In my sixty years, I have enjoyed all modes of travel including numerous boat rides on various vessels.  Only one of which ever adversely affected me. It was a deep sea fishing trip out of San Diego, CA on a converted tug boat, and it did get to me.  That flat bottomed boat bobbed on top of the water generating excessive motion. After disembarking I felt the rocking, bobbing and swaying for several months. (In fact shortly after I got on land, I thought I was feeling an earthquake until I realized no one else was reacting.) I was treated for a middle ear infection believed to have been triggered by that boat. Looking back, I now think that was my first bout of MdDS three decades ago.

Even before and after that trip, there were the ferries to and from Catalina Island and one such trip, I even sailed on a Pirate Ship. Plus whale watching, yachting and gondolas. I have been on two cruises in recent years with no problems at all.

I have flown in jet planes, commercial props and even my father’s twin-engine Cessna, all with no problems. Well, with the exception of that one jet that had to turn around and land due to engine problems … but that’s a whole different story.

One of my favorite means of travel has been trains, perhaps because two of my grandfathers worked for the Reading Railroad (yep, just like on the Monopoly board). I have traveled Yuma to/from Los Angeles, Los Angeles to/from San Diego (love that trip!) and of course enjoy Metro commuting. So I was thrilled when my grandson developed the same love of trains. I have been on Thomas the Train, mini scale trains galore and the Camp Verde Canyon train. It was on this train that my daughter observed that I was the only person on the train who walked effortlessly while the train was in motion. She commented that everyone else walked like they were drunk. Hmmm. I guess my brain did an excellent job of sending the right signals to counter the motion. That was March of 2009.

In July 2010, my husband and I took our grandson to the Grand Canyon via train from Williams Arizona. It was a 130 mile round trip journey. We all had a blast. The ride was enjoyable the scenery amazing and the on-board entertainment was great fun. 

I haven’t stopped rocking, swaying and bobbing since. I have been diagnosed with MdDS which was not an easy diagnosis to come by. It is so difficult to get people to understand that I do not have vertigo, I am not spinning. I am rocking! I find it funny when I describe to someone the sensation of motion I am experiencing and even after I explain that I know I am not physically moving but part of my brain “thinks” I am moving while the logical part of my brain understands I am not moving. Still they take a step back, look at me with their heads usually tilted just a bit and comment, “You aren’t rocking.”  

I have good days when I may go several hours without feeling the motion. I have bad days that I call my personal stormy seas days. I find that I am affected adversely by weather, I get migraines which are a new experience for me and a head cold or congestion bring on the tidal waves. There is only one doctor in my area that specializes in MdDS and he is not taking new patients. So that is discouraging.

But, I am a silver lining kind of girl and I don’t let life get me down. Not even MdDS.

In April 2011, I participated in the clinical study by Brian C. Clark, Ph.D. at Ohio University.  The results of that study are hoped for in the fall. I did learn that planes are not my friend and experienced a few weeks of enhanced rocking. But, I also made a new friend who was also participating.

In June 2011, I will participate in another clinical study by Yoon-Hee Cha, MD at UCLA, Los Angeles. For this one, my husband will drive me. As those of us with MdDS know, cars for whatever reason are our sanctuaries granting reprieve from the sensation of motion.

I am looking forward to this clinical study. As an employee of a pharmaceutical company, I fully understand the importance of these studies. I am more than willing to do my part to help find a cause and a cure.

Searching for the reset button to release my brain from the train…

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