A week in hell!

To say it has been an interesting week would be putting it mildly.  For the past month or so I have been suffering from vertigo.  One Sunday a few weeks ago, during the sermon at the 9:45 service, I turned --- I caught the eye of someone in the congregation who had a look of fear on their face --- because I think they felt like I was going to fall.   I asked someone about it later and they said they thought I tripped (I wish).  The truth was --- I was hit with a dizzy spell.

On Monday, February 10th I got blood work done, because I was convinced my dizziness and lack of focus was due to my thyroid medication being too high.  I take 175 mg of synthroid every morning to combat hashimoto's disease and two goiters on my thyroid.  About noon that day I became overwhelmingly dizzy.  It was almost like a migraine headache without a major headache.  I went to bed and managed to sleep for about three hours.  Later that evening, while still dizzy, I managed to carry on with my life. 

For the rest of the week, the dizziness persisted.  If I were to use a scale I would say that I was always at a three and would have waves occasionally overtake me which were 7 to 9 but usually not too long lasting.  On Thursday I had a previously scheduled appointment with Dr Sheillah Gentile to discuss my synthroid being too high.  She informed me that my thyroid levels were excellent and became very concerned about what was going on.  She performed a number of tests, ordered more blood work, an MRI and prescribed meclaizine to help deal with the dizziness.  She also suggested I go to the ER if the condition got worse.

Sunday was VERY difficult --- not only was the sermon very personal to me (I preached on temptation --- sermon is posted below) but I was also in the throngs of some major dizziness.  Somehow --- with God's help, I got through the service.  Following church I went and made some calls at the hospital and at some homes before coming back for a children's ministry party.  By the time I got home, I was toast!

Monday was just like the previous one.  But once I got up, I went to the hospital to see somebody before their surgery and then stopped and saw Bill Carter.  After I got home about 4, I went to bed after making the decision not to attempt to play dartball that evening.  It was just as well.  At 8 pm I got a phone call from Ann that Bill had passed away and I quickly through on some clothes and went to their house until 10:30 pm.

Tuesday awoke with more of the same, but I knew I had staff meeting in the morning and a meeting with Carter's at 2 pm.  Staff meeting went, met with David Z for our weekly meeting, followed by Rotary.  After Rotary I came home, gathered myself and went to Carter's.  Tuesday was Haley's last night at home and Nancy and I took her out to dinner at El Taco Real in Hammond (One of our favorites) and I came home and went to bed.

Wednesday, instead of meeting with Ben I decided I just needed to try and gather myself, so I canceled.  Spent the morning finishing up my presentation for WWE and at noon Nancy and I took Haley to O'Hare so that she could begin her adventure in Chile.  She will be spending the next 5 months there and you can join me in following her adventure on her blog: Chilling in Chili. 

Once we got home from the airport, we caught our breath and then I asked Nancy to take me to the ER.  I spent 6 hours in the ER before the finally put me in a room.  They kelp me overnight so that they could do an MRI in the morning and start me on some PT.  I spent the entire day Thursday sitting on my arse doing NOTHING!  Fortunately I had a good book to read --- I read almost all of Zealot.  I will write about it later, but by 5 pm I still had not had any PT nor an MRI.  I was able to convince the Dr that I could do nothing at home and still get an MRI so they released me to rush to the diagnostic center and get the MRI done.

Getting the MRI is another long story!!!!  First at the Community Diagnostic Center, Nancy and I went directly there from the hospital, did not pass go, did not collect my original order from home --- because that is what we were told to do.  Arrived at CDC, waited about an hour only to be told that since I did not have the original order --- the one in the computer was not good enough that they would not do the test.  I told them I could have the order there in 5 minutes but they said NO.  Went home and watch my Duke Blue Devils lose to North Carolina --- not a good way to end the night.  They played as listless in the second half as I felt!

Friday morning, I made an appointment at the Community Outpatient Center in Schererville (Don't use GPS to get you there --- it is wrong).  Again, after about an hour wait (in which I was getting more and more whacked out) --- I got called.  The technician tried to calm me down, but only made me worse.  He suggested I get a prescription and go back to CDC and the open unit --- he did manage to get me an appointment at 3:15.  I called Dr Gentile and she ordered a sedative for me, (She is a great doctor!) and I picked it up at 2 from Walgreens.

Nancy got home a little after 2, I took the pill and everything after that is kind of hazy!  The tech at the CDC was wonderful (James!!! Thank you!)  He made me relaxed and the test was a breeze).  After the test Nancy and I went out to eat and to Costco (I have no idea what we bought, lol) and then home.

The week has been a total blur.  This morning I am trying to recapture as much of it as I can, and begin to prepare for the weekend.  Tomorrow I am preaching what may be one of the most difficult passages in the Gospels Luke 4:16-26 --- with how I am feeling; it is going to be interesting.  I imagine I will be preaching --- literally from a stool.