Once again, I’m just under the wire for posting this month’s edition of “Fifth Year”. This month, I look back at blog posts related to health and exercise.
My Vertigo
For any of you newer followers, you probably have no idea that I suffer from vertigo. I say I suffer, as opposed to I suffered, because despite having four pretty good years, it’s never really gone. It changed my life for what seemed like a long time and fortunately, I’ve been able to get it under control, even though I’ve never had a definitive diagnosis. Vertigo is a symptom and not a disease itself.
About the time I started Retired Introvert, I had what has turned out to be my last severe episode. It was about two months after I was at the Mayo Clinic where I was prescribed a drug that has turned out to be a life saver.
My first post – Living with Vertigo – describes what I went through and where I was at that point in time (January 2018).
Living with Vertigo – Day to Day was written shortly after the first post and describes how I function from day to day. Or maybe, not function so well. As I’ve described, it’s the not knowing when it will hit that makes life challenging.
While I haven’t had any serious episodes over the last four years, I have had a few minor ones. Living with Vertigo – Anxious and Melancholy describes how it makes me feel when I’m reminded that I’m still subject to vertigo.
One year after my last episode, I’m trying not to be too excited. But it was a good year. Living with Vertigo – A Good Year. I was still very hesitant about doing certain things and limited my driving, but overall, I felt good about life again.
One thing that seems to be another symptom of whatever is wrong with me is tinnitus. I know many people have this and I’ve had it since way before the vertigo started. It’s quite annoying and it has many causes. In this post, I talk about what those are and how I live with it.
I haven’t written anything about vertigo for almost three years now. That’s a good sign that my life is back to normal. I did have a couple of bad weeks when we were in Florida, but again, nothing major. Since I’ve gone through this, I’ve also greatly increased the number of pills I take daily. I talk about that in Pills, Pills, Pills.
Family Health Issues
It seems once I got my vertigo under control, things began happening to others in my family.
First, my mom’s ovarian cancer was diagnosed about this time in 2018. I have a couple of posts that talk about things I learned through this experience.
Then Tim injured himself at work and I talked about that in last month’s installment of Fifth Year, as well as my mom’s fall and resulting brain injury.
Other Health and Exercise Issues
I wrote earlier this month about walking. While I try to walk four times per week, it’s always tough. That’s why I have a Love/Hate Relationship with Exercise.
I also have issues with eating – no discipline. I wrote about that in a couple of posts. First, I Need Discipline, and second, there’s a section in this post about trying to manage my eating for one month.
About a year ago, I wrote about a positive experience I’d had with losing weight. Unfortunately, I’ve gained it all back. Once again, I hate looking in my closet and seeing all these things I can’t wear anymore. I finally broke down and bought a few things in a larger size. Ouch!! I’ve known all along that while exercise is good, what I eat is the real culprit.
Since 1996, I’ve had periodic issues with skin cancer. Fortunately, it’s always been basal cell, which is easily treated and doesn’t spread. It does leave a lot of scars on my body, however, although my current dermatologist is more careful about that. I wrote about my experiences with skin cancer three years ago. I finally had a good report from the dermatologist last December so I’m back to annual checkups.
Non Personal Topics
I wrote about a couple of things that aren’t directly related to me, family, or friends. I guess you’d say they’re my opinion on two often controversial topics. Surprisingly, the post about vaccines is not about COVID vaccines. Maybe I need to update it!!
OK, that’s it for May. Next month will be a tougher one to summarize as it’s about my category In the Kitchen. It will even be fun for me to go back and revisit some of my first recipes. Stay tuned.
I’m glad to hear your vertigo has been less severe recently. I have had a few brief episodes over my life and found it very disconcerting. I can’t imagine extended periods. Thank you for sharing your story. Continue taking care of yourself!
Thanks Christie. My life has been so much better since I’ve been taking the med prescribed by Mayo. Let’s hope it never stops working!!
The handful of times I’ve suffered from veritigo (mostly inner ear) have been awful. I am so sorry this is something you’ve struggled with for so long.
I have the opposite problem with weight: I can’t seem to gain any! My wife keeps complaining about how skinny I am.
Fortunately, my vertigo is under control. But I do worry that the medication I take might stop working someday. So, I try to make the best of every day I feel well.
I used to be able to eat anything and not gain weight so it’s tough now to accept that’s no longer true!! Fortunately, I’m tall enough that I can weigh more without showing it, but not now. I hate looking at myself in pictures. 😫
Appreciate being skinny!!!
Linda, it seems like you have had your fair share of challenges these past few years. The important thing is that you are aware and moving forward with actions. Best of luck and don’t try to deal with everything all at once. Baby steps…
Thanks Suzanne. Great advice – baby steps. ❤️
Thank you Linda for this installment of The Retired Introvert. So many of these topics affect me too and I think that’s why I find what you write about so interesting! Skin cancer, struggles with diet and weight loss, reading, cooking, and travel just to name a few!! Always a great read and so well written!
Thanks Linda!! So glad you still like what I write.