Summer Postings

Will be taking a break from my blog for the time being.

Hope you all have a great summer.....and for all the dizzy readers....hope you have a spin free couple of months to enjoy the warmer weather!

Let Me Off This Rollercoaster!

I'm not sure what was going on week before last.  I had been feeling pretty good for the most part. Then for five days I had one of my worst experiences with tinnitus. It knocked me off my feet. I found myself on such an emotional roller-coaster. I started falling into a deep hole and the more I tried to climb out the deeper I fell. I haven't had such a feeling of despair for a long time. I was enjoying getting my life back on track and loved the feeling of being able to come and go as I pleased once again. As the stretch of tinnitus went into day three and four I found my freedom starting to fade. All I could do was cry, it was as if I was mourning the loss of a good friend. That friend being my freedom. It was a reminder to me that this f**ked up inner ear experience still runs the show. As much as I try to keep it under control it still has the power to take over and cause me much unwanted chaos.

As of today I am feeling better and with each passing day I am getting stronger and getting back on track. I am happy to report that  I am regaining my freedom once again. With the help of my husband and my dizzy friends my attitude has shifted back to a more positive mode. I'm out of the funk that consumed my life during those five days. I can honestly say that I was terrified that I was starting to slide backwards. I am so relieved that this was not the case.

Life goes on and so do I.

Hope you all have a dizzy free weekend.

Holding My Breath

For the last eight weeks I have been feeling pretty good. Most days my Meniere's symptoms are minimal and manageable. In the past, when I would have a week long stretch of feeling this good, I always felt like cousin Oliver (my code name for the onset of vertigo symtoms) was hiding around the corner just waiting to catch me off guard. This time it is different for some reason. I have not had any dizziness or vertigo for the last two months. I still experience tinnitus, brain fog, some ear pressure and the occasional headache but nothing like a couple of months ago. Maybe my holistic approach to living with Meniere's is starting to pay off.

A few months ago I purchased a book called "Let's Get Better" by Meniere Man on Amazon.com. Not sure exactly who this Meniere Man is - but the book is a good read. He talks about his experience of being diagnosed with Meniere's in his mid forties. He focuses on diet, exercise and alternative treatments in managing his Meniere's. Of all the books I have read, this one has been the most down to earth and helpful.

His approach to living with a chronic condition like Meniere's makes the most sense to me. By making my body as healthy and as strong as possible I have more of a fighting chance to find a place where I can live with this chronic condition with the least amount of restrictions.. I am not big on taking meds to manage the Meniere's unless my doctor can give me a logical reason why I should take them. I am also not ready to have any invasive procedures done at this point either ~ the success rates are not high enough for me to risk a poor outcome.. Fortunately, the ENT I have now takes a conservative approach to helping me manage my Meniere's symptoms.

I am now focused more on stabilizing my symptoms rather than stressing about how to make them go away. Which I don't think will ever happen anyway. I have better days and worse days. Fortunately for now,  I have reached a point where I am able to coexist with my symptoms and lead a fairly functional life.

The Power of Friendship

I can't even begin to imagine this journey without my dizzy friends. Yes, I have my husband and yes, he has been my rock and has stuck by me through thick and thin. However, having dizzy friends that are also living with an inner ear disorder too, are an integral part of being able to lead a productive and meaningful life. Just being able to share my feelings with friends who totally get my experience is worth more than all the money in the world. Having friends I can call anytime of the day to help me get through a rough patch is invaluable. Being able to just laugh about the absurdity of living with a dysfunctional vestibular system makes life more bearable. Having an actual authentic connection to another human being that shares my perspective with all of this chaos seems to help it all make sense. There is no way I could ever attach a price tag to friendships like these ~ they are priceless!

The support of my family and friends is important, but being able to have dizzy friends walking beside me on this journey makes the road a lot less lonely.

Here are two of my favorite business sites that are owned by a couple of my dizzy friends.Support works both ways. They are here for me and I am there for them.

Check them out :-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/StellarDesignz

Browse the shop for simply elegant, contemporary designs for all occasions. Enjoy boutique-quality, signature pieces at affordable prices. Each jewelry creation is beautifully and personally crafted by hand using high quality materials. Pieces are uniquely one-of-a-kind or limited edition. Each order comes in a small box perfect for gift-giving. 



 http://www.barfboutique.com/

Our tin tie barf bags are waterproof, reusable, and sealable just like the ones found in airplanes but much, much prettier. We offer 115 original & iconic designs with a dash of humor and panache. These nifty, multipurpose bags make great gag gifts, party bags, goody bags, doggy bags, mini diaper bags, overnight toiletry bags, mini trash bags, and anything else you can dream up. The possibilities are endless!


Hope you all have a great dizzy-free weekend! 

For Better Or For Worse, In Sickness And In Health

My first couple of months living with Meniere's were seriously a living hell. I had days where I could see nothing but darkness. I thought I was doomed to a life of constant misery. It was during those dark days that I started to realize just how fortunate I was to be blessed with a caring and compassionate husband.

My husband has been my rock throughout this journey. I never realized one could love another human being so deeply. He has stepped up to the plate so many times to help me through each vertigo attack. Doing all those unpleasant tasks that go along with an episode of vertigo (which I know I need not explain in detail). He has held me to comfort me when the room was spinning so fast that I felt like I was losing control. His words of encouragement to help me get back on my feet and start living my life again are to this day never-ending..What did I do to deserve this human being? Where would I be without him? When he said to me, "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health." he truly meant it. I never realized at the time just how much those words would mean to me now. I have fallen in love with my husband all over again and can't imagine sharing my life with anyone else.

I have much to be grateful for and this I now know to be true.

I'll Take "Baby Steps" For Five Hundred Dollars Alex

A willingness to show  perseverance and diligence in order to accomplish a task. "What is patience? Alex".

Yes the biggest lesson I have learned from having an inner ear disorder is to be patient. A word that was never been a welcome part of my vocabulary. I have always been the type of person who likes a world filled with instant gratification. After seven months of living with this disorder I can honestly say that instant gratification is no longer a part of my life. Meniere's has been like an annoying little brother constantly making me slow down and be patient. I used to get frustrated when I could not master something after a couple of tries but now I am quite content with taking baby steps to reach my goals.

A few months ago my goal was to be more active. My ability to stay upright without being dizzy was not good. Initially I started off with a twenty minute a day walk with my dog. Some days were easier than others and a few days I could not go at all because my balance was so unsteady. I persevered though and after a couple of weeks I was able to add a few trips to the gym for a cardio workout. Gradually every couple of weeks I increased the intensity of each workout and added in a couple of Zumba classes. Throw in a three mile walk every couple of weeks with my husband and that's where I am today. I still have to make sure I rest for a couple of hours after doing any kind of strenuous physical activity. With that said I am feeling much stronger these days. As an added bonus my symptoms have become more manageable.  They are never gone but they have reached the point where I have stretches when I don't even notice them.

Seven months ago this amount of physical activity would have been out of the question for me. I wasn't able to walk from the  living-room to the kitchen without the aide of walls and door jams. Had I not developed some patience during this time I  know I would not be where I am now. Learning to be patient and to take baby steps has been a valuable lesson. One that will serve me well on this journey to wellness.


Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states.  ~Carol Welch

My Ah-ha Moment

The diagnosis of Meniere's has been a mixed blessing. There have been both good and bad changes in my life. The bad is pretty obvious for anyone dealing with an inner ear disorder.. The constant fluctuations in my symptoms make it difficult to make any short or long term plans. Fortunately for me my friends are very accommodating and will go out of their way to always make me feel welcome. As for the good side, having Meniere's has been the catalyst that has forced me into creating healthy boundaries. Which is something I have always had difficulties doing.

 I have always put everyone else's needs before my own. I was brought up in a family that did not tolerate selfishness. Living with Meniere's has made me realize that not only do I need to be a little selfish about my needs, it is critical that I put my well being at the top of my "to do" list if I am to be of any service to others.
By setting boundaries I have discovered a new sort of freedom that I have never before experienced. I am more honest about my intentions. I focus my energy on the people that enrich my life and take a step back from those who drain it. Wish I would have learned this lesson much sooner in my life.

When we know better, we do better ~ Maya Angelou