VERTIGO!

When I was growing up in the 1950’s, there was a television show called “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”  We loved Hitchcock for frightening us, confusing us, and surprising us with a skill no other had nor has to this day.  In his introduction to the show Mr. Hitchcock kindly shared a bit of information to prepare us for what was to come and politely introduced us to his sponsor.  Then, as my dad used to say, he proceeded to “scare the bejeezus” out of us.  The show was best watched with a group.

     At our house it was a rather large group; most of us sitting cross-legged on the living room floor in front of a black and white TV.   After dinnerDad would set up his drawing-board behind the crowd and work on layouts with blue pencils, triangles and a T-square --- ancient tools of graphic design.  We watched TV shows together as a family (no matter how one longed to savor “Dr. Kildare” by oneself).  Those evenings of TV viewing, coupled with nightly family dinners when nine of us communed around a crowded table playing games, teasing and eating, formed the glue that’s made us siblings stick together --- no matter how far-flung we are geographically.

     When my own children were little they watched mostly video tapes --- by themselves.  But at Christmas time there were a few favorites that we liked to watch together like “The Muppets Christmas,” “Olive the Other Reindeer” and “The Snowman.”  When the recent “The Muppets” movie came out, my daughter, Mercedes invited me to see it with her as part of my birthday present.  For one hour and about forty-five minutes I felt like I was sitting next to my 4 year old daughter who literally laughed out loud non-stop throughout the film.  What a gift!  I felt 20 years younger myself.  And since the premise of the movie was that the Muppets had to “put on a show” to save their old theater from a greedy tycoon it tickled me to see Mickey Rooney’s cameo performance.

     For in his youth, Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland starred in several movies that we kids watched on TV after school.  The stories were always about putting on a show to save --- something!  These were movies that MY mother saw in the theater when SHE was a girl.  Mickey Rooney connected my mother’s youth to mine and now to my daughter’s.

     I will now circle back to Alfred Hitchcock who, besides television shows, made a few movies.  Many of these films had short, sometimes just one word titles --- “Rope,” “Notorious,” “The Birds,” and “Psycho."  You could almost imagine what was in store for you from those titles, but the one I never got was “Vertigo” --- a word that I didn't understand--- until yesterday.

     Last week I’d been having spells of dizziness and mild nausea off and on.  My great fear was that those symptoms signaled a recurrence of the brain lesions that gave me similar problems last summer.  It didn’t seem possible, and by that I mean FAIR that I might be facing another brain treatment now when I’m so close (February 7^th) to being finished with the clinical trial.  So, I didn’t call the doctor until the room started spinning.  And that was the clue ---Vertigo makes the room spin, brain lesions, probably do not.  The doctor thinks I have something called “benign paroxysmal positional vertigo” – or BPPV.  Thank God! 

     It’s not like having a vestibular disorder is a piece of cake --- I’m feeling rather homebound at the moment because of the relentless rain and the uncertainty about whether I should be driving or even walking unattended.  But it’s certainly a better diagnosis than brain lesions.  The doctor explained (and even drew a little picture of) what likely happened.  A minute crystal in the inner ear has broken off and is floating around in the fluid, bumping into other microscopic things and throwing me off balance. Once that crystal settles in one place the symptoms should subside.  The damage was probably caused by chemo, radiation, and/or my "advanced" age.  We’ll never know.

     But now I know what VERTIGO means, Mr. Hitchcock, and as unpleasant as it is --- it’s better, I think, than being set upon by those angry birds!

 

 

Comments

[Rheatha Forster]

So now we know how Kim Novak really felt up in that church tower.

I heard a radio interview with her recently where she lambasted Martin Scorcese for using parts of the "Vertigo" score in "Hugo." The composer is credited, but she thinks the music should only be used in the context for which it was composed - the movie. Did you recognize the music? She said it brings her back to the scene, and gives her vertigo every time she hears it.

[Linda Ilsley]

Darling Bee,

Not that you're NOT special, but I know a number of folks who have had vertigo and after suffering with it for a few months or so it has not returned. Most unnerving, though, I'm sure. We're past time to chat so we'll do that soon, but vertigo aside, it's wonderful to have you back in the blogosphere. L xoxo

[Katherine McGuire]

It's great to have you writing again!
Love, Kathy