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

June 23, 2013

I was fortunate that when working in two Federal programs within a community based organization, there are resources outside of the local nonprofit. I went up the chain of command at the state level. I was advised that I should file with EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). The director of the Department of Housing and Community Development felt it was a clear case of discrimination based on Americans with Disabilities' Act.

Since I was a program director, I had access to documentation of the things I had done, and memos and organization documents. Since this company was one of the biggest employers in a small town community, no lawyer was going to touch it. However, I was able to find an attorney who was also an advocate for the poor and disenfranchised. I also had to do tons of research.

I found an organization nearby that assisted in helping people requesting job accommodation. They also worked with companies in providing a workplace accommodation. It was called JAN or "Job Accommodations Network". It is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Jan helps people with disabilities, and enhances their employability and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace. (http://askjan.org/links). The Job Accommodations Network offers free consulting services for individuals with physical or intellectual limitations that affect employment, including a one on one consultation about the job accommodation ideas. Contact Phone number 800-562-7234. The service is offered through the US Dept. of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy.

The Jan counselors were terrific and were able to take my job description and duties and match them up as a request for accommodations for my learning disabilities to my employer. Well it didn't take long after I submitted a formal request that I figured out that they had no intention of complying. I was told that my employer was playing games and intentionally trying to intimidate me. This is when I knew it was time to find a lawyer. When I received my letter from EEOC TO proceed with legal action, I started to pack my bags. Not a good idea to sue your employer while still employed.

In the meantime, I started to look for another job. After all, I had a kid in college and my own parent loans for their education. Plus, I had a 2nd child just starting high school. After a five-week penalty, I got unemployment benefits. As a single parent, this was extremely stressful. Even though I still got child support for one child, their father didn't help at all with college expenses for the other. In addition, I owned a four bedroom house.

I was really positive that I would have a good opportunity to find another job with the experience and skills I now had plus my MBA (Masters Business Administration). I had interviews for some good jobs, but was not selected. I did some substitute teaching and worked part-time at a local department store. I had only worked full-time for about 6 years. Prior to that, I was a stay at home mom for about 10 years. So it did not take long before the bills started to pile up. The one bill I made sure I paid every month on time was the mortgage payment. I continued to wrestle with extreme fatigue and pain. This was given a generic diagnosis of "mixed connective tissue disease" (MCTD). It is actually a rare autoimmune disorder. The disease usually presents symptoms of three different disorders and is called an overlap disease. The primary component is Lupus. At the time I did not have a definitive diagnosis of Lupus. I always thought of mixed connective disease as what you called an autoimmune disease that the doctor really did not know what it was.

As the dollars dwindled the fatigue and pain went up. At one point I was in the hospital intensive care unit with Pericarditis or inflammation of the lining of the heart.

HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN: How Did My Life Take Such a Hit?

June 20, 2013

Since this blog is about how a person who is smart and well-educated became so bad off, both physically and financially, well, how did it all start? What was the big trigger event? Prior to the "big trigger event" I was on my way to work and just a half a block from my office when I was struck by someone who ran a red light and slammed into the driver's side of my car. It didn't hit the door, but spun me around. I was not really injured except for "whiplash" this was about 1993. The aches and pains never went away and I became more and more exhausted. I took a three-month disability leave and was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, but I got it under control and I went back to work.

Then in 1995, I had to resign from my job as a program manager in a nonprofit organization. Basically the job was making me sick, according to my doctor. I had loved my job even though I didn't make much money. I was able to bring the program through a fast-paced metamorphosis of technological change. It became one of the top 3 programs in the state. Most of the Funds for my Programs came from "Pass through Federal Funds".

There was a change in supervisors. I went from being that "Golden Girl" to being marked as expendable. It was a complex situation. I was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder and was informally accommodated with two great secretaries. So there was no need to disclose. I tried to learn all I could about Attention Deficit Disorder. I recalled all those years in elementary school, daydreaming and spending more time looking out the window then at the blackboard. In addition, I have a son with ADD. Now at last, I began to understand why so many things were frustrating and why I would always get distracted. However, in 1995, the general public did not believe that adults had ADD. It became more and more of an issue on my job as I was constantly criticized for not dotting all my "I's", nor crossing all my "t's". My 1st supervisor gave me outstanding evaluations. My 2nd supervisor never gave me a evaluation. There were other factors too. My 2nd supervisor had no secretaries and I had two. I was also working on my MBA. The CEO of the organization never completed her MBA.

 

EAR, NOSE & THROAT DOCTOR---SO WHAT IS NEXT?

May 22, 2013

I returned to the ENT. He didn't have much of an answer. He only did a basic in your face exam. I have waited and waited for someone to come up with an answer to my questions. Why did I develop vertigo, dizziness or vestibular neuritis, or whatever you want to call it? What was the cause? How about a definitive diagnosis. Why won't it go away? The waxing and waning drives me crazy. How do you fix the problem? The ENT thinks it is a form of benign positional vertigo, but does not know which ear is the problem. He also sent me to the neurologist because he thought I might have Hydrocephalus, which is caused by the "interference with the normal circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. CSF filters through a membrane in your brain. And later, is reabsorbed from these subarachnoid spaces above your brain."

"In adults, there is a variation of hydrocephalus, in which the pressure is normal, but the re-absorption is defective." Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, David E, Larson, M. D., Editor-in-chief; William Morrow and Company, Inc., New York, 1990.

He asked me if the neurologist mentioned it. Well, no, why do you ask? There is no neurological indicator for my vertigo. Now he wants me to go back to the hearing and balance testing people to see if there's been any change. Since I already did these tests 6 months ago, I can tell you there have not been any changes. I think it is time to think out-of-the-box and get a 2nd opinion.

The physical therapist thinks I have vestibular neuritis. I will say I am getting him to start to think out-of-the-box ie. Consider the effect of stress on the dizziness. By now, I can do all the little exercises with very little if any negative impact. i.e. Provoke dizziness. My balance is much better when I stand on a pillow.

However, when I walk my head feels like it is going to roll off, or it gets filled up with cotton. My head can also feel like someone put a rubber band around it and tightens it. The dizziness occurs when it is dark and when I am tired. It can also occur when my brain goes into overload from too much visual stimulus. The grocery store is the worst. Next is Wal-Mart. I can get so overloaded that I can't function. I can't figure out where to go or what I need to buy. It is totally overwhelming. This is followed by high levels of dizziness.

I feel that the more I practice, not using my cane, the faster I will return to a normal state. It forces my brain to use the input signals (eyes, body sensing signals and touch) to walk and move without getting dizzy. I feel like I'm learning to walk all over again. When I go to school on a substitute job and feel okay at first, I will take a folding cane and not use it. By the end of the day, I will feel really tired and start to feel dizzy. This is when I have to monitor myself in the level of dizziness. I often get asked if I'm afraid of falling, my answer is no. Even if I do fall, well, you just get up. I continue to find it very annoying when people treat me like I'm a frail old woman. Get a grip folks I'm only 66.

Another thing that pisses me off is that more specialists are not accepting Medicare or my state Medicaid. This has meant I have had to pay out $35-$40 co-pays +20% not covered by Medicare. These doctors do not even think about how this might affect their patients. I just got done paying off the bill from the round of hearing and balance testing. Now I am supposed to go back next month. Plus, I return to the ENT at the end of June and I still owe him money. Even physical therapy once a week is $140 in co-pays for the month. The month of June means extra medical bills as I go into loss of teaching income. The medical community does not seem to get it. There's a reason I have Medicaid. How do these folks think poor people are going to pay those co-pays and other medical costs, just because they don't want to take or be a provider? No wonder low income people and/or especially those at or below the poverty line do not go to the doctor or get their scripts filled. This causes a worsening of chronic illnesses and the development of new winds. This affects people's ability to work and take care of their families and home.

 

POT- AS IN FLOWERS

May 10, 2013

Have been busy cleaning and bleaching my pots to use for flowers. I attended a "planting in pots" workshop given by the local extension office about a month ago. I have not emptied my flowerpots and scrub them in a long time. The pansies I planted in the window boxes (they droop a little on the old front porch) are large and their yellow and deep blue colors are real eye poppers. Since I don't have a lot of money to purchase flowers, I purchased geraniums. I put them in clay pots and put them around my small perennial garden. The key is a pop of color. I also keep my geraniums over the winter by pulling them up out of the pots. I trimmed them back and shake off the soil. Then they are placed in paper bags and put into the pantry where it is cool and dark. Depending on the weather, I will set them in their bags on the enclosed (but unheated) front porch. This is usually sometime in March. In a couple of weeks I get them potted and remove the dead stems as the weather warms up, they quickly produce leaves. Since I do not have a heated porch, I do have to wait a little longer for flowers. However, it cost a lot less.

If you wonder how a person with balance disorders can do gardening, it is due to the waxing and waning of my dizziness. I do have some days when I'm okay. My body lets me know when it is not a garden day.

BEING POOR AND TECHNOLOGY

May 2, 2013

I was unable to find a ride to the University to see the neurologist, even after asking 5 people. Several people suggested I try to have my MRI results transmitted electronically. Then, if he thought I should come back, I could set a follow-up appointment at that time with the neurologist. I called the radiology center to see if they could do this, the records Dept. confirmed my information and told me it was done. Just click a button, amazing- stress vaporized.

The bottom line was that the neurologist just could not find any neurological reason for all of their vertigo and balance, dizziness problems. So, back to square one. Huge let down. I have an appointment with my ENT at the end of May. So what's next, have already started searching on the Internet for another university that actually has a program that specializes in balance disorders. So for now, there's not much else I can do but let go of it for a while

VERTIGO AT THE HAIRDRESSER

April 22, 2013

It was a beautiful Saturday. After a couple of errands in town I stopped to get my hair done on the way home. I was feeling fine. I was going to get some yard work done. That evening I had plans to attend a play at local community college.

Finally it was my turn. I followed the beautician to the wash bowl. When I leaned my head back the room started to spin around. The whole washing process had to slow down. Then, when the beautician started to wash my hair with her fingers I had another spell of vertigo. I asked her to be really gentle. Somehow I managed to get my hair colored, washed, trimmed and styled. Even with a cane it was a challenge to get out the door to my car. I was fortunate that my house was only about a block away. I urgently needed to use the bathroom so I raced into the house. Then I started to throw-up. I do not even remember peeing. By the time I was done, I was done in. Now I was extremely dizzy. Technically this stage was not vertigo since there was no spinning. I was dizzy and not the room. Well the aftershocks lasted for four or five days. I was constantly nauseated and could not work or drive or get around. I spent a lot of time on the sofa. This was almost as severe an episode as I had last August when the whole thing started.

SPRING EXPLODED FROM BONE MEAL!

April 15, 2013.

Spring has really exploded. It was just waiting for the weather to warm up. My daffodils looked like Martha Steward's garden without the gardener. There were all types of different daffodils…..jonquils, narcissi, doubles, singles. All those long forgotten bulbs which I planted and have never bloomed. As a result of a heavy dose of bone meal in the fall, I received a visual parade of flowers and totally forgot all about Vertigo. You are supposed to put bone meal around the bulbs in the early spring as the daffodils start to come up. Because of the Raynauds in my hands it is usually too cold in the spring.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDMA

March 23, 2013

I was surprised by a "Grand" birthday my southern son called me and we had a chatty conservation. As he said goodbye, he quipped "oh, by the way Happy Birthday". It was the first time he remembered ever. (He did tell me it was Face Book). Then my northern son called and wished me happy birthday. But it was my granddaughter who was on the line when I answered and sang "Happy Birthday" to me. It was the sweetest sound I ever heard in a long time. She has that song down pat-since she goes to a lot of birthday parties.

WHAT ABOUT THE GRANDCHILDREN?

February 22, 2013

My relation with my Northern (N) son continues to worsen. Now I was getting fewer and fewer opportunities to talk to my granddaughter. He said "it was my decision to do what was right for my family". This time I did some confrontation such as the person who was being hurt the most was my granddaughter. Her grandmother whom she loved was being taken away from her. My son was modeling how to treat mothers and grandmothers. I asked him how long he was going to hang on to all this anger. I asked if he remembered how angry he was with his brother when he and I were estranged and was causing me a lot of pain. No response. The last thing I said was did he even have a clue as to how much he was hurting me?

About an hour later the phone rang and it was my granddaughter asking if I wanted to "Skype". After telling her how much I loved her I said I would have to fire up my computer. Her response was "awesome". Then she said I'll be in my chair waiting. She likes to share with me her pictures, new toys or something from her pre-school. A few days later I got an email from my northern son (N) saying he was coming down in a couple of weeks with JJ and stay at the motel in town with a pool. I was in shock.

I was also surprised at how well the visit went. The focus was on JJ. She was so excited to see me. We all went swimming, out to dinner, played hide and seek and did ceramics at "Frog and Toad". They came over to the house to visit. JJ told me she could hardly wait to get here to play with "Grandma's toys". There was hardly any tension. My son actually seemed to be relaxed. They had driven down making a 2 day drive each way.

I felt like I got a hypodermic needle of feel good family love.

Vertigo, Dizziness, and Disequilibrium

December 20, 2012

 

After seeing the ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor, he told me I could discontinue my physical therapy because he felt the test results from a hearing and balance Doctor were inconclusive. So off I went for more testing: M I R and Sonogram of the neck to check for vascular issues or tumors. No tumors or blood clots were found. Next I was scheduled to see a neurologist at University medical school. All I knew was you have to wait months to see the specialists plus, none of them agree on what is causing the problem. I've learned more about the kinds of vertigo and balance issues on the Internet.

My problems started out as a major vertigo episode back in August that landed me in the hospital. I have also experienced dizziness, and this disequilibrium which can be the result of the dysfunction of the balance organs of the inner ear. This is called a peripheral vestibular disorder.

I have been amazed at how complicated it is to be able to walk upright without falling over, or not getting dizzy for days at a time. There is also a central vestibular disorder, which is a dysfunction of one or more of parts of the central nervous system that helps with balance.

• Dizziness: can be described as light headedness, faintness or unsteadiness. It does not include "Room spinning".
  
• Vertigo: is actually the perception of movement or whirling or "room spinning" of the self or the room.
  
• Disequilibrium: unsteadiness, imbalance, or spatial orientation.
  
• Spatial Disorientation: sensation of not knowing where one's body is in relation to the vertical and horizontal plan.
  

Vestibular Disorders Association, "Causes of Dizziness", www.vestibular.org.

 

I have experienced all of these since August. I was slowly improving to where I didn't need a cane for after 3 days a week. However, walking any distance, like a mall or the market – I was pretty slow and often looked like I was drunk. On really good days I've been able to work as a substitute teacher. Walking down the hallway of students was a challenge. There were some students I may have had thoughts of smacking with my cane!

Some doctors think I have a vestibular disorder because of how the dizziness presents when I am moving, standing up, walking, turning around, etc. The body maintains its balance by a multi-system of signals. It begins in the inner air with signals from tiny balance organ. They work with the visual system so you can know where you are standing, sitting, and lying down. These visual organs can also keep objects from moving when your head moves. The 3rd system is the touch sensors in your feed, trunk, spine and scan. As a result, the sensory input from these 3 systems: vestibular (inner ear), vision, and touch sensors send balance signals to your brain, which processes them to send feedback to your eyes and muscle to help maintain balance and posture. There are more than a dozen different balance disorders. I feel like I have had them all.

Vertigo and Other Episodes from Hell

December 15, 2012

 

It continued to be a difficult winter. My vertigo is still unresolved and I have had several relapses. I was also struggling with extreme exhaustion. Given the stress level in my life, it was not surprising.

During Thanksgiving I had a small electrical fire in a breaker box. The house was a hodgepodge of add- on fuses. Now, half the house had its electric shut off, including my office. All this required replacing all the fuse boxes with an upgrade Breaker box on a panel. Thank heavens, my southern son (formerly estranged) help me decide which direction to go along with my brother-in-law. The funds were contributed from family, me, and a trust fund. At the last minute, I discovered my home owner's insurance company would cover a large chunk of the upgrade. With this we decided to go to a 200 amp upgrade. Now at least my electric was in the modern age relative to a four bedroom house. This feature would also be a plus when I am ready to sell out.

It was Christmas time before I could finally get the work done. A week later when I went to take the woods stove ashes out. I found my office filled with black smoke. It was pouring out of the top of my furnace. Fortunately it was not a major repair, but it meant calling the plumber out on a Saturday. He was not very happy and I was charged extra for the emergency call.

There was also one car repair after another, including new brakes and a bad starter for which I had to pay for it to be towed to the garage from my driveway. As if all of this wasn't stressful enough, my northern son was still not speaking to me. I was told that I was no longer invited to their house. He was not even going to allow me to Skype with my granddaughter when opening my Christmas gifts. I asked him what my granddaughter wanted. She wanted to have grandma see her open her presents. Well, with my vertigo, plus the estranged relationship, I had already decided not to try to travel. I only hoped with spring and the longer days, I would start to feel better. I could only pray for my family and send my dear granddaughter cute little cards, not knowing if she would get them

TRAVELING AT IT’S WORST

December 10, 2012

I am still struggling from Vertigo from last August. It can really turn your world upside down and it's a lot more complex than I ever knew. But first as if the ordeal at the hospital and Rehab center were not enough last August; my trip home was a traveling nightmare. It was over an hour drive to the airport. I arrived at the curb side check-in only to find that my flight had been canceled. Due to the Vertigo I needed to use a wheel chair to get around. The next flight was not until 7:30 pm. I did get a voucher for lunch and $200 towards another flight plus no charge for my second bag. My son had left after lunch to return home. I had to get a sky cap to take me to the gate. There I sat all afternoon by myself. At one point the place filled up. I was getting ready until they announced the flight was going to San Francisco. I thought about getting onboard but alas the flight was full. Next thing I knew it was past time to board and there were no people. I checked my boarding pass and I saw that the sky cap had taken me to the wrong gate. By the time someone came to take my wheel chair to the correct gate I found the second flight had also been cancelled. Now it is 8:00 pm and the airlines are trying to rebook flights of the last remaining passengers. I discovered being in a wheel chair was not conducive to having a conversation with the ticket agent behind a tall desk or hearing what they were saying.

My flight was rebooked for 7:30 am the next morning. There was a couple with what appeared to be a college age son waiting with me. Now the ticket agent also had to hand out more vouchers for overnight accommodations and dinner. Plus I got another voucher for $150 towards another flight. The airlines told us we were booked for the same flight in the morning and asked the couple if they would assist me in getting to the hotel and getting to my room. Then in the morning assist in getting back. By now I was really exhausted and I was grateful this family took me under their wing. None of us had any baggage. I did have my med bag and some clean underwear. So I got to sleep in the same clothes I had been wearing all day knowing I'd be wearing them again all the next day.

The next morning at 5:00 am my travel angels came to get me for the half hour trip back to the airport. When we got to security I was asked if the family was with me because I was taken to a handicapped only line. My response was today they were part of my family. We got to the concourse area heading to our gate. They were pushing my wheel chair. I was holding my now 3 third boarding pass and was looking at it and saw my gate number started with a letter C and all these gates began with a letter B. So we went to the nearest ticket counter agent to find out where my gate was. We pretty quickly realized that we were not on the same flight at all. Matter of fact my flight was in a different terminal on the other side of the airport. On top of that my flight was in the process of boarding and there was no way I could make it on time. I said goodbye to my travel angels who were on their way to the Midwest for another son's graduation.

As a consequence of fuel costs, airlines have reduced the number of flights. Now I had to reschedule yet another flight for the fourth attempt to get home. In addition, my brother was picking me up in Virginia and helping me get to my car which was at his house. So every flight change meant a call to him who in turn had to change his plans.

Initially the airlines wanted to book me on their next flight which was the same 2:30 afternoon flight I was suppose to take the day before. I told them that I had two flights cancelled and was given the wrong info for a third flight. I insisted that they find me a flight home on a different carrier before noon. The only thing they could do was into a different airport. I insisted again that they get me to the airport where my brother was waiting for me. It would have been about a two hour round trip drive in rush hour traffic. They finally agreed to cover the cost of the hour taxi ride. By the time I got to my car, I still had a 2 ½ drive home.

VERTIGO AT THE HOSPITAL

 

I had another appointment with the neurolgist at the university. It was in the middle of Holy Week. There was bad weather predicted.  I was able to get a driver from my church to drive me out.  That was a smart decision because I awoke in the morning having another attack of vertigo and throwing up.  I was suppose to meet the person at church.  I called him and said I couldn't drive because I had to take some medicine.  So he came out to the house to get me.  I took a waste can with me just in case.  We hit bad weather along the high ridges in the mountains.

I was able to walk into the hospital.  I spent most of the time with a medical student who did my history.  The neurologist came in and said there were no pictures with the medical records discs.  He did a basic neurological physical exam.  I had to lie back on the exam table.  He asked me to roll my pants leg up to above my knee as I lifted my head.  I got attacked number two of vertigo as I grabbed my head with the room spinning around.  I proceeded to have it happen  two more times just trying to get up from the table.  The doctor got all excited calling for the medical student to come and look at my eyes doing jumping jacks or mystigmas (rapid eye movement).  I called out that they better get me a trash can before I threw up all over them.  They were lucky that I didn't.  After four hours, I left in a wheelchair because now I was so dizzy I could not walk out of there.  The doctor still wanted the actual MRI pictures.  So another appointment was made.