Neurotologist this morning... a bit nervous. in Second 1st

Info on last entry - Rocky did not hear me :(. When the guy came for the quote we switched it up on him for a quote on new windows instead. The guy did an amazing job on a presentation and honestly I was amazed with the quality of the windows they had to offer..... but the price.... to replace our windows would be something like 14 grand. sigh just not ready for that right now. So we sent him on his way.

I had another horrible weekend in which I only worked 1 day. I go the the nerve doc this morning. ....

I had written Rocky a message on the white board last night:

Rocky,
My appointment is at 9am. The office is about 45 mins away. We should leave by 8:15. You will need to be up by 7:30. IF you are not up by 10 till 8 I am leaving without you. I will want the extra time in case I get lost and you know how I hate driving in Nashville. Get to bed as quick as you can. Hope you had a good night. Love, me

I wrote it every other sentence was a different color in hopes that it would be easier to see....

It was 3 am when I got up to use the restroom and he was playing video games. I asked if he was just trying to stay up all night then. “Yeah” I said okay then lets go out and get something to eat. We talked a bit about today. It’s going to be rough for him because his dad (adopted not bio) is going to stop by because he needs help with his truck and of course it’s Tuesdays now that the DnD group will be over. So, after the appointment there really won’t be a ton of time. He really should have laid down as soon as he got home. We got Steak n Shake (note a single steak burger has 300mg normally. I get mine with no pickles and no condiments so it’s even less) . Got back at 10 till 5 so I worked on 5am Justin’s. I looked down the hallway and no lights are on so I’m guessing he went to take a nap. I’ll attempt to wake him at 7:30 but that’s it, after that I’ll prep myself (mentally) for the stupid Nashville drive.

I am getting ready to talk to a “new” doctor so I filled out the papers they had sent me and decided to spend my morning writing a summary I intend to read (this feels long and you guys know most of it so no real reason to read it) :

About 2 weeks prior to the MRI (can’t remember or find the date but have that info in the car) I thought my ear was clogged with wax. I attempted to remove it myself but ended up at my PCP who suggested allergy meds. Ended up going to an ENT who set me up for hearing test and an MRI. Found hearing loss but nothing on the MRI (presented).

April 29th 2018 woke up dizzy and fell into my bedroom wall. I managed through a weekend at work until I had to go home early Sunday, getting dizzy 6 times in an hour. They sent me home and made my husband come get me. Steroid pack from the PCP and a visit to the ENT. Testing and a diagnosis of Meniere’s 6-13-18.
Steroid shots to the eardrums 9-26, 10-03, and 10-10.

Since then it has gotten much worse. I get dizzy/motion sickness in 12 steps in the morning. Fatigue, brain fog, vertigo/off balance, nausea and vomiting are my biggest complaints. Tinnitus has been reduced, I’d say 80-85% since I got a hearing aid in November. Fullness was dramatically reduced with diuretic (Triamterene) early on. i’d say 5 of 7 days a week i have motion sickness all day even with Meclizine. I have dramatically reduced my sodium intake to roughly 1500mg even my high days are below 2000 and at first it helped tremendously.

I only work 3 days a week, 12 hour days. Over the last few months I’ve been allowed to take 3 days off for my disease. I’ve taken every one. On days I can safely get to work I have forgotten how to do my job several times. A job I have been doing for 5 years. It has gotten worse in the last 4 weeks.

December 19th i had an appointment with my ENT. It was a bad day symptom wise and when I had gotten home I took a Diazepam (Valium) and took an hour nap. When I woke up I had my first vomit due to vertigo/motion sickness. It happened again this Saturday.

Friday, when I had worked I missed a step on a stair. Only half a foot was on a step and I kinda fell UP. I’m concerned for my safety and the safety of my co-workers, as well as the inability to take helpful meds like diazepam at work. When I start feeling sick it could be 2 hours before I can take anything for the nausea (Zofran) or persistent motion sickness. Most days the more I do the worse it is. When I’m home I take life in small bites.

Short term disability? Vestibular therapy? What’s next?

I think that about covers it for an introduction to my symptoms and life right now. In a nutshell. I hope.