Gimpy Mumpy

Blue Badge of Christmas

You are spinning one way while I am spinning another. Want to know more?

I've been thinking a lot about the invisible aspects of my disability today and realized that although my vertigo may make everything spin around me, I am the only one who can see the spinning.  So I've decided that I should add a new t-shirt design to the Mumpy store, "You are spinning one way and I'm spinning another.  Want to know more?"
The amazing Goldfish also talks today about invisible disability and travel in her post "It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door".
And just in case you aren't afraid to leave your house yet you should read this ABC News story, "Arrested for Epilepsy" a frightening story of an epileptic's seizure being misinterpreted as suspicious behavior resulting in police tasering and arresting this man.

Guardian Part II: Where the Hell is my Confidentiality??

Well, it happened again.  Now it's the nurse who is supposed to come and do my in-home assessment.  Apparently they had cancelations and she called to see if she could come today, a week early. 
This wouldn't have been a huge problem itself but when I didn't answer my phone she immediately called my parents house and talked   at length about my medical conditions and what services I had requested to my father who is not even listed as an emergency contact.  Not to mention that this was not an emergency.

I am so upset.  The thing is this woman has no idea why I am so angry and hurt by this.  I tried to explain that the whole reason for requesting her services was to gain back some independence and that running behind my back to my parents every time I don't answer my phone is not aiding that purpose.

I don't need a Guardian!!

This may seem like a random rant but in the past week I've been asked numerous times who my guardian was.  I am 32 years old.  What. The. Hell.

Every time I am asked who to put as an emergency contact the medical staff then assume that person is my guardian!  Why?  Is there something that they know about my diagnosis that I don't?  Or are they passing judgement on me based on overt physical symptoms?  I am still incredibly articulate, intelligent and knowledgeable about my medical care.  I'm disabled not mentally incompetent.

This came up again the other day when applying for in-home services.  A woman called twice in an hour leaving messages to call her back about my application.  Obviously it was not a convenient time for me!  She then called a little while later and left a message that if I did not call her back within the hour that she would call my mother and if she could not be reached then she would assume that I was not interested in receiving services.  Oh really??  That sounded an awful lot like a threat.  I called her back but emphasized that she was to never call my mother unless it was an EMERGENCY since that was what EMERGENCY CONTACT means, damn it!  Also, if I had gone through a lengthy application process then OF COURSE I needed the services.  Talk about lacking understanding.

So my question is this, "Do others receive this kind of condescending treatment?  If so, how do you respond?"

Back from the Hospital

Well I had a lovely ride in an ambulance to the ER this afternoon and have just arrived home. 

Did you ever notice just how many sticky electrode monitoring pads they glue to your body??  Every time I think that I've removed the last one I discover another.  I just found one on each leg!  I didn't even know that the EMTs had put them there until I went to change my socks (I couldn't wait to get out of my germy hospital clothes) and there were two more 'trodes.  Damn, I sure wish I had shaved my legs today....ouch!  Plus it was just my luck that the day I don't take a shower and am turning all of the unpleasant shades of the rainbow (think puce, chalky and pea green) I end up with the most gorgeous tech-in-training along for the ride.  The head EMT also thought it would be amusing to lift up my shirt to attach a million electrodes while the new guy was sitting inches away from my chest.  Yah, he's not getting any flowers. 

So I get the full work up including an IV while en-route and proceed to get blood and urine labs which were normal and then off for a CT scan of my head.   Since they didn't have any neurosurgeons on staff they ended up just getting me to stabilize and ruled out stroke and told me to keep my follow-up appointment with my doctor tomorrow and with the neurosurgeon in December.   I was then allowed to have the IV removed  and sent home with my mom.  Since I had missed dinner at this point we went through Dunkin Donuts drive-thru for a coffee and a chocolate donut.  Yummy!

It's amazing what a girl will do for a chocolate donut! 

Doctor needs a nap

The news article, Sleep Deprivation Creating 'Nation of Walking Zombies' illustrates the need for sleep particularly for our nation's medical staff.
The graveyard shift just got a whole lot scarier.

Sia: Colour the Small One

Here's a bit of music therapy :)

For those who wake
With a blind headache
Who must be still
Who will sit and wait
For sunday, to be monday

-Sia: Colour the Small One

Vertigo a go go

Never suffered an attack of vertigo?  Then take a trip to the otolaryngologist I was referred to a few weeks back.  I mean this guy treats vertigo patients and his office building is set up like a damned Escher painting.  Strange twisting and turning flights of stairs going nowhere.  It was truly bizarre.  What the hell is this doctor thinking?  Is this some kind of job security measure?

I can't wait to see what kind of architectural torture awaits me at the neurosurgeon's office. *sigh*

Call For Help

Hello all.  I've just been told that the MRI scan of my brain yesterday showed a 2.4 cm cyst.  It is a benign arachnoid cyst but it's putting pressure on my right facial nerve, vestibular cochlear nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, the pons and medulla.  I had the MRI to look into my worsening vertigo attacks.  It seems we may have found the cause.  I'm playing the waiting game with getting in to see a neurosurgeon. 

Does anyone have experience with this kind of cyst?  Any stories or advice would be very welcome.