Remember when I recently wrote about feeling like I was having a heart attack? The good news is that I don’t have a heart problem.
The bad news: something still ain’t right.
Specifically, I’ve been dizzy off and on ever since then. Let me preface this with an update on the cold I had awhile back. After coughing violently for about two months, I finally decided to see my doctor, who diagnosed a viral infection and prescribed antibiotics. Note to self: don’t wait so long next time!
At that same appointment, I mentioned bouts of dizziness. I tried to describe them. “You know, like you’re on a roller coaster, you go flying down a big hill and there’s a feeling of weightlessness in your stomach and your legs aren’t connected to you anymore.” Great fun if you’re at Six Flags; trying to vacuum – not so much!
Anyway, the doc called it “atypical vertigo.” She said there are dozens of reasons a person might get dizzy, but the infection was probably to blame. “Let’s worry about the vertigo when we get the infection under control,” she advised.
Do you ever go to the doctor feeling like a whiney hypochondriac? I sure did when the sneezes subsided and the dizziness was still going strong. But doggone it, I just wanted to get to the bottom of that “bottomless” feeling!
Blow It Out Your Ear
Here’s what the good doctor surmised: the viral infection had caused my inner ears to get out of whack, and that’s a common cause of vertigo. Perhaps the virus had inflamed the delicate membranes that hold the tiny magic balancing crystals normally floating freely within the “walk down the hall without falling” fluid.
Perhaps the volume on my iPod earphones had been too loud (The Beatles will do that). Maybe I just blew my nose too hard at some point. Whatever – my balance was off, and most likely it was because my ears were not communicating properly with my brain. I had apparently insulted my ears somehow, and they were sulking, refusing to function correctly just for spite.
So my doctor sent me to a physical therapist to find out if he could knock those little ear crystals out of their funk and back into earning their keep.
It didn’t work. Well, not so far. The P.T. guy said that my vision may also be affected. Great – my eyes and ears are now in cahoots! He said my dizziness might take a while to right itself, so to speak. He gave me some head-positioning exercises to do and said not to move around too suddenly. I guess I should hold off on joining that karate class.
I still sometimes feel like I’m on some hellish Tilt-A-Whirl. I’ve been called “dizzy” before, but not in a literal sense! Here’s hoping that my body’s natural healing powers will prevail, and that I won’t be “Ms. Dizzy” for much longer!
Playlist:
1. Dizzy - Tommy Roe
2. I've Got a Funny Feeling - George Strait
3. Spinning Wheel - Blood Sweat and Tears
4. Helter Skelter - The Beatles
5. Vertigo - The Libertines
6. Will It Go Round In Circles - Billy Preston
7. You Spin Me Round - Dead or Alive
8. Dizzy Miss Lizzy - Larry Williams
9. Love Rollercoaster - Ohio Players
10. Dipsy Doodle - Ella Fitzgerald
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
"Cutting Back" Calories
So there I was last Saturday, doing what I do best – lying on the couch watching TV. The Red Sox/Angels game fit quite nicely into that plan.
But as the innings wore on, there was a gnawing feeling in my gut. Two feelings, actually.
The first one concerned my recent attempt at being better about my extra pounds and the shedding thereof. I’ve been eating a little better, but exercising is still coming very slowly. Not unlike the molasses in January you’ve heard about.
So I split the difference and just worried about not exercising. And speaking of neuroses …
My second gut feeling was a sense of guilt because I wasn’t outside doing yard work. The yard needed tidying, the weeds needed pulling, the garden needed composting, the flower beds needed “grubbing out” and mulching. When I pondered the big picture, it was just too daunting.
Hence the gnawing feeling around my beltline and in my guilt-center (wherever that is). By the time Boston pulled out the win, it was too dark to start making with the green thumb. And besides, it was dinnertime. “Can’t start any projects on an empty stomach,” I rationalized.
I managed to claw out of my valley of indecision on Sunday. It didn’t hurt that the weather was one of those perfect days we all dreamt about back in February. Sunny, breezy and warm. And we’re in that glorious window of Spring in East Tennessee when it’s late enough not to freeze your buns off, but the mosquitoes have yet to arrive.
Ah, Knoxville at dogwood time!
So anyway, I was eying the layer of rotting leaves in the driveway, that slippery mess that threatens to deck me every time I get into my car. I started in to shoveling, really putting my back into it with each scrape, when it occurred to me.
God bless the fitness centers and those folks they help, but if this frugal fatty doesn’t want to invest in a gym membership, wouldn’t yard work keep me fit just as well? If I made a commitment to stay ahead of all the mowing, cutting and so forth in a timely manner, who knows what kind of transformation I’d see in myself – and the yard!
My weight training would be to haul mountainous tarp-fuls of brush to the curb. I’d check in with my workout buddy Randy, as in Randy the dandelion. My butt would feel the burn with John, my John Deere push-mower. I’d work my biceps with my personal trainer Virginia. Virginia Creeper that is. And if she went into hiding, there’d always be her pesky assistant, Creeping Charlie. Tim the Limb could spot me as I sawed away at his dead deciduous brethren. Somebody stop me. …
OK, you get the picture. There’s a built-in exercise regimen right outside my window, and maybe yours too. Time’s a’wastin’!
Playlist:
1. The State I Am In – Belle & Sebastian
2. I Decide When It Gets Pulled – Fracture Soundtrack
3. Sunday Girl – Blondie
4. Break On Through – The Doors
5. Dig a Pony – The Beatles
6. Ain’t It Heavy – Melissa Etheridge
7. Gardening at Night – R.E.M.
8. A Rose for Emily – The Zombies
9. Pleasant Valley Sunday – The Monkees
10. Do It Again – Steely Dan
But as the innings wore on, there was a gnawing feeling in my gut. Two feelings, actually.
The first one concerned my recent attempt at being better about my extra pounds and the shedding thereof. I’ve been eating a little better, but exercising is still coming very slowly. Not unlike the molasses in January you’ve heard about.
So I split the difference and just worried about not exercising. And speaking of neuroses …
My second gut feeling was a sense of guilt because I wasn’t outside doing yard work. The yard needed tidying, the weeds needed pulling, the garden needed composting, the flower beds needed “grubbing out” and mulching. When I pondered the big picture, it was just too daunting.
Hence the gnawing feeling around my beltline and in my guilt-center (wherever that is). By the time Boston pulled out the win, it was too dark to start making with the green thumb. And besides, it was dinnertime. “Can’t start any projects on an empty stomach,” I rationalized.
I managed to claw out of my valley of indecision on Sunday. It didn’t hurt that the weather was one of those perfect days we all dreamt about back in February. Sunny, breezy and warm. And we’re in that glorious window of Spring in East Tennessee when it’s late enough not to freeze your buns off, but the mosquitoes have yet to arrive.
Ah, Knoxville at dogwood time!
So anyway, I was eying the layer of rotting leaves in the driveway, that slippery mess that threatens to deck me every time I get into my car. I started in to shoveling, really putting my back into it with each scrape, when it occurred to me.
God bless the fitness centers and those folks they help, but if this frugal fatty doesn’t want to invest in a gym membership, wouldn’t yard work keep me fit just as well? If I made a commitment to stay ahead of all the mowing, cutting and so forth in a timely manner, who knows what kind of transformation I’d see in myself – and the yard!
My weight training would be to haul mountainous tarp-fuls of brush to the curb. I’d check in with my workout buddy Randy, as in Randy the dandelion. My butt would feel the burn with John, my John Deere push-mower. I’d work my biceps with my personal trainer Virginia. Virginia Creeper that is. And if she went into hiding, there’d always be her pesky assistant, Creeping Charlie. Tim the Limb could spot me as I sawed away at his dead deciduous brethren. Somebody stop me. …
OK, you get the picture. There’s a built-in exercise regimen right outside my window, and maybe yours too. Time’s a’wastin’!
Playlist:
1. The State I Am In – Belle & Sebastian
2. I Decide When It Gets Pulled – Fracture Soundtrack
3. Sunday Girl – Blondie
4. Break On Through – The Doors
5. Dig a Pony – The Beatles
6. Ain’t It Heavy – Melissa Etheridge
7. Gardening at Night – R.E.M.
8. A Rose for Emily – The Zombies
9. Pleasant Valley Sunday – The Monkees
10. Do It Again – Steely Dan
Sunday, April 12, 2009
An "Ouch!" of prevention
I knew I had to get it done. A woman my age just doesn’t mess with these things – or at least she shouldn’t! I’d put it off for far too long, but the day finally came that I had to have
… a mammogram.
What can I say about having a mammogram that hasn’t already been said? It’s an unpleasant experience under the best of circumstances, and God willing, that’s as bad as it gets.
Some women would just about rather walk barefoot on broken glass than go for a mammogram. But you go because it’s the right thing to do. You do it, and it’s a small price to pay if you can get those results back that tell you everything’s A-OK. That’s a first-class ticket to a beautiful place called Peace Of Mind.
Really, what are the drawbacks? Let’s take a less-than-serious look at what you’re up against, pun intended.
* It’s one more thing to have to think about in the midst of an already pressing schedule. And finding a spare hour or two can be difficult if you’re slammed at work.
* Once you decide to face the cold, hard facts, you probably won’t be able to get an appointment right away. It might be two months or more before the radiologist can squeeze you in.
* Insurance companies are notorious for pinching every penny they can out of their customers, but for the most part, they will cover the cost of a yearly mammogram. But for the uninsured or under-insured, you’ll have to foot the bill yourself, which is not easy if you’re on a tight budget.
( The folks at the doctor’s office are usually eager to help squash any remaining doubts you may have about being uncomfortable with your exam, which by the way is one test that you don’t have to cram for.)
* It’s an embarrassing walk down the chilly hallway past the other womenfolk in your flimsy robe. “Wear open to the front” is code for this: in the span of that 20-foot march, you’ll be flashing like a neon sign.
* When you finally make it to the dreaded apparatus, just keep in mind that the technician who runs the machine has handled this task about a thousand times, and she’s probably having about as much fun as you are!
All kidding aside, if you’re a woman over 40, it’s a preventative measure you shouldn’t put off. I fussed and fretted and worried about it for months. But actually, except for the outdated magazines, my mammogram wasn’t all that bad. The women there were all experienced, friendly and professional. And on a pain scale of 1 to 100, 100 being breast cancer, this was about a 2. You do the math.
Playlist:
1. Hurt – Johnny Cash
2. Put It Off Until Tomorrow – Loretta Lynn
3. It Takes Two – Marvin Gaye
4. Pushin’ Too Hard – The Seeds
5. Hold Me Tight – The Beatles
6. Try a Little Tenderness – Otis Redding
7. Squeeze Box – The Who
8. Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie
9. Hurt So Bad – Little Anthony & The Imperials
10. Big Iron – Marty Robbins
… a mammogram.
What can I say about having a mammogram that hasn’t already been said? It’s an unpleasant experience under the best of circumstances, and God willing, that’s as bad as it gets.
Some women would just about rather walk barefoot on broken glass than go for a mammogram. But you go because it’s the right thing to do. You do it, and it’s a small price to pay if you can get those results back that tell you everything’s A-OK. That’s a first-class ticket to a beautiful place called Peace Of Mind.
Really, what are the drawbacks? Let’s take a less-than-serious look at what you’re up against, pun intended.
* It’s one more thing to have to think about in the midst of an already pressing schedule. And finding a spare hour or two can be difficult if you’re slammed at work.
* Once you decide to face the cold, hard facts, you probably won’t be able to get an appointment right away. It might be two months or more before the radiologist can squeeze you in.
* Insurance companies are notorious for pinching every penny they can out of their customers, but for the most part, they will cover the cost of a yearly mammogram. But for the uninsured or under-insured, you’ll have to foot the bill yourself, which is not easy if you’re on a tight budget.
( The folks at the doctor’s office are usually eager to help squash any remaining doubts you may have about being uncomfortable with your exam, which by the way is one test that you don’t have to cram for.)
* It’s an embarrassing walk down the chilly hallway past the other womenfolk in your flimsy robe. “Wear open to the front” is code for this: in the span of that 20-foot march, you’ll be flashing like a neon sign.
* When you finally make it to the dreaded apparatus, just keep in mind that the technician who runs the machine has handled this task about a thousand times, and she’s probably having about as much fun as you are!
All kidding aside, if you’re a woman over 40, it’s a preventative measure you shouldn’t put off. I fussed and fretted and worried about it for months. But actually, except for the outdated magazines, my mammogram wasn’t all that bad. The women there were all experienced, friendly and professional. And on a pain scale of 1 to 100, 100 being breast cancer, this was about a 2. You do the math.
Playlist:
1. Hurt – Johnny Cash
2. Put It Off Until Tomorrow – Loretta Lynn
3. It Takes Two – Marvin Gaye
4. Pushin’ Too Hard – The Seeds
5. Hold Me Tight – The Beatles
6. Try a Little Tenderness – Otis Redding
7. Squeeze Box – The Who
8. Under Pressure – Queen & David Bowie
9. Hurt So Bad – Little Anthony & The Imperials
10. Big Iron – Marty Robbins
Sunday, April 5, 2009
The Need to Read
Don’t you just love settling down in a big comfy chair and escaping into a really good book? The hours just fly by!
I’ve enjoyed reading ever since I was a teenager, devouring some heavy hitters just for the fun of it. There was a while there in junior high that I felt like Hermann Hesse had written “Steppenwolf” expressly for me (I know – me and a million other kids)!
Books are such good friends! I like the way they look, I like how the stories stick with me, I even like the way they smell. It’s a sad fact folks aren’t reading as much anymore. Watching TV is easier, and the Internet is faster, but I don’t think Web sites or digital readers will ever take the place of a good old solid book you can hold in your hands.
That said, I admit I’ve gotten lazy in my old age, and sometimes I lose patience with the time it takes to get through a novel. So I don’t even start!
"How ’bout some cheese with that whine?"
Having to work for a living doesn’t help. 9 to 5 pretty much exhausts most of my brain cells, which start yelling “Please don’t make me work anymore!” At that point, an episode of “Jeopardy” is about all I can handle.
I guess I shouldn’t think of reading as learning. If I thought of it as entertainment, it wouldn’t be so hard to make time for it.
And then there’s eyestrain. I have some vision problems, and reading isn’t easy for me. I won’t go into details, but basically the muscles in my eyes don’t work well together. Not very conducive to relaxing reading! Some days are especially hard on my eyes (driving, bright sunlight, computer work), and by the time I’m home, concentrating on printed words is the last thing I want to do.
I have great respect for books and the people who read and write them. And I don’t think you can pound home too strongly the importance of parents reading to young kids and getting them interested in reading on their own as soon as possible.
I also think the world would be a dark and horrible place without our public libraries. They’re there for everybody, and they don’t cost a dime!
Still, sometimes reading is like a golf game: it takes an awfully long time to get to the good parts. But just having books around makes me feel good, like knowing it’s a sunny day even though I can’t be outside enjoying it.
Maybe I don’t read much because I like it too much! When I let myself get sucked in by a good book, it’s all I can think about until I’ve turned the last page, and then I’m sorry it’s over. It’s an emotional roller coaster! And I can do a mountain of procrastinating in the time it takes me to digest a 500-page yarn, so then I feel guilty and self-indulgent. Plus there’s that fear of commitment thing.
I think I need therapy to deal with my reading issues! I’m sure someone’s written a book about that.
Playlist:
1. The Book I Read – Talking Heads
2. Turn The Page – Bob Seger
3. Book of Love – Dar Williams
4. The Book of My Life – Sting
5. The Story of Her Love – Seals & Crofts
6. Novel – Tim Williams
7. Read My Mind – The Killers
8. Doctor My Eyes – Jackson Browne
9. The Book I’m Not Reading – Patty Larkin
10. At The Library – Green Day
I’ve enjoyed reading ever since I was a teenager, devouring some heavy hitters just for the fun of it. There was a while there in junior high that I felt like Hermann Hesse had written “Steppenwolf” expressly for me (I know – me and a million other kids)!
Books are such good friends! I like the way they look, I like how the stories stick with me, I even like the way they smell. It’s a sad fact folks aren’t reading as much anymore. Watching TV is easier, and the Internet is faster, but I don’t think Web sites or digital readers will ever take the place of a good old solid book you can hold in your hands.
That said, I admit I’ve gotten lazy in my old age, and sometimes I lose patience with the time it takes to get through a novel. So I don’t even start!
"How ’bout some cheese with that whine?"
Having to work for a living doesn’t help. 9 to 5 pretty much exhausts most of my brain cells, which start yelling “Please don’t make me work anymore!” At that point, an episode of “Jeopardy” is about all I can handle.
I guess I shouldn’t think of reading as learning. If I thought of it as entertainment, it wouldn’t be so hard to make time for it.
And then there’s eyestrain. I have some vision problems, and reading isn’t easy for me. I won’t go into details, but basically the muscles in my eyes don’t work well together. Not very conducive to relaxing reading! Some days are especially hard on my eyes (driving, bright sunlight, computer work), and by the time I’m home, concentrating on printed words is the last thing I want to do.
I have great respect for books and the people who read and write them. And I don’t think you can pound home too strongly the importance of parents reading to young kids and getting them interested in reading on their own as soon as possible.
I also think the world would be a dark and horrible place without our public libraries. They’re there for everybody, and they don’t cost a dime!
Still, sometimes reading is like a golf game: it takes an awfully long time to get to the good parts. But just having books around makes me feel good, like knowing it’s a sunny day even though I can’t be outside enjoying it.
Maybe I don’t read much because I like it too much! When I let myself get sucked in by a good book, it’s all I can think about until I’ve turned the last page, and then I’m sorry it’s over. It’s an emotional roller coaster! And I can do a mountain of procrastinating in the time it takes me to digest a 500-page yarn, so then I feel guilty and self-indulgent. Plus there’s that fear of commitment thing.
I think I need therapy to deal with my reading issues! I’m sure someone’s written a book about that.
Playlist:
1. The Book I Read – Talking Heads
2. Turn The Page – Bob Seger
3. Book of Love – Dar Williams
4. The Book of My Life – Sting
5. The Story of Her Love – Seals & Crofts
6. Novel – Tim Williams
7. Read My Mind – The Killers
8. Doctor My Eyes – Jackson Browne
9. The Book I’m Not Reading – Patty Larkin
10. At The Library – Green Day
