ONAT LOPERA

Long entry ahead. Click on for those who wish to read. You were warned. [sticky entry]

Rewind to last Saturday (16th). Weekdays of the same week, I had vertigo. That dreadful dreadful vertigo. By Thursday, it had toned down to “low” and by Saturday it was quite tolerable. I had to go out; I’ve been stuck at home wallowing on the deep depths of dizziness so I went to the theaters to watch Angels and Demons (better than the Da Vinci Code IMHO, very engaging and fantastic score. Zimmer FTW! ). The ride to SBFZ was as usual, a little bumpy so when we arrived at the stop, I had to move slow not to force myself. Slowly but surely, I arrived to the theaters minutes before the movie begun.

Movie ended, we decided to walk for a bit. I told them how I much I missed walking around which I usually do after work. Hungry, we decided to go to this Korean Restaurant. We don’t know the name, it was just this Korean sign with “Korean Restaurant” below it. John was the mastermind; saying it was good and cheap were all we need to know. Being a Korean restaurant virgin, I had no idea what to order. Menu was written in Korean with English translations and some have pictures also to help noobs (like yours truly) decide what to order. I ordered the Dolsot Bibimbap, served on a sizzling bowl. My friends ordered a meat and tofu dish (the best dish that we ordered) and some maki which we all shared. The food was great! And the portions for each order was enough for two. Side dishes were nice. Greens, potatoes, chillies, egg whites slash squidball stuff and of course kimchi. I even found out that you can ask them to refill a side dish plate if you like it that much.

After the dinner and after dropping by a friend’s place, I met up with some friends. Hanged out and talked for a while, caught up on things. Went home that night without electricity with this blogging itch.

Sunday (17th) was the usual. Dizzy on the morning and faded slowly through the afternoon. Started a draft that evolved into this entry.

On peak days, it doesn’t fade at all. Imagine a nonstop dizziness that you have nothing else to do but to sleep it off. That was me Monday to Wednesday the same week.

Monday (18th). Got up with minimal vertigo, got ready for work and went off 2 minutes shy til 7AM. Jeepney ride was bumpy. At the jeepney stop, went down and walked slowly to recover my balance. Looking around, I even said to myself how I missed seeing all the people rushing in through the gate. About three quarters in to the bridge, I thought I was going to fall down to the ground. I shifted more of my weight forward to counter the backward force. So I continued to enter thinking that it was just one of those sudden bursts I always have.

I was so wrong. It was one of those Mondays perhaps.

Walking towards 7-11 to get my usual dose of fortified water, still hoping not to continue to worsen, hell’s gate swung open again on me. All that I could remember was I was walking towards the canteen behind our usual waiting spot to sit down. That was the first place that came to my mind where to go next. Maybe it’s reflex that I sent an SMS to an officemate and to the office saying I won’t make it to work with my condition. After that, I contacted home to fetch me because I really couldn’t walk to the jeepney nor the tricycle stop. And then suddenly, I saw two of my officemates walking towards me to check on me. So kind of them, they were making sure I was OK. I told them that my brother was on the way to pick me up and I’ll be fine there on the spot as long as I didn’t moved. I hope they didn’t arrived late that day.

Minutes in and my brother arrived. It would be a struggle to walk through the bridge so we just took a pricey taxi cab (which I took once last year) home.

Fast forward today (22nd), still recovering and thriving with this illness. In modern net speak, my situation is a major FAIL. It all started with a sneeze and blowing my nose after it and look what it brought.

Not that I am looking forward to it but I just hope it would be months or maybe years (I wish) when it would act up again. Sad to say, “never” is not applicable on this. Just precaution, precaution and precaution.

I need an exorcism, I think. My damned inner ear. Sometimes I can’t stop thinking it is all helpless and it had become sort of a handicap. Sure feels like it. Without being dramatic, one of the gut wrenching part after each episode is that if people would allow me to bounce back again.

Fingers crossed.