Balanced Frame of Mind

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”- MLK

Age: 32

Diagnosis: Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD)

In January of 2019, my life seemed perfect. I was recently married, enjoying life, planning for a wholesome future but then, my life started to change. I was training for a half marathon and started having trouble balancing on a treadmill. Shortly thereafter, my gut was acting up and I ended up with an infection that took me downhill. I was sick as can be and started having terrible vestibular migraines (VM) along with imbalance issues. At that time, I had no idea what was going on. Over the course of the next year, I saw countless doctors, specialists and had a number of tests done which amounted to nothing. Yet, I knew something was wrong. I was in a bad place and desperate for answers. In the summer of 2020, I started feeling a little better and pushing myself to move around and get back to a semi-normal life, even though my VMs and PPPD persisted. In September of 2020, I went downhill again and had a horrible VM which made me feel like I was regressing and there was no hope. I finally found a neurologist that diagnosed me with PPPD and VM. Even though I had answers, I was mortified. How could this happen to me? I never expected to live with a chronic condition where I’d have to fight for the rest of my life. Over the course of the next few months, I worked with my physical therapist and rehab psychologist to learn how to move again, cope with my symptoms and find some normalcy. I started to virtually attend a local support group and before I knew it, I started to get better. Today, I am able to walk without assistance, drive and even run! If you would have asked me if this was possible a few months ago, I would have laughed. Yet, here I am. My journey has been tiresome but it has given me hope. I know that I will have to keep fighting forever but with the life I’ve been given, I’d be damned if I didn’t give it my all. My appreciation for my life, my family and health has increased tenfold. I hope to encourage people to never stop fighting, to keep searching for answers and to keep working on yourself. Most importantly, keep moving forward and NEVER give up.