Walking like a drunk....lol

[annclements]

Mindy,

I do the same as one of the others said in church. Keep my eyes open or I just don't stand at all. Funny I thought I was the only one that does that. Also, I run into things so much, especially the foot rail on my bed, that my husband has bubble wrapped it for me so I don't hurt my ankles anymore. We have joked that he is going to bubble wrap the whole house for me so I don't hurt myself running into things anymore. I have night lights on thru-out the house (almost in every room) because nights are so bad for me. My husband and kids hold out their hands as I walk by them to help me get to my destination. Funny when you actually think about it. Thank God for loved ones!!

[schmidtkat]

I'm reading some more of the posts on here, and although I put in some comments already I just had to share again. Tonight  I turned the corner to enter our living room with intentions of sitting in the recliner. I'm not sure if my husband or I laughed harder when I turned too short, staggered and nearly ended up wedged between the recliner and the wall behind it. Whoops, another one of my moments. Regarding the nightlights, I just stocked up again. I bought the jumbo pack. I'm pretty sure I have surpassed the quantity I had in the house when my kids were little. Now they're "mom's" helpers for a different reason. Stairs are another fun thing. Thank heaven for handrails and the patient people who get behind me. I move like a senior citizen on those. I guess some days I feel like I'm in training to be elderly...reduced eye sight, limited hearing, slow moving, adding a few more grey hairs, can't remember that I even had something to forget to try to remember (if that even makes sense). 

[opp2]

Since my surgery, I don't have any episodes of drunk walking, however I noticed when I got a cold this past fall I had a couple of episodes where I nearly fell over. I believe the swelling or congestion of the sinuses impacts the balance.

I also noticed, just recently that my tinnitus increases pitch if I move my eyes left, and decreases pitch if I move my eyes right...what a journey this is.

[Seamar]

Some days I am the human pinball - bouncing from one door frame to another!

[schmidtkat]

I love the human pinball analogy. I might have to borrow that. 

[Seamar]

Consider it yours    

[Mark H]

I love doorframes too. I must, I keep running into them. I'm not allowed to even look at a ladder at work. If I' alone in the back room and I think I can get away with it I will, but only if I'm just going up a couple steps. I figure the fall from that low won't hurt too much. 
And the butt chewing I'll get from my boss for climbing really isn't worth it. He knows all about my medical stuff (NF2) as does the whole crew, and they do really watch out for me. On the real bad balance days they just tell me to go sit down for a while or offer to send me home. Mostly I try to stick it out. Fortunately the real bad days don't happen too often. But there's no way I could ever pass a soberiety test. 
Mark

[frenchjoey]

I just love this thread! 
I've just been to London and walking on Oxford Street during the sales period with another zillion people is quite an experience for us ANers!
But I had to laugh! I never had so many people apologizing for bumping into me although it was Me bumping into THEM all the time. I never told them of course. I just smiled and they smiled back. In fact it gave a very warm and friendly touch to my Christmas holiday. I love the Brits!
Happy New Year to all of you.
Joey

[teripo]

Walking like a drunk even happens after treatment???I am on the verge of treatment.Wow Golfinos and Rush sounds like a good combo and I am in driving distance.Seamar did you have CK with them,was it a good result and how many treatments?

[stephSF]

I love the AN HUMOR.  seriously folks....I am reading aloud to Chris tonight to try to prep her a little about what might come and some of the imilarities we all have.  Smiles tonight.  Thanks

[Seamar]

Sorry, Teripo.  I've been away for a long weekend.  Golfinos and Rush do Gamma Knife, and for acoustic neuroma, as far as I know,  that is one treatment.  I won't know whether I have had a good result until I have an MRI in April.  Unfortunately, there are no guarantees, and it may take longer than that to find out whether the treatment was successful.  You sort of have to pick your poison _{very carefully}  and then live with your decision.  For me, my tinnitus is louder and my balance is worse than before GK.  Can't do anything about the tinnitus but I'm in vestibular/balance therapy, and I have friends with whom I laugh a lot.  Now that's therapy!

[godftamm]

Hi Everyone,

Glad I'm in this club, Its been 7 weeks since my surgery and walking like a drunk is starting to feel normal. I haven't tried to drive yet because it scares me to do so. I have to keep tell my daughter who 21 that she has to talk louder she says I do it because I don't have to listen to her. LOL, I'm starting to feel better and things are going okay, I know it will take time. I went and saw WAR Horse and cried all the way though it. So still have things to work out.

[foodsmarts]

I'm two and a half years from my CK treatment at Stanford. Balance is just about the same now as it was before CK which is what I expected. I do stagger and believe I'm mistaken for
drunk on occasion although nobody has ever come out and asked. I tried to park next to a curb side mail box the other day and was a little too far away to reach. I got out of the car and really did a couple of bad veers on my way to the box. As I posted the letters, I looked up and saw and man getting into his car in a parking lot next door. He was just staring at me....probably thought I was a drunk driver. I smiled and tried my best to walk straight back to the car.

I bump into doorways regularly and have little bruises here and there from bumps and bangs, but it's surprising how used to all of this you get. In time, it's just part of life.

I have found if I can walk fast, I veer and stagger less. In Home Depot and other large stores, you can get up a head of steam between objectives and I find I'm okay with that.
Also, I'm a big fan of shopping carts...I get one going into the stores from the parking lot for balance and because I can't hear cars starting up in the lot and cannot anticipate the backing up patterns. With the shopping cart clanging and squeaking I figure I make a more visible presence and am less likely to get hit.

My tumor ear is now completely deaf and I'm adjusting to that as well. For me the deafness is worse than the staggering because it's so difficult socially. Gradually, I've learned to cope. When we walk into a party or reception and there's loud music, we say hello and then leave. Same with restaurants - we don't even try when there's loud music or the crowds are loud.

Helen

Helen