Chapter 2 of the Vertigo story

If you've just joined... read the previous post first.

Michelle was able to get right into triage at the hospital with the only delay being paperwork. (You know how you have to sign so many places, and then sign again stating that you really signed.) The nurse who took her initial vital signs and blood work was very competent, and empathetic. That was comforting to begin with. Then the emergency doctor was the opposite of the family-practice doctor she saw Friday. He asked the right questions and took the time, without any prompting, to explain what's going on. I can't remember all the techincal words, but essentially the sinus chamber deep in the head (not near the forehead or nostrils) is the problem. The drainage outlet is tiny, like the point of a pen. So when it gets inflammed, it shuts off the drainage and the build up in pressure brings about nausea and vertigo. He took time and explained about the decongestants not affecting that chamber - which was perfectly in line with what Michelle has experienced. In fact he made several points that were right on the money without Michelle having to tell him about it. So with much relief we came to the conclusion that we had finally found someone who could help.

Then he said: "There's nothing I can do." He went on to explain that the emergency room is not equipped with the things an Ear-Nose-Throat doctor uses to resolve these problems.

(Side note: the branch president of the Santander branch where I began my mission was an ENT. It's fun to say in Spanish: Otolaringologo. I appreciated his work as Branch President. He and his wife were very good to the missionaries. His Basque name is fun to say too: Baldomero Garaycochea).

Back to the emergency room. The doctor was sure there was no tumor, but he would need to prove it by taking a CT Scan. The problem is you have to lay flat on your back. Michelle hasn't been flat on her back for 4 days now. She would be retching the whole time. Fortunately the good doctor had something that resolved that little problem. He said "we don't know exactly how this works. We just now it does." Whether it prevented the vertigo or just made her feel so good, she didn't care - Michelle doesn't know. It worked and she got through the scan with no problem (i.e. no urge to vomit). She fell asleep waiting for the results from the scan. When they came, it was as the Dr. said, there is no tumor, just inflammed sinuses.

While all this was going on, the IV was dripping fluid into her - helping her feel better. She spent the night at the hospital. This morning I brought her home with more prescriptions for the three drugs that had the most affect on the nausea and vertigo. There's nothing to take for the sinus problem. We are tasked to visit a specific ENT tomorrow - or as soon as we can get it.

Now, here at home the drugs have been doing their job. She's been able to shower and wash her hair. (I'm not sure what the big deal is with that. When we're hiking the Appalachian Trail we go all week without washing our hair.) She has even been able to keep down half a mug of clear chicken broth. She received the Relief Society President for 10-15 min. She sat through scripture study with Matt and I (Nephi, the last one, is passing on some pretty serious threats from the Almighty, and few there are that believe him). Michelle has now gone to bed. So that's the end of the story... unless the visit to the ENT turns out to be more eventful than we anticipate.