Friday 12 November 2010

Feeling odd

I’m not writing this as a plea for sympathy but as an objective attempt to understand what is going on. I feel decidedly odd today. (Unkind commentators might observe that this feeling merely reflects my natural condition.)

I had planned to visit the garden centre this morning and then titivate the ornamental hay racks at the front of the house. Presently they are filled with the dead remains of geraniums and a few brave, lingering nasturtiums. However, when I clambered carefully out of bed, trying to avoid disturbing Winston, who sleeps on my feet, and Jenna, always pressed to my back, I had the peculiar sensation of being slightly off-balance. (Again, this leaves me open to cruel remarks.)

Now, a few hours later, I know I cannot trust myself to drive anywhere, so my day will be spent indoors, doing as little as possible (Nothing new there, then!) and hoping the fog will clear. My head is full of cotton wool (My detractors always suspected there was no grey matter in it!) and is threatening to ache. I suppose this is what one of my work colleagues used to refer to as ‘half a headache’.

Barry sporadically suffers from a balance problem – positional vertigo caused by crystals in the inner ear - which causes giddiness and nausea. Medication (betahistine dihydrochloride) helps him and sometimes exercises – the Epley manoeuvre, (similar to the Brandt-Daroff Repositioning Exercise) – are effective, though occasionally they aggravate the vertigo.

The Epley manoeuvre
He had a recurrence of this ailment after we came home from London at the weekend. It has lasted for several days and strangely, just as he is recovering I have developed a similar complaint, though I am not as severely affected as he has been. 

We are wondering now if we have picked up a ‘bug’. It just goes to show, it’s dangerous to go out! You never know how generous people are going to be with their germs. As Adrian Monk would agree, ‘It’s a jungle out there!’

9 comments:

  1. Oh, Janice, I'm so sorry to hear you're not well. The dogs will be so disappointed (just had to say that).
    Seriously, I wish I could say something helpful like "Oh, I know what that is" but I really don't. All I can offer is empathy. I constantly suffer from strange and unusual symptoms. Lost an hour of sleep this morning with muscle spasms in my left leg and cramps in my right foot. That's fibromyalgia, I know, so I worked on getting those out, and along came the gastric reflux.
    So...nothing helpful except I know what it's like to have one of those days when symptoms come at you out of nowhere.
    Warmest wishes for you and Barry and your wonderful family of critters.
    -- K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope you are now feeling better! As you suggest, there's likely a nasty bug going around. On Tuesday I would be halfway through a sentence and then suddenly not be able to think of a simple word such as "glass." My mind would search for the word but not be able to find it. Weird, eh?

    ReplyDelete
  3. By a strange coincidence, I have found out that I have an 'unbalanced feeling', which may be due in part to a
    hearing problem (in the process of trying out an aid),
    or to a neuropathic condition. Thus, I had not thought of the possibility of there being a bug, as you suggest. I have taken to using a walking stick, though am not sure if I really need it. So your experience is usefully
    absorbed as a possibility for another test to rule out
    the need of using unnecessary medications or aids.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kay, thank you. I feel humbled when I read of you afflictions - I really have nothing to complain of - bless you :-)I hope you're feeling better now, too.
    EG - it sounds as though you need a break. Hope the words are coming clearly now - judging by your earlier haiku, I think they must be :-)
    Margaret - I trust that it is a bug afflicting you that will soon go on its merry way. We need a cold snap to kill off all the lergies! (I might regret that!)

    ReplyDelete
  5. It has been a long time ago but I have had similar symptoms with inner ear infections. Hope you are feeling better soon.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I remember years ago my father had a bug that affected his balance. I'll bet that is what it is, although you may need to see a doctor. I hope you are well soon.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sorry you are feeling bad and hope that it resolves quickly.

    Love Monk.

    Darryl and Ruth : )

    ReplyDelete
  8. Me and the Epley Manoeuver are horribly well acquainted! But inner ear infection can cause the same 'Diz' symptoms. But I sympathise, whatever the cause, for being 'off the planet' is a revolting feeling. I hope you're back on Terra Firma soon, if not sooner.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you Squirrel Queen, Belle, Darryl and Ruth, and Jinksy for your sympathy. If nothing worse ever happens to me I shall be fortunate indeed :-)

    ReplyDelete



Thank you for visiting. I love to read your comments and really appreciate you taking the time to respond to posts.

I will always try to repay your visit whenever possible.