This article originally appeared in the Summer 2024 issue of On The Level.
A Dizzy Childhood
Rochelle’s journey with vestibular disorders began when she was only 10 years old.
“I remember being in school and I remember walking down the hall, and all of a sudden, everything was spinning. And I fell to the floor in the hallway,” she recalls.
Young Rochelle was terrified, unable to articulate what was happening.
“My teacher didn’t know what was wrong. I didn’t know what was wrong. I was extremely scared. I just kept telling her that everything was spinning.”
This frightening experience was the first of many sporadic episodes that would follow her into adulthood.
As she entered her mid-teens, Rochelle’s vertigo attacks remained sporadic but brought with them a persistent sense of imbalance.
“When I was walking on the ground I would feel like it was bobbing like a boat,” she explains.
Navigating long, straight aisles in stores became a challenge, forcing her to cling to the walls for stability. This wasn’t the classic vertigo she had known; it was a constant feeling of being off-balance that she couldn’t shake.
The Breaking Point
At 24, Rochelle experienced the worst vertigo attack of her life.
“I was asleep and I just woke up. I had been on my back, I remember, and I woke up and immediately flipped onto my stomach. I didn’t know which way was up.”
This attack was a turning point. She knew she needed to seek medical help. An ENT diagnosed her with bilateral Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) and she started treatment for this condition. But despite some relief, the underlying wobbliness never left her.
The Fight Continues
Life milestones came with their own set of challenges. Motherhood brought joy, but also exacerbated her symptoms.
After giving birth, “the vertigo was there, but the imbalance was worse. I was in my early 30s and I was just feeling helpless. ”
Everyday activities, like driving, triggered panic attacks. “In Baltimore, we have two tunnels under the Inner Harbor. I couldn’t do the tunnels, I would have a massive panic attack. Being in a tube like that, I would suddenly feel like I’m going backward instead of forwards.”
“I didn’t feel safe enough to carry my daughter down the stairs. I felt like I couldn’t be a good friend. I couldn’t be a good mom.”
Finally, An Answer
Desperate for answers and a better quality of life, Rochelle turned to Johns Hopkins Medicine, believing if they couldn’t help, no one could. There, she finally found a doctor who had the answers she needed. She explains, “This doctor changed my life.”
Rochelle went home that day with a diagnosis of Vestibular Migraine and a treatment plan to get better.
“I was so happy to have a diagnosis. I remember that specific day, going home and feeling so much better. I was still dizzy, but I felt better because I finally had an answer. I had tools and a path.”
A New Purpose
“After this big appointment with this one doctor who changed my life, I thought to myself, ‘Well, maybe I could advocate for vestibular patients in a different way,’” Rochelle recalls.
That set her on course to pursue a career as a vestibular physical therapist. In May of 2023, Rochelle started her doctorate program to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
“I hope that when I treat patients who have vestibular issues, I can relate to them on that level, knowing that I’ve been there. I truly know how they feel. Hopefully, that will give them a little more comfort.”
Advocacy At Heart
In addition to pursuing her doctorate, Rochelle volunteers as an advocate for vestibular patients.
As someone who has moderate proficiency in American Sign Language, she has helped guide VeDA’s efforts to improve accessibility for the Deaf community. And recently, she interviewed Dr. Michael Schubert, DPT—one of her professors and a member of VeDA’s Medical Advisory Board—providing a valuable resource as part of VeDA’s Ask the Experts video series. (Watch at vestibular.org/experts.)
Rochelle’s journey is one of resilience. From a scared child who didn’t know why the world was spinning to an advocate and future vestibular physical therapist, she has turned her challenges into a mission to help others.
“I am glad for the journey that I’ve been on and I’m excited to see where it takes me.”
You can watch Rochelle’s journey unfold on screen in the Life Rebalance Chronicles at vestibular.org/LRC.
