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The
Faces and Stories of MdDS
Arianne Daume's MdDS STORY
June
2011
My name is Arianne Daume. I am a 32 year old
homemaker of a 5 and 7 year old boys. Eight years ago, I went on
a 7 day cruise and came back walking into walls and dizzy. I was
misdiagnosed with labrynthitis and, finally after 3 weeks, was placed
on steroids, and it seemed to fix me or so I thought.
In February of 2010, I went on another 7 day cruise
and came back thinking that if this happened again, I would take
steroids and be fine. Boy was I wrong. My body was in
constant motion, rocking, head bobbing, bed swaying, and tons of
nausea. I was actually diagnosed over the phone while I was visiting my
folks in WV by an ENT in Nashville. After seeing an ENT and trying
a 5mg 24 hour Valium induced sleep to try and reboot my system and not
working I was sent to the Balance Disorder clinic. It showed
nothing wrong with my ears. I did try vestibular rehabilitation with no
luck. I finally flew to Chicago and saw Dr. Hain (an
otoneurologist) who got me started on lots of medicine to help control
my rocking and nausea. I started having migraines as well or at least a
significant headache daily.
MdDS has affected everything in my life. In the
beginning, I had to rely on neighbors and my mother who came and stayed
for 3 months with us. She and my friends did everything for my
household. My boys and I then had to spend the summer away at my folks,
making my husband miss all summer with our boys. Things have
gotten a bit easier. I am very tired all of the time, but I only have
the bed swaying, and when I get tired, my head bobs. I did
recently have
an
intractable migraine from this that landed me in the hospital for a
week. I am afraid for what my boys have seen and what they won’t
want to do. I fear they will never want to go on a cruise with their
daddy. My seven year old is always saying he wishes I never went on a
cruise. I know I will never hold them back from those doing things that
I can’t or won’t do (roller coasters, boat rides, train
rides, cruises, etc.). I know that time is on my side, but with 2 small
kids, it makes it hard. I know that Klonopin is my biggest help with
the disease and the constant help of family and friends support. I am
also seeing a therapist to just vent, which helps in a way.
This syndrome has taken a lot from our family, but
we are hanging in there. I think my husband finally had his eyes opened
this past week when I was hospitalized and had gone down 20 pounds.
Hopefully time will help get me into remission, but I am very
frustrated that it is taking a lot longer than I want.
Arianne
Daume
June,
2011
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Syndrome) and the health care professionals who treat them.
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Debarquement Syndrome and seeking treatments and a cure for people
suffering from this disorder.
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Copyright
© 2006-2011, MdDS Balance Disorder Foundation, Inc.
All
rights reserved. Unauthorized use prohibited. Copyright materials may
not be reproduced in whole or in part by persons, organizations, or
corporations without the prior written permission of the MdDS Balance
Disorder Foundation. The information contained in this web site is not
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Last
modified on June 2, 2011
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