Latest adventures of 2012

Hello Everyone.    I haven't written in a good long while.
 
2012 started off with a bang on New Years Day at 11 AM by a phone call from my sister.   Since most of you know the story..   I won't go on here.  

Since New Year's Day, I have been to the Philippines 2 times for 3 weeks each, 5 trips to Iowa to be with my mom and ultimately with her as she died on May 25th.  

Then life took on a new course of being without my mom.   Lets see.  highlights..     fell 2 weeks later walking the dogs and got 9 stitches in my left eyebrow.  Did something to my right leg which feels like a Sciatic nerve that is pinched which has given me pain from my butt to my heel in varying degrees of pain and craziness.  has gotten better with massages and thinking of eventually going to a chiropractor and see they can do anything.   Also since I have always wanted to go to an Acupuncturist this may be a good time as well.  I started getting ringing in my ears which is taking a course of its own. and then all kinds of work issues.   But they are ok for now.   My mom always said she was going to haunt me which I did tell her I was looking forward to it..  BUT if this is her way???    OK Mom..  you can stop now. :)

So I had this ringing in my ears for about 2 to 3 weeks now.  which made me absolutely CRAZY.  But 2 to 3 weeks into it my hearing started to degrade.   It felt like I had an earplug in my right ear along with the ringing..  then my left ear feels like it has a 1/2 an earplug in my ear.    People's voices would go up 3 pitches..    I would be in public and would hear some things and not others..  like when people spoke to me.  

I went to my regular Dr and they referred me to a ENT Dr.   I went today to see him and they gave me this battery of hearing tests.   I was put in this small sound proof booth..  kind of like a mini recording studio.   They went thru a battery of tests of beeps, voices, high to low sounds/noises etc.    Thru it all I have some kind of inner ear happening.  Both the woman that did the test and the Dr told me that there is a small window of opportunity for treatment for inner ear and I should be glad I came in when I did.

So I guess it is something in my inner ear that is either swelling up and closing up or there and pressing against the inner ear and shutting it off.   So as of tonight..  this is the beginning of I am not sure what.  But I will look for the positives, and a good story and write it down for you all.

Starting tomorrow I start on Prednisone 60 mg a day for 7 days..  then 50 mg for 2 days, 40 for 2 days etc until I am done.   He said to me..   "You may experience a little more energy than usual" which I laughed and replied..   if there is ONE thing I don't need is MORE energy.   He said "you may experience insomnia"..  which I thought to myself I am averaging 4 to 5 hours of good sleep.. how much worse can it get...   and the best one..  "you may feel like cleaning my house at 1 AM"..  which I replied..    if I ever feel like cleaning my own house ever..   then there is SOMETHING really wrong.   I hate cleaning my house.  and Thank God for Yizhar who does clean our house.   I told him I could see myself running 5 miles at 1AM.. but will never be cleaning my house.. :)  

Tomorrow night I go for a MRI.. to see what is in my head.   this could be a little scary (and I am joking) knowing my history and genetics of my family.  My paternal grandfather died at 52, my father had a brain hemorrhage at 52 along with cranial aneurisms.   My brother and I kind of joked about me turning 53 first.    It is ironic that one week to my 53rd birthday I am now going in for a MRI.   too funny.   I am not sure if my brother is shaking any more or not ... :)

So we will see what the meds do.. hopefully reduce the swelling and maybe reduce the ringing and the feeling of wearing an earplug, and the results of the MRI.  either way life goes on..   I said to my mom a lot the last few days of her life..   This is not fun mom.. I get it..  but in the big scheme of it all, it is all good.  I felt that then for her and I feel that way now for me.  

So until tomorrow and a new day of adventure..    life continues ..   welcome along the ride of my crazy life.