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| This Conspiracy of Ravens gathered to tell me of my woes |
The doctor listened to my vertigo story and thought it probably was caused by Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). I told her that all of my blogging friends and all of my Facebook friends had made the same diagnosis. We laughed. I, on the other hand, told her that I think it has to do with my neck. We'll see. So far things have calmed down, only a bit of unsteadiness when I move too quickly. I can live with that. She gave me a handout of exercises to do and a lot of information about vertigo. She had the lab run a bunch of blood tests. The results of which turned out to be normal. How can that be? I have no idea. I'm not normal in any way!
So, we walked home and all I could think about was being exposed to the flu at the clinic. I was so bummed out about it. It was exactly what I did not want to happen. I've been reading and commenting on Facebook posts by a woman (we have a mutual friend) who used to live here in our small town, and who happened to be on the cruise ship the Diamond Princess, the one that's been docked in Japan and under quarantine for the past eleven days. I wish I could emulate her calm spirit and nature, her kindness, her acceptance of the moment. Instead I started googling around to find out how long it takes for flu symptoms to show up after exposure (24-48 hours, but sometimes up to 4 days). What are the first symptoms (the usual, sore throat, headache, fever, chills, etc). How long does it last (a week and maybe two before all the symptoms are gone). I spoke with my nephew about my fears and he suggested that I take Elderberry syrup. Turns out it's a pretty good natural way to manage the flu. I started to take it as a precaution. As I type this, it has been 48 hours and so far so good. But what a world we live in, what a world.
So, do I have answers? No, not really. But now I'm just going to concentrate on the primary election coming up in March here in California on Super Tuesday. That sounds like fun, doesn't it? I'm so worried about the future I think I'm making myself sick. What a world we live in, what a world.
How are you?
So glad you’re on the mend, and that your tests are normal. Pamper yourself for a while. Self care is vital right now. And thank you for voting on March 3.
ReplyDelete37paddington-- I'm on the mend, but I'm brokenhearted by the times we're living in. Yes to self-care. It's so vital. We're all in this together.
DeleteYes, that's the same as I had, though that word "benign" is a bit misleading as you feel rough for a while afterwards and I found it somehow undermined my confidence till I eventually decided that it had gone away.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness we don't have primaries here, but remember "bad politicians are elected by good people who don't vote".
John-- Yes, benign does seem like an odd word for this experience. You are so right about it undermining confidence. I woke in the middle of the night last night and was nervous for a moment that the room was about to spin again. I'm looking forward to the sense of it really being gone. I like that quote very much.
DeleteGlad you got checked and are doing a bit better. Understand your concern about the flu. I went to my pulmonologist and am a bit ashamed of my mental reaction when my nice Asian doc walked in and coughed 3 times. Like you I passed the 4 day period. Stay well robin.
ReplyDeletePatti-- This idea of a sickness having a "season" really knocks me out. We have to be so aware all the time when out in public and especially health care facilities. When we were at the store getting the elderberry syrup, a man was in the same aisle sneezing and sneezing. I was so not happy about that. Glad all is well for you too, my friend.
DeleteUgh, I hate medical waiting rooms. I've gotten to the point where I wait in the car and have them text me when it's time to come in.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I think you might be on to something though when you say you might be making yourself sick by worrying about the future.
Sharon-- I thought about waiting outside and asking for them to text me. I think I'll try that next time. It's hard not to make ourselves sick through worry right now. Such a difficult time.
DeletePersonal problems and world problems can get us down. Some of them we can do very little about. Some of them like the flu will just happen no matter what.
ReplyDeleteRed-- It's true about the personal and world problems. Combined, they can seriously make us feel sick.
DeleteWhatever the cause, vertigo is pretty awful. Sabine and I have both experienced considerable vertigo although Sabine suffers from it far more than I do. Her's is autoimmune and mine is Meniere's. Either way, when you can't walk or drive or tell which way is up......it's scary.
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to the bottom of yours or just NEVER have it again.
Linda-- Wow, you have Meniere's. I've been reading up on that and what a true bummer that is. Yikes. I am so sorry. I'm hoping for NEVER. The same way I'm hoping Trump will NEVER steal another election.
DeleteIt is frustrating not to have exact answers but such is the nature of humans. I'm so glad you are better. I agree about doctor offices and clinics. I am also very suspicious at the over-the-counter cold/flu medications in the drug store. I am very fearful of what may have been touched and put back on the shelf. My husband laughs at me and tells me that Jesus touched the lepers. To which I reply, "Yes and he had a better immune system than I."
ReplyDeleteNCmountainwoman-- When we were buying the Elderberry syrup at our local co-op, a guy in the same aisle was sneezing and sneezing. I couldn't believe it. I hadn't thought about people touching the over-the-counter meds. Ugh. The whole public sphere this season... ugh...! I like your husband's comment and your reply. Excellent!
DeleteThe BRD occasionally suffers from vertigo and has come up with a homeopathic remedy involving exercises done with turning of the head. Sounds like what your doctor recommended.
ReplyDeleteCatalyst-- I am surprised by how many people suffer from vertigo. I'm planning on doing the exercises if/when I have another bout of it.
DeleteWonderful raven photo! So good to know that you have a diagnosis now (I love that your doctor laughed about the fact that you had already been diagnosed by friends!) and that your labs are normal.
ReplyDeleteYou've inspired me to cancel my non-urgent medical appointment on Wednesday until flu season is long over (-:
am-- So glad you like the raven photo. We see a lot of ravens on our big neighborhood loop walk. I also loved that my doc laughed about my friends diagnosing me. I think it's a good idea to avoid the doc if you can until this flu season is over.
Deletewhen I shared a waiting room at the free clinic, I wore a mask. I was the only one doing so, and I wasn't sick, nor planning to become sick. There were all these signs posted on the walls about the Coronovirus...but nobody was taking it seriously yet. Sorry, I bothered a couple of friends by my anxiety, but I sure felt better being a bit safe. And washing my hands (which all the staff were doing) with those hand sanitizers after touching anything. Doorknobs! Ach!
ReplyDeleteBarbara-- I wish I had brought the mask with me. I will definitely the next time we go. It was quite unusual for the clinic to not have masks available. I told the doc about it, and I am assuming she let the staff know. I'm completely germ-a-phobic. I wash my hands all the time. Ugh.
DeleteWhen we left the US for the last time in April 1972 we were taking all our worldly possessions. We'd got rid of our two daughters some weeks before by hiring an air stewardness (Is this what they're still called?) to accompany them on the flight to Heathrow. But now we had two massive trunks, an overstuffed wooden packing case that was bursting at the seams, and - not least - our VW Variant (That's a car not a sex criminal). We booked a crossing on the SS France, a so-called luxury liner that was making its last transatlantic crossing before entering the wrecker's yard.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that someone might do this willingly - as an expensive holiday - rapidly became heavily ironic. Normally we can occupy ourselves with books, in the midst of typhoons, worker revolutions and minor outbreaks of war, whatever. But the sense of confinement turned prose into ashes. On consecutive days I saw the same film twice and it wasn't a good film. We fratched, over-ate and over-drank (a litre or red and a litre of white at lunch; same thing at dinner), united in only one belief: that we would never - ever - take a cruise that we didn't have to. The people on the Diamond Princess have our deepest sympathy.
I can't remember, didn't you have a flu jab? We have them every year. Many people confuse having a heavy cold with flu. They wouldn't if they'd had flu. Just once in my case, in my twenties soon after I'd moved to London. Like living in a walking coma or becoming a transgender version of Alice In Wonderland. Fever to the power of n where n is a very large number.
Glad to see you improving, fingers crossed.
Roderick-- We love your description of cruise ship travel. It's pretty much how I thought it would be. I plan to never go on one EVER. I also don't fly in airplanes, but that's because I'm claustrophobic and have eustachian tube dysfunction, which means my ears don't like all that crazy altitude stuff.
DeleteAbout the flu, I have never had the flu shot, and over the past decade or so, I think I've I'd the actual flu twice. It's a BUMMER in every way. I am not sick in the viral sense, but I do have rickety old bones and crazy inner ears.
Get a flu shot every year unless you are allergic. There is no live virus in the vaccine and it cannot give you flu.
DeleteNCmountainwoman-- For the first time I'm actually considering getting the shot next year. I really would like to not have to be afraid every time I go out in public. I'll still every precaution as well, and wash my hands like crazy!
DeleteWhat a world, indeed.
ReplyDeleteColette-- Yes. I'm hoping things improve. Sigh.
DeleteWell, I'm glad you got it checked out, and here's hoping it's BPPV. (I think we're hoping for that, anyway, relative to more serious things -- right?!)
ReplyDeleteWhat a world, for sure. It's crazy out there.
Steve-- I think BPPV is a good and less scary diagnosis than other things.
DeleteThat's a pretty common diagnosis. Face masks really don't give much protection against the flu, because you can get it from "fomites," i.e. objects that infected people have touched or sneezed on or whatever, which includes the arms of the chairs in the office. Hand washing helps the most, and the shots aren't 100% effective but they help your chances. Anyway, the vertigo shouldn't be a whole lot to worry about unless it really messes up your quality of life. Hope it just goes away.
ReplyDeleteCervantes-- I've never experienced anything quite like that night of Vertigo. Ugh. About hand washing, it's a good thing I've been utterly neurotic about that for many, many years. I scrub like a surgeon prepping for surgery. I've never had the flu shot and might consider it next year. Not really sure. Thank you so much for stopping by. It's been a while since we've seen you here, and it's so nice to see you again!
DeleteGlad you were checked out and nothing serious found, Robin. But, Of course, now you have given yourself a new worry and hope that turns out to be groundless. i agree that the state of the world can make us feel sick. What type of a pill can we take to make it better?
ReplyDeleteBeatrice-- Well, we didn't catch the flu, and that made us very relieved! I love the idea of a pill to make us happy. Hoping the next election is the happy pill.
DeleteNice raven shot, all perched on the fence posts.
ReplyDeleteI have read that the face masks may help most by keeping you from touching your face around your nose and mouth.
The only time I ever had the flu was around 50 years ago when I was a freshman in college. I missed a week of classes. I get the shot now.
Mark-- Really glad you liked that raven photo. We see them around that pasture so often. I am considering getting the flu shot next year. It's beginning to sound like the right way to go.
Delete"Elderberry syrup". Um, by that he did NOT mean Mogen David.
ReplyDeletePhil-- I had been thinking that maybe we should try some Elderberry Wine next!
Delete