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The
Faces and Stories of MdDS
Dr. Ellison's MdDS STORY
I flew down to Haiti on 16JAN2010 4 days
after the earthquake. The flight was a civilian aircraft and there were
no issues.
In the early morning on 18JAN2010 (I think that was the day), there was
a large aftershock which lasted about 30 seconds. The building I was in
moved but there was no damage. There were several more aftershocks that
occurred over the next several days. We were working about 22 hours a
day with little sleep or food.
I was in a meeting about two days after the large aftershock and I
rocked up on to my toes. I asked everyone else in the room if they felt
the ground move. They told me no and I figured I was just tired. This
continued to happen every now and then until I was evacuated home on
6FEB2010.
Between 18JAN2010 and 6FEB2010, I was able to work. Our sleep time
increased some and we did get much more food and water. I traveled
around Haiti in military helicopters and in vehicles over the rough
roads and terrain. I was fine during all these trips.
I did occasionally feel like I was rocking up on my feet or feeling the
ground move under my feet between 18JAN2010 and 4FEB2010.
On 4FEB2010, I went to a meeting requiring riding in a vehicle over
rough terrain. I was fine when I arrived but during the meeting, I had
the sensation that I was moving while sitting there. After the meeting,
I asked the people with me if I had been moving and they told me no.
During the ride back to our base, I felt fine and worked on my
Blackberry. Once we got to our base, I felt very off balance and
noticed that I was drifting side to side when I walked.
My team and I thought I was just tired and I went to rest. The next
day, I was able to function but felt like I was off balance even when I
was sitting down but it was very hot outside. I figured I was tired and
dehydrated so I ensured I drank appropriately that day.
The next day, my balance was much worse and other personnel were
noticing it. I was trying to work from my cot which was working but it
was decided that I needed to go out to the Naval hospital ship the
Comfort for evaluation. I was flown out on a helicopter to the ship. My
balance was much worse when I got there. The head CT and other
evaluations were normal and it was felt that I must have labrynthitis
and that I would need to be sent home because this could take a while
to resolve.
I went back to my base and left. On the flight home, I took a nap and
when I woke up during the flight, I felt fine. When the aircraft
stopped, I tried to stand up and my balance was much worse. I went home
and followed up at the hospital the next day. They made sure I had not
had a stroke and did not have any tumors. I saw the ENT Surgeon and he
felt that it must be vestibulitis because I did not have any hearing
loss. He sent me home on 3 weeks of convalescent leave and we figured
it would resolve.
I honestly did not do much of anything when I went home because I hoped
the rest would make it go away but it actually got a lot worse to the
point that my gait was almost Parkinsonian. I became very sensitive to
loud noise and music and to visual changes. If something went past me,
I would feel like I was falling into it.
I went to see the Neurologist and he felt that it was Disembarkment Syndrome. I started
going to vestibular physical therapy. It was good to go but it just got
worse. It got to the point where I always felt like I was standing up
in a canoe. I was not able to walk without a cane and was not able to
drive.
Whenever I was in a moving vehicle, it was gone but whenever it
stopped, it was much worse.
I was tested on a device called a NeuroCom which is designed to check
balance. Everything I did on it resulted in a fall with my lowest score
being an 8 and my highest score ultimately being an 89 just before this
completely resolved.
Things did not improve and I was sent to Walter Reed Army Medical
Center for evaluation by Neurology there. After extensive evaluation
and normal studies (other than a neuropathy in my left foot which is
old) the diagnosis continued to be Disembarkment Syndrome.
It was felt that I would benefit from daily vestibular rehab therapy so
I went to Walter Reed and spent a month in therapy. For the first 2
weeks, my balance improved because they were teaching me coping
mechanisms but the sensation of movement did not stop or improve.
I did daily vestibular rehab, yoga twice a week, worked on biofeedback,
went to the pool and used the kayak. The kayak and pool therapy were
what I felt like helped the most because I felt more balance in and on
the water. I also used the CAREN device which was challenging but
helpful. At one point they were moving the floor up and down 24 inches
and that was when I was the most comfortable and had no sense that I
was moving. The kayak was the best when they moved is up and down from
the bow.
After a month of vestibular rehab therapy, my balance was better but I
still had a very strong sense of motion. I returned to Fort Bragg on
1MAY2010. One of the Anesthesiologists performs Frequency Specific
Micro-Current therapy and thought it might help. I figured it would not
hurt. I underwent 8 sessions of between 2 and 4 hours with the device
being placed in multiple areas. After every session, I was subjectively
and objectively better with improvement in my gait the following
morning. At first it did not last but it got better and better to the
point that I no longer needed the cane. I experimented with driving and
riding my motorcycle and it went very well. I also started doing P90X
which is an exercise routine I like. At first it was very difficult but
it has improved to the point that I can do everything to include the
balance exercises.
I cannot say for a fact that the FSMC therapy worked but it seemed to
do something for me. I would say that pool therapy, kayaking in a pool
and the FSMC therapy are good things to try.
To date my symptoms have been completely resolved for 18 days.
June
3, 2010
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This
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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
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Last
modified on June 21, 2010
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