Not a Dream
I woke up about 5:30 AM, sat up on the side of my bed, just as I have done for many years-----AND I WAS INTRODUCED TO MY NIGHTMARE.
As I went to stand up, the room started spinning in one direction and my head started spinning the opposite direction. I also got the feeling that I was falling into a deep dark tunnel that was going very, very deep into the floor of my room. Both sides of the tunnel were spinning one direction and and I was spinning the opposite way and I was becoming sick to my stomach.
It was the most debilitating feeling I have ever had in my life. I could do NOTHING.
Everything was dark, the tunnel was deep and the last thing I remember, was that I had no sense of reality. I did not know where I was. I thought I had fallen down. However I was in my bed when my daughter found me. She was standing by the bed, trying to wake me up.
I don't remember it but she says I called her and told her I had fallen and I could not get up.
I had been Introduced to, and had my first experience with what is known as (BPPV), or as it is known in Medical Circles as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Of course I did not know what it was and had never heard of it before.
My daughter and I both thought first of a stroke, heart attack and then perhaps my organs were shutting down.
She bundled me up, put me in the car and we made a quick trip to IHC. There I was poked, prodded, and scanned by a couple of different machines.
After about six hours of testing I was told that nothing could be found of a neurological nature and no blood problems. The problem was not life threatening and I was being released to go home. HOW COULD THAT BE??? HOW COULD I BE SO MISERABLE, and nothing be wrong?
When I was twirling around and rolling like a marble in a tin can, I actually thought I was on my way to dying.
Fortunately the Doctor in the emergency room suggested I go to a Hearing and Balance Center as soon as I could and also see my ENT Doctor.
The Doctor at the Hearing and Balance Center took one look at me and listened to my explanation of what happened, had me move my head around a bit and immediately diagnosed me with BPPV.
I was told that my feelings and actions of the night before were caused by some small calcium crystals in your inner ear canal. They also told me that the actions that I thought happened the night before probably did not happen but the feeling was caused by BPPV.
GIVE ME A BREAK!! How can that be. I was twisted around and bounced around so much that in addition to all the other things I was very nauseous, and believe me it was REAL. I did not know where I was, I could not stand up and I was not cognitive. Now I am told that all this is caused by some small crystals in my ear!!
I was told I could have a treatment today and it would probably fix the problem, but perhaps I might have to come back for up to three.
I had the treatment. NO it was not fun. I walked out of the clinic with no headache, no dizziness. I almost could not believe it.
YES I NOW REALIZE HOW GREAT OUR MEDICAL SYSTEM IS. Yes I realize I really did have BPPV. Yes, I do hope it is my first experience and I hope my last.
YES IT WAS A VERY, VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE.
W.R. Baldwin
January 2016
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