Dizziness

I've been having dizzy spells since I was about 13 years old, so it's nothing new for me.  I remember my age when this started because I know where my parents and I were living at the time:  Harlem, an unincorporated area of Kansas City, Missouri.  It happened when I'd get up too soon after sitting down reading for a long time.  I suppose I remember where we lived because of an incident caused by my dizziness:  We had an old house, so the bathroom had been added later, I'm sure.  To get to the bathroom from the living room, one had to pass through the kitchen, then through my mom and dad's bedroom.  On this particular day, my parents were both at work; I was reading.  Now, the dizziness never hit immediately, so I had reached my parent's bedroom when it caught up with me.  Their dresser was on my right, I reached over to grab it in order not to fall.  Mother had a Stanley-Home-Products hand-held mirror that was a regular mirror on one side and a magnifying mirror on the other laying on their dresser.  My hand swiped past it and knocked it on the floor, breaking the magnifying side.

I told Mother what happened as soon as she got home from work but she didn't believe me, and that is why I remember it so well, I'm sure.  She never did believe my story, ever.  That would have been natural if I had been a chronic liar, but at that point I never lied.  When I thought I was going to get in trouble over something, I told her immediately just to get it over with so I wouldn't be worrying and wondering what the consequence would be.  Notice the "at that point" part of that statement, because I've lied since then, usually to avoid hurting somebody's feelings or avoid a painful discussion.  

Back to the dizziness:  It happened often during my teen years, but was only an occasional event later on.  I had super low blood pressure throughout my first forty-five years of life, and from what I've read, that's what caused the dizziness.  Doctors have a name for it.  A few years ago, I began having the dizziness again at times, either after getting up too fast from a sitting position or when I bend over too fast to pick something up.  My blood pressure doesn't run low these days; even on medication that's supposed to lower my blood pressure, it's up and down all the time.  So I guess the dizziness is another surprise gift caused by old age.  Not a day goes by that I don't get dizzy at least once; it's already happened this morning, which is why I decided to blog about it.  I've learned to sit down at once if there's a place available.  If I'm outside, I'll plunk down on the ground.  This morning I was in the hallway going to the bathroom when it hit, so I turned, braced my back against a wall, and slid to the floor, then sat there for 30 seconds or so until it passed.   

Cliff has dizzy spells too.  Sometimes it's difficult for him to recline under a tractor and look up into its innards.  He has a lot of trouble if he's on a ladder and looks up, too.  Oh yes, and when he turns over from one side to the other in bed.  Crazy, right?

I've mentioned my dizziness to doctors in passing, and so far nobody has said anything about it.  I don't want to make a big deal about it because you know how doctors are... they try to find a pill that will help.  I'd rather take my chances than have to take another pill.  It's the same with my weak-bladder problems:  I know from watching television ads that there's a pill for that (gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now) but I'll deal with it rather than take some pill that may or may not work and is bound to have side effects.

Well well, my dizzy husband just got up, so I had to stop long enough to make his breakfast:  An egg, a leftover, heated-up piece of sausage, cheese, and a leftover buttermilk biscuit, all in the form of a sandwich, made him very happy. 

I've decided not to attend either of my churches until after Christmas and beyond, which makes for some long, tedious weeks.  But I'm doing it as much for the doctors and nurses as I am for myself and Cliff.  My only holdout is the grocery shopping, which I will do for myself, but I will do it quickly and carefully with mask in place.

Enjoy your weekend, folks.  One day at a time we'll get through this.  Meanwhile, every day is precious.

Sincerely,

Donna