I've never been a good student...

...mainly because I stink at taking tests. And I think that I've been getting tested lately...not sure for what or why, but I have definitely had more downs than ups lately.

It began about two weeks ago when I started having dizzy spells. I expected them to go away, thinking it was jut an inner ear problem. One day I went for a run and felt great. Then I came home and tried to pick up something off the floor and was hit hard with a pretty bad dizzy spell. After a couple of days I took myself to MedExpress where they gave me an EKG and ruled out a heart issue. So, they gave my meds for vertigo. Right before this all started I had made an appointment with a PCP because I hadn't been to one in nearly 20 years (that is what happen when you are uninsured), but that appointment was still a week and a half away. The drugs they gave me seriously wiped me out so I only took them at night. I could still work and drive. I actually drove into the office last week for our summer party and took part in a water balloon toss and playing corn hole, all with no problem. I just can't bend over or make sudden, fast movements with my head, so that has meant no MMA, no PiYo, no gym workouts. I can run but the drug they gave me made me so loopy I have barely had any energy for that.

I finally had my PCP appointment on Wednesday of this week. My BP was a little high but not enough to warrant putting me on blood pressure medication. She thought that I could possibly be dehydrated since I workout a lot and admittedly, don't drink much water. She gave me a referral to an ear specialist and told me that if drinking more water didn't clear it up, to make an appointment. So, I started drinking more water….so much I had to keep running to the bathroom every two minutes. I actually did start feeling better. I even went for a 2 mile run/walk at the trail and then had dinner with co-workers. I seemed to be able to move my head a lot more without feeling woozy.

However, the next day I decided to see if I could bend over. Bad mistake. I got pretty light headed to the point where I had to take one of those vertigo pills (at this point I hadn't taken them for 5 days because of how they knocked me out). I called the ear specialist and was surprised to find out that I could make an appointment as early as Saturday (tomorrow).

So, tomorrow I see an ear specialist. I am praying for the Lord to give him knowledge and guidance to be able to figure out what the heck is wrong with me and to give me peace about this whole situation. I am not too worried just yet. Other than dizziness I have no other symptoms…no headaches, no vomiting, no chest pains. I was getting light headed while sleeping but that seems to have diminished quite a bit. I'm going to look at that as a good thing. I can pretty much function as normal....I just can't clean much if it involves bending over (there is always a bright spot somewhere!) But it is still kinda scary.

I am actually pretty relieved I was able to get in to see him so soon. I don't doubt I was probably dehydrated which I am sure exacerbated what the real problem is, but dehydration was obviously not THE problem. 

It's been tough. I never imagined I would ever missing working out. But it's not just that…I also miss seeing my friends. I miss getting my butt kicked by them in MMA. I have missed my last two group training runs and I am so behind with the training plan we're following.

But I'm not giving up. We're training for the Great Race 5K in late September and there is time to catch up and run my best 5K yet. Lord willing, I will have some answers tomorrow morning so we can fix this and I can get back to training.

Oh! And according to the doctor's scale, I have gained weight. I definitely have gone back to my old habits of emotional eating these last couple of weeks. I need to start eating better because allowing your emotions to control what you eat is not a good feeling. It's making me lethargic and depressed. The doctor did say it would help my blood pressure to lose a few more pounds, but when I told her I once weighed 205 she said, "Wow! Good for you!" :)

So, before I say a prayer for myself and my ear specialist and head to bed, let me leave you with a little nugget of wisdom…when having health problems, don't ever Google your symptoms. Common sense should have told me that but what can I say, I'm a curious person!

....oh yes, and let me just add...I am so thankful to now have health insurance. I feel so blessed that I went so long without it and never had any medical problems.