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[Mar. 17th, 2008|06:07 pm] |
It's been a long time since I've done any sort of real life update. This is mostly because (for the most part) nothing really changes in my life - Bob and I are still nauseatingly in love, the cats are still cute, my team lead can still piss me off, but she's learned some tricks (or manners) from her new boss, so that's better than it has been.
That leaves health topics which I rarely mention because they so often fall under the "ewww" or "yawn" categories. However, a couple of things of note have happened recently that I thought I'd write about.
I got my eyes checked for the first time since I was in elementary school. For the first time in my life, I am wearing glasses. I only need them for distance vision (the end result of spending twenty some-odd years in front of a computer). Bob took a photo of me but it was out-of-focus (is this irony?). I'll have to try another time.
ETA: Thanks to ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) tiny_nomad, after my first pair from the optometrist, I got two pair (one regular, one pair of shades) from Zenni Optical for $20 apiece.
I've been having bad dizzy spells, starting about mid-December. At their worst, the world starts moving around me like someone has tied me to the hub of a ferris wheel. Off-center. They only last for a few minutes (thank goodness); when it happens, all I can do is close my eyes and lay down (if possible) until it stops. Sometimes it just feels like the world wants to start moving but doesn't quite get going, rather than a full-blown attack of vertigo. For the medically knowledgable, it is not caused by standing or sitting up suddenly; in fact, there doesn't seem to be anything happening to trigger it. The first spell, and at least a couple of others, I was sitting at my computer reading or putzing around. Another time I was shopping with Bob.
So, I went to my doctor about this and he said "I've never heard of anything like that before". Then I got a brain MRI (yes, there really is a brain in there!). I talked to a neurologist next - the MRI did not indicate anything nasty, but the radiologist found a spot that might make me more likely to have seizures. So these dizzy spells might be seizures. Thus, this last weekend, I did an "ambulatory eeg". They glued me into a portable EEG and I carried it around for three days, with wires trailing out of my hair. Bob called me his "borg girlfriend". They took it off yesterday, and I spent an hour washing my hair, and another couple of hours trying to get the tangles out. And I'm still pulling bits of gunk out of my hair.
The good (?) news is that I did have at least one definite spell during the test, and I had a button to push when that happened, so hopefully the doctor will be able to rule out the seizures or medicate them away. I'm kind of hoping for the latter, since I would really like these things to just go away. |
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Hey, at least you had a "spell" while you were monitored. Hopefully that'll help. I hope it gets better soon.
That EEG plaster is nasty stuff. We were digging the stuff out of my hair for days when I was a kid (thank you, seizures).
Good health vibes headed your way, chica. :-\
Thanks! Do you still get EEGs? If so, did you know about the baking soda trick? If not, check out cyn's comment below!
Nope, haven't had one since I was a little kid, thankfully. The seizures were one of those one time deals I suppose. No one knew what caused them or if they would come back, so they assumed the worst, put me on phenobarbitol for a year, and continued to test me for a bit. I've never had one since.
I had had something like that going on a few years ago and it turned out to be something in my neck, way up at the part where it meets the skull. One of Rutabaga's friends who really specializes in that area fixed it, and it's stayed gone. I noticed it happened when I was in a particular position or when I moved my head a certain way. I'm guessing you would have noticed something like that, though.
On the other hand, I know someone who had that and it turned out that she has lupus.
Take care of yourself, and don't let the doctors do the "we don't know what's wrong with you so nothing is wrong with you" thing. I hope it's nothing serious and I hope they can make it stop.
They did look closely at that area in the MRI, and they didn't see anything. I got a chatty doctor so we spent two hours looking at Every. Single. Picture. from the MRI. And except for the turtle posture I sometimes have at the computer, I haven't noticed anything consistent about the spells.
I have a couple of things for you:
1. Have you heard of Sluggy Freelance? I know the HP:GOF movie pissed you off and he's doing the satire right now. You might enjoy it.
2. Bob and I are making our wills, and would like to get them vetted by a lawyer. I know it's not your area of interest, but if you are willing do this, just let me know what your rate will be.
I have heard of Sluggy Freelance, but I haven't read it. I might give that a try. :)
And while I feel that I'm better at the probate end of things than the making wills end of things, I'd still be happy to take a look at them. Email me at my LJ email and we can talk about it.
![[User Picture]](http://p-userpic.livejournal.com/73574120/957432) | From: cyndtechgoddess
2008-03-18 06:32 pm (UTC)
Having to do my EEG's every now and then.... | (Link)
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The trick to getting the gunk out of your hair? Same thing we used to do back in the 80's with all the hair product. Put about 1/4 a teaspoon of baking soda in the palm of your hand, add your shampoo, and mix it together, then shampoo your hair as normal. It strips the gunk right out, but it is still gentle on any chemicals (hair dye, etc...) you may do to your hair.
Keep us posted and let us know how you're doing. :: hugs ::
![[User Picture]](http://p-userpic.livejournal.com/52561861/477256) | From: zyada
2008-03-18 08:02 pm (UTC)
Re: Having to do my EEG's every now and then.... | (Link)
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That's wonderful advice! If I have to do this again (or if Bob ever gets another one), I'll do that.
I was thinking of you when the doctor started talking about seizures. We may have even more in common!
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