When I hear others stories about their illness, I know I have been lucky. People have Meniere’s attacks in public. I have only had the full blown attacks mine upon awakening. I do get the mini spins occasionally when I am out. I have had the drop attacks when out, but I always had something to catch me, though one time the shelves at Walmart almost did a domino thing. (It just rocked really bad.)
I have a supportive husband. My doctor understands. I have so much to be thankful for.
I still am able to enjoy life. I do rest before doing strenuous things or taking trips. I don’t know if it helps or not, but I think it might.
We were supposed to go camping, but I haven’t been feeling well, so we opted not to go. We spent the weekend with friends and family instead.
Yesterday we took a day trip to Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. It an oasis in the middle of the desert. And it’s beautiful.
It was a good day, though if you go, I’d suggest the cooler months or go earlier than we did. We took some small hikes at different stops, while snapping photos. It was fun.
I always get a little help as I attempt to do my yoga in the mornings. Renegade likes to massage my head, while eating my hair. While Blaze makes sure I stay in my poses without lowering down. ie. I need to stay up in downward dog, even though I am not in shape and can’t hold the pose.
I am trying to get in shape again. I bought a stationary bike, which I alternate between yoga. I only walk sometimes lately, because early mornings is when I write the best.
I have been taking a three month writing workshop. This month I have been writing pretty much everyday. Hopefully I will have a book ready to go soon.
In group people were struggling with life interfering with writing. Vicki said to think about Nora Roberts Glass Ball Theory. Simply put you prioritize things that will shatter if you drop it. If something like writing is a plastic ball, it will bounce back to you.
I found this article that explains it better than me. It is difficult to find the right balance between work (can be household work), writing, family and friends. Once you realize the writing will still be there if you go to a ballgame with friends and husband, writing will still be there in the morning. You won’t be able to get back the memories if you skip the game to write. You might, also, lose friendships.
Sometimes being flexible is the key. This ballgame is Monday evening. Monday’s I meet with my friends on Houseparty. My friends will understand if I want to get out to enjoy myself especially after this past year. Then my husband said we’ll just leave for the game at 6, which is after my meeting. We both were flexible and Ralph came up with a great solution.
Fortunately, my write-in is in the morning. Zoom has given write-ins a whole new meaning, because you can stay home to write in a group via the beauty of the internet. If it weren’t for my husband, I might never leave the house again.
I watch movies that are in theaters on tv. I think this is the greatest thing. I am still not entirely comfortable in crowds. Even if the theater is social distancing with masks, I still have to walk through the casino to get there. I know we can go to one of the theaters with their own entrances, but we would have to drive further. Besides I like the flexibility of watching a movie at home.
Remember when to hold onto your glass ball, don’t let it break. Drop the plastic ones, since they will bounce back. For me I have dedicated writing times early in the morning, so I free up valuable space in the rest of the day.
I have been absent lately. Believe me I have a very good reason, because I shelled out money to take this three month writing course with Vicki Petterson. If you haven’t read Swerve, the Zodiac Series and the Celestial Blues series, I highly recommend them.
My boards to keep me on track.
Yes, I have been revisiting an old story of mine. I hope to be able to get it published when all is said and done. This MC won’t stop chatting in my head, so it’s time to rewrite my first draft… I may need to keep refining it until it’s done.
I can only hope that by the tenth draft it will be readable.
Wish me luck. Maybe I’ll have a new vampire novel out soon.
Finally I slept through the night with awakening to vertigo. I have been taking the meclizine everyday since last Tuesday, 2 to 3 times a day.
I am going to keep it up for another week to make sure this round of vertigo is done. I don’t know if the meclizine needed to build up in my body or if I am done with this round.
Since we need to go out of town due to a death in the family, I don’t want to take chances on it resurfacing. It took a week to stop and my balance is way off. I don’t know if it ran its natural course or if the medication is working, but I am going to take it a bit longer, since it doesn’t make me tired.
That phrase takes on a whole new meaning when you have arthritis, fibromyalgia or any chronic illness. When my shoulder froze last year it was because I babied it.
I stopped moving it because it hurt and it didn’t support me when I did yoga. Maybe I should have modified my yoga, but I should never have stopped moving the arm.
It took me months of Physical Therapy to be able to move it again. Nearly a year later I am still moving it, though it hurts at times.
When my lower back started spasming, which it does periodically, I knew I needed a long term plan. My doctor set me up with Physical Therapy. I am now armed with exercises that strengthen my lower back and have no pain when walking or sitting. There is arthritis in the area so it’s tender to touch.
Even my fingers move better after I exercise them. They are the area on my body that is the most damaged by arthritis.
Vertigo you make the world go round. Why won’t you let me off? I never asked to be on this merry-go-round with you. Even when you’re still, I still feel off. The earth seems to tilt or feel like I am walking on a sponge. I never asked for you in my life. You are part of this disease I have called Meniere’s. You brought your uninvited friends tinnitus, migraine and hyperacusis to the party. I never wanted this party. Yet you continue the rave whether I want it or not. Please go away!
Vertigo awakened me several times throughout the night. It’s 5 am and I am still having the occasional spin. My head is wonky and I am seeing trails when I move something in front of my face.
I should have known when my tinnitus ramped up in volume and changed to a kind of test tone sound that something was up.
This isn’t what I had planned for my day. Hopefully it won’t alter my plans too much. I may need to choose a gentler yoga video to do today or maybe Adrienne’s desk yoga. Hopefully, I can write without problems. My glasses have blue light filter lenses, so the screen shouldn’t affect me.
That’s my morning so far. I hope the day gets better. Love, Peace and Light! Rita
