I didn’t understand vertigo and sure didn’t realize the importance of the function of my inner ear. One day after Pilates and a manicure, I was home getting ready to proof my new diabetic books (new spokesperson for AmMed Direct Mail Order Diabetes Supplies), and within 5 minutes I felt an overwhelming weakness come over me and saw spinning one direction and then the next–then went to the floor and got sick….waiting for the ambulance to get there. Two days in the hospital and home without balance and the ability to walk! Fortunately, my neurologist, Dr. Charles Kaufman felt something secondary was wrong after seeing him a week later. He sent me to Dr. Soileau at the Ear and Balance Institute, who is world renown. After grueling all day testing, my left ear failed miserably. With 60% of its function gone and a loss in hearing, I was diagnosed with a leak in my inner ear. On to the prestigious and also very nice, Dr. Gianoli he would be the one to do my surgery. He had me stand with my eyes closed and march up and down for 30 seconds standing still. When I opened my eyes, I had made a semi-circle to the left and I thought I hadn’t moved—wow, how interesting! This experience has been horrible as three weeks later; I can’t wait for the surgery as I don’t feel good and still not great balance. It has also been interesting. I conferred with my dear friend and favorite ENT, Dr. Thomas Hansbrough, who agreed with the surgery and said I was in good hands. We take everything in life for granted and I think that is why I enjoy my job as I am always doing something different and learning. I know there are others that can identify with me and I do feel fortunate to have such an expert in his field as Dr. Gianoli to do my very specialized surgery. My diagonis was a Perilymphatic or labyrinthine fistula . I haven never had doctors spend so much time with me and explain everything as Dr. Soileau and Dr. Gianoli. Hopefully, after July 29th I will start my road to recovery.
Is there a special diet? Well, they told me to watch my caffeine intake and my sodium. Of course, all my cookbooks have sodium intake listed in my nutritional analysis but my diabetic book is best for that.
