Fearfully Made

God has fearfully and wonderfully made every bit of who I am: my personality, my body, my emotions, and my soul. He knows what needs tending to. When something happens to any part of it, He can provide what I need. My husband, my son, his three children (our grandchildren), and I went to a park. My niece, Melissa, met us there with her dog. We brought a soccer ball, a football, and a ball for the dog to fetch.

We were throwing the football around, and I tried to catch it with my arms in the air, causing my legs to come out from underneath me. I fell backward, and my head ricocheted off the ground.

I got back up and continued playing. I didn't give it another thought.

The next day, I experienced a bad headache and was very tired.

The day after that, my niece asked how my head was doing. The reason I had a headache and was so tired was that I had a minor concussion.

Ten months later, I was out for my regular walk, and it was really hot. I was almost home when something happened. First, my ears filled up with pressure, and it felt like I was in a Twilight Zone. I couldn't walk straight and felt dizzy. It was so scary. What just happened? I made it home safely.

When I shared my experiences with my sister, she immediately reached out to her daughter, Jackie, a physical therapist. Jackie's knowledge and support were invaluable. She suggested I need an Epley maneuver, a potential solution that gave me hope.

Following Jackie's advice, I scheduled an appointment with a physical therapist. His thorough testing and professional judgment were crucial to my journey toward understanding my condition. He sent me to an Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) Doctor.

During my visit to the ENT doctor, I learned a lot about my condition. His explanation of vestibular migraines and their connection to my headaches was enlightening. It was empowering to finally have a name for what I was experiencing.

At the end of the appointment, I mentioned the head trauma I experienced nine months prior at the park. He was surprised it wasn't the first thing I shared with him. I had shared this data with his assistants before he came in. The data never got passed on to him. He explained that the brain has reduced capacity due to the brain injury. He sent me to get an MRI to rule out an ear tumor. Thankfully, I did not have an ear tumor. However, the MRI revealed that I have encephalomalacia, which is the softening of brain tissue. I had fallen off my bike four years before this MRI, and it was more concerning than the park incident. YIKES!

A year later, I scheduled another appointment with the ENT.

He told me the number one reason for these types of headaches is dehydration. I have made drinking water a priority and have not experienced a vestibular migraine in almost two years.

I don't know what's next, but I know God is with me and will provide for me if other symptoms arise. For now, I live!