Especially to be sick in bed. I woke up on February 8th, and was a little sick. I felt queasy and just a bit unsteady. I went to class. I went to work. I had a location shoot that night and worked till 10:30 pm.
But Thursday was a different story. Thursday, I opened my eyes and would have sworn I was drunk. Pass out, praying for death, drunk. I couldn't stand on my own two feet. The whole world was spinning out of control. I barely made it from the bed to the toilet, and I prayed there. Hugging the ice cold porcelain. Realizing that we needed more Lysol, and begging my husband for water.
Hubs was snarky, and late for class. He kept telling me it was stupid to throw up and simultaneously beg for water. I begged louder, and he gave in. I don't remember making it back to bed, but I do remember telling him that he had to take me to the hospital, because I was 'NOT OK'.
He took me to Lafene, the student health clinic for KState students. A short trip down the hallway in a wheelchair had me begging for a trashcan. Which the nurse promptly sat in my lap. They helped me onto the exam table and one showed up with an ice cold washcloth for my head while the other gave me a Zofran lozenge. It was fruity and good.
Dr. Moeller came in, and after a short exam said that I had an inner ear infection. Labrynthitis, he said. It should go away on it's own, and I would have extreme vertigo and nausea for several days. He wrote a note that excused us both because I wasn't safe to be on my own for those first few days. He gave me a medication called Anti Vert for the vertigo. I slept. A lot. That's what the Anti Vert does. (it does a few other things, but that's a whole different post)
I tried to get to work on Friday afternoon for a studio shoot. I got up, got in the shower, and ended up sitting on the floor, crying for my husband to help me get back in to bed. I never made it to my shoot. I missed it completely, and was too sick to even send an email to apologize.
But by Monday, I wasn't any better. Sitting perfectly still I was fine, but any type of movement was horrific. I couldn't walk, I could only do a geriatric type shuffle. A second visit TOLAFENE resulted in another week of bed rest. No work, more missed classes, more doctor bills for an uninsured college student, and new medications. This time I was given a Scopolamine patch to wear behind my ear. It helped with the vertigo tremendously! I felt almost human again! Well enough to start catching up on my homework. That's when I realized I couldn't see. Couldn't read my laptop screen, or the cell phone in my hand. The words of the short story I was to read were a gray blob in my lap.
I told my husband.
'I can't see.' I said to him. I'm sure it wasn't my calm voice.
'What?' He responded.
'I can't see this! I CAN'T READ! I CAN'T SEE! Oh My God! What's wrong?!' Again, I was crying. See? Just like that, I went from concerned to having a meltdown.
Apparently, one of the side effects of Scopolamine is pupil dilation. I could see fine far away, but nothing close was clear at all.
The following Monday, I tried to get in to see the doctor again. I couldn't manage to see her until later in the week. I started to make arrangements to return to class, even though I was having difficulty reading, and the longer I was up and moving, the harder I had to choke back the urge to throw up. I finally got in to the doctor in the later part of the week, she referred me to a local ENT.
He talked to me for a few minutes. Checked my ears, nose, and throat. Manipulated my head to see if he could get my pupils to respond. He changed my diagnosis to Vestibular Neuritis, and said the primary difference is that Labrynthitis presents with hearing loss. He prescribed more new meds: antibiotics, steroids, and valium instead of the Scopolamine. A follow up appointment in one week. More doctor bills.
I've been back to class and work for a week now. I am MUCH better. I have been for my followup exam, and the ENT is pleased with my progress. He says that I will have some lingering effects for several weeks, but that all of the symptoms should eventually fade. Which is great news, cause three weeks is a damn long time!!
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