Marci's Update

Here we sisters are at Morgan's wedding in December. If my mom were in this picture, I'd have all my besties in it.

I have noticed in the last year or so that not only am I not hearing things, I'm not understanding them. I went to a movie with my friend Kathy Konold, I kept leaning over and asking what was said. I do it at church too. Unless the person at church is standing at the microphone when giving a prayer, the only way I know it's over is the big amen at the end.

I had my hearing checked in December and sure enough I have been losing more on the "good" ear. She suggested I see Dr. Harris at UCSD. I have seen him before about the tinnitus, but figured it couldn't hurt to see him again. Today was my visit with him. Apparently you can have Meniere's Disease without having the attacks normally associated with it. Usually after an attack, a person with Meniere's can have some hearing loss. I don't have "attack's" like others have described. I do have dizzy spells, pressure, and pain occasionally. I guess this is my version of an attack.

Several things can happen at this point. I can continue to lose my hearing gradually over time. I could possibly wake up and find that my hearing is terrible or gone one day.  People who have this type of Meniere's can have fluctuations in hearing from day to day, but it's not a good thing. If that starts happening I need to go in asap and get steroid shots into my ear and possibly take steroids orally from then on out as well.

I have been put back on a low sodium diet, which by the way is really not fun. I have also been started on a diuretic and potassium supplements that I will take from here on out. I am literally a walking pharmacy. I shudder to think what my liver will be like by the time I'm dead. I will be the only Mormon out there with liver failure, haha.

Believe it or not, there is good news. As long as the nerve in my ears stay 'alive', which they both are currently, I am a candidate for cochlear implants. For some reason I had thought all these years that it wasn't an option. So, the good news is I may not ever be totally deaf. Well, if I get the implants I won't be. I am still planning on learning sign language. I cannot express enough how much I enjoy using it over straining to hear what people are saying. I find myself kind of checking out more and more in social situations. It's just easier to read a book, close my eyes, whatever, than it is to try to listen to people talk. The Dr. did say that the cochlear implants can help some people with tinnitus and hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound). That's a quasi silver lining.

I started taking boxing classes a little over a month ago. I love it. I am horrible at it, and it's a lot harder than it looks, but I love it. I was told today, however, that I can't spar with people.  All I said was I started boxing and my Dr, said NO before I said anything else. Decided training is alright to do, but not against another person. I was never really planning to get in the ring, but I have been sparring a little. No more of that. Still in school, last class is in June. By July I will have a degree in Health Informatics.