I have feeling like I’m sick for a couple days now. I’m not sure if it is from flying or from hanging out at doctor’s offices. Or from something else. Bill is sick too, so maybe that is the deal. It is February and it isn’t unexpected.
It has been nice in Kansas weatherwise. Not today though. Or yesterday, really. It was supposed to be 63, but it was only 40 by the time I got out and it dropped from there. Today the high is 30, windy and a winter mix of precipitation. Ouch.
I went to a doctor yesterday that specializes in dizziness. He was good. His name is Dr. McKnight. He was a doctor like doctors of old. Took lots of time to talk to me. Asked me the right questions, I think, then explained the results of the battery of tests I took.
It gave me hope. Not really hope, but made me feel more confident in coming out of this TBI (traumatic brain injury) less scathed that could be the case.
I did a lot of balance tests. Some wearing goggles that recorded my eye movements, and some with complete darkness. I was pretty stellar when my eyes were open. In the 98% range, which he said you can’t score any higher because the earth is spinning. I don’t know about that statement, but I felt pretty stable.
I wasn’t as stable doing the same balancing with no sight. Only in the 80% range. Still not bad, but I know I have less balance here than before cracking my skull.
So need to do some vestibulo-ocular reflex exercises to help my brain compensate with the balance issues. I’m going back on Friday, my birthday, to see his guy that will give me some exercises to do at home to help.
He also said that I have loose crystals in my ear canals still, BPPV, which causes dizziness too. Loose crystals in liquid that throws off equilibrium. That is a supposed easy fix, but I haven’t had that great of luck with it so far. He did it again and I guess I’ll see if that worked.
So, that is good. I haven’t had any dizziness issues recently riding. Actually, only twice since I have been riding outside, have I even felt anything. Both times it was just for a second or two and not bad. That was awhile ago.
I’m going to KU Medical on Monday so see my neurology rehab doctor. She is great and I am looking forward to seeing her. I haven’t been there in 6 weeks now.
I am really lucky that I’ve had really good doctors that take time and seem truly interested in my health. I don’t think that is the norm so much nowadays in medicine.
Anyway, I have a head cold now and feel pretty crummy, but it is sort of funny, because before this head injury, I would have been pretty depressed about being sick. It is just a flesh wound, not even that, now, compared to what I went through the past 3+ months. I guess that is one upside to being really bad off for abit.
Tucker has no balance issues. He’ll stay like this forever, or at least until I tell him it is alright to go run.
Release the hounds.
He loves swimming. Even if it is freezing out, if he can find water, he is in it.
He’s an exhibitionist at night, usually.
I HAVE noticed you lean to the left considerably……
Great news!
Steve,
Any thoughts on the recent Bruyneel article in CN and Velonews where he criticizes Lemond and states everyone in the peloton hated him? I’m curious as to the accuracy of the latter?
Is ‘Roger Wenzel’ actually Rene ? The infamous doping coach that would be just as likely to ruffie his date as he would to inject a young cyclist ?
http://www.velonews.com/2017/02/from-the-mag/need-t-amateur-cycling-testosterone-tues_430124
Apparently not the same Weasel. Um…uh… Wenzel.
But I couldn’t resist making sure everyone aware what a weasel Wenzel is. Not the Wenzel that was.
hey steve, you ever get a complete physical? get your blood work done too??. seems like you’re sick 4-5-6+ times a year… IMO, you have far less stress in your life than most, no kids to get their germs, etc…. but you’re sick a lot… go get a physical and your blood work done..
Now that is the kind of post I expect from Crum.
You are crazy, Tucker…
I’m very interested in reading about your Doctor visits for BPPV. I started having trouble 2 yrs ago out of the blue. First time I thought I had an illness. The second time sent me to the ER where I was diagnosed. I take Ondansetron which is fast acting and melts on your tongue in seconds has worked very well. The other is Meclizine if the other drug doesn’t help. They also suggested I go online and watch the video for BPPV issues called the EPLAY manuever which helps move the loose crystals out of the water in the ear. Look forward to more of your posts on this subject & hope you get feeling better. Dizziness really sucks when it hits!!!
I didn’t realize how much I missed looking at Tuckers nuts.
I’m so happy to hear of your balance progress. You know what the marines say: Improvise, Adapt, Overcome. If anyone can do that , it’s you Steve. Also love the pics of Tucker. Thanks for posting all of it.
It’s pretty common knowledge that endurance athletes have a compromised immune system.
Yeah, I’d like to hear Steve’s opinion on this too. I never heard Lemond referred to as an asshole before. I don’t believe it.
I enjoy your pics of Tucker. I have always wondered about the difference between worthless and priceless. When it comes to your dog, there is no price you would take for him. does that make him worthless or priceless?
Good luck with your balance.
I’ve always had unreal success dropping mescaline. Good mescaline comes on slow. The first hour is all waiting. Then about halfway through the second hour, you start cursing the creep who burned you because nothing’s happening. And then – ZANG! Your eyeballs turn into kaleidoscopes. Time and space becomes distorted so you feel like you’re living in a Picasso painting.