yeah, this has turned into a photoblog

Mainly due to lack of real content. Hey, I can always post a couple of pics of something, and at least give you, my readers, something to look at. Photoblogging is easier than coming up with coherent thoughts right now. (sigh)

Things haven't changed with me neurologically since I last whined, bitched, and moaned posted about what's going on. I was supposed to see the neurologist today, but he's on call, so my appointment has been pushed back 2 weeks because the doctor I'm supposed to see is on call tomorrow. So two more weeks of this bullshit. I now realize it's been over a month since I posted any details of what's going on, so to start off, here are the last main posts.

Weekly Status Update - June 8
Hypoglycemia Episode - June 8
Auditory Hallucinations - June 17

There are a few others around June 8, if you go through the archives, get caught up on the backstory.

Anyway, here goes for my not-so-weekly update. I've learned to cope with the jarring vertigo episodes, what is guaranteed to trigger one (looking up while walking, and looking into my aquarium from an odd angle which causes distortions). Heat is my enemy, for those of you who know what a typical Southern summer is like, I simply can't handle it. For those who are not so familiar, a typical day is about 85°-90° F, and about somewhere between 80% and 110% humidity. On a hot and humid day, I can't be outside more than 10 minutes until I'm about to pass out, or DFO in the local dialect. So, I've turned into a creature of the night, leaving the blissful airconditioning of the house during the day only when I need to - go to a doctor's appointment, have someone drive me to run an errand, or work in my garden. Then I take my cane with me, to have an added support when I start to loose my balance. I've fallen 3 or 4 times, none major, either loosing my balance while looking for something on a low shelf, or walking on an uneven surface.

I'm still not driving any distance without another driver in the car with me. Still having short-term memory loss, which means I can remember events from years ago with perfect clarity, but would loose my ass if it wasn't attached. I have real trouble remembering what I was going into another room to do, what someone's name is, that sort of thing. In one ear and right out the other. My family and friends seem to have adjusted to my constant flakiness. And I make lists, lots of lists. I have my notepad, my paper brain, where I write down the things I need to do, and how critical the task is.

I've developed a couple of new symptoms since my last update: a near constant ringing in the ears, parestheias (abnormal sensations) in my hands and feet, profound fatigue, trembling of my hands, and some other stuff that I've probably forgotten. I've made a whole list to take to the neurologist whenever I get to see him finally, so I don't have to rely on my faulty memory to give the doc the entire list of symptoms.

I finally got the results back from the tests I had at the ENT doc, and my ears are just fine. Slight hearing loss in the very high and very low frequencies (I couldn't hear them until the audiologist increased the volume), but nothing unusual for someone who is 28. The inner ear test was negative, which is good. The bloodwork was normal, with the exception of one test. I tested positive for having an autoimmune disorder. Well, whoptie-shit, like I didn't already know that. Crohn's Disease and Ankylosing Spondylitis are both autoimmune disorders. So normal bloodwork for me. So, right now I have "an undetermined neurological disorder". In case you didn't know, that means "we don't know what's going on, you need a different specialist."

I'm trying to lead a relatively normal life, aside from becoming nocturnal. I haven't been able to go back to work, since I'm still having the same symptoms which made me leave work in the first place almost 3 months ago. I've done my part in applying for short-term disability, but of coursebureaucracycy takes time. So now I wait. While I wait, I've started painting again, I have one in progress and have worked out several designs for others. Yep, photos when they are complete.

I haven't been posting updates because I don't want to turn every third post into a whiny, crappy, poor me type post. Of course, that's part of the higher standard I set for myself than I have for other people. What I would tell someone is getting it off of your chest, I worry about sounding like I'm saying poor me all the time. Yeah, double standards are a bitch, especially the self-imposed variety.

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If you like what you read on this site, or like the photos I've posted, please consider leaving a little something in the tipjar. This is the only ad that will show up on this site, my Amazon tipjar. If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. And I promise, there will be some good shots of cats on catnip posted later today once I get some rest. Maybe even some photos of my newest additions to the aquarium. You never know, anything can happen. They're on my hard drive, all I have to do is upload them.