BPPV 3

Four days after landing in Toronto, just over a week or so ago, I woke up feeling a little dizzy.  When I sat up, and tried to stand up, I felt the world spinning.   When I lied down and held still, I felt better.  I instinctively knew it was BPPV again.  Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.  Presumably, some crystal falls into one of the semi-circular canals in the inner ear. Which affects my sense of balance, creating a sense of spinning whenever I move.  The name says benign.  But the effect was devastating.  

When it happened to me several years ago for the first time, in May 2021, it was really scary.  I did not know what was going on.  What if it was a permanent condition?  Our doctor friend H told my wife C to look up the Epley manoeuvre and apply it on me.  That solved the problem.  Five days later I had another, milder episode.  Since then I have not had another one, until now. 

Hence when it happened to me a third time, this time, I wasn’t too scared.  At least I new what it was.  But I was still worried.  What if my wife could not apply the Epley successfully?  Would I have to live the rest of my life lying on my back? How long will this episode last?

My wife went on youtube to look for a video on the Epley.  This time, however, most of the videos found demonstrate how a person can apply it to himself.  How do I know whether I have turned my head 45 degrees?  Till my head back 45 degrees?  Lie down rapidly?  Turn my body 90 degrees while keeping my head oriented the same way?  I couldn’t do that when I was normal.  How could I do that while feeling the world spinning?  Fortunately, my wife found one with a doctor demonstrating Epley on a patient, that looked professional.  First of all, she had to figure out whether it was the left ear or the right ear.  Then perform the correct sequence.  Miraculously, She did it, again!  And saved me, again!  I need to go no further to find my Guardian Angel.  She is right here. 

Thereafter, I continued to feel unsteady for a day or two, even though the world was no longer spinning.  Gradually I felt better.  Thank God.  Now I am back to normal, more or less.