VERTIGO

Say the word "Vertigo" and I'm remembering the movie.

James Stewart and Kim Novak in a church tower ...
The beautiful Kim looking head-to-toe exquisitely perfect, and stiff, as if she'd been hair-sprayed all over.

I feel hair-sprayed when I try to remember who was the murderer, was he in love with Kim, what this movie was about.

I woke up day before yesterday feeling very tired. Got up carefully,. When I looked around, I realized the dresser, the television set were moving, the ceiling sort of whirling. It happened to me about seven years ago -- my doctor said it was my inner ear, and would probably disappear in a day or so. And it did.

After coffee (I wasn't nauseous but I didn't feel hungry) I looked up vertigo. "... a sensation of whirling and loss of balance, caused by looking down from a great height or by disease affecting the inner ear or the vestibular nerve. Origin: Latin, 'whirling', from vertere 'to turn.'

Okay, I've called myself "Dr. Em." I know that it would take an Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist, a Neurologist as well as an Internist, various diagnostic tests, and even then it's unlikely that I'd get a diagnosis, or any remedy other than "Take it easy. It can take a few days, a few weeks to pass. Over the counter remedies for motion sickness can help, but tend to make you sleepy."

So ...how am I taking it? Am I taking a vacation from my daily dance exercise?

No. When I do my dancing, I invariably feel better, write better, am zestier, and I've got my sense of humor -- it's like a jolly puffy cloud hanging over me -- keeps me from wondering if vertigo is one of those overly advertised, fearful, incapacitating things?

Fearful, ain't good. But incapacitating is unacceptable.

I'm not in the right frame of mind to ramble on about ailments, but here's a slice of advice. When you don't feel up to par, a curative is to find a cheery aspect of your situation. (like, hey -- take the afternoon off -- go to movies!) And go for it -- an aspect, an element of what you're doing or planning to do, that will be done better than ever because of your heightened awareness of it.

So, in a minute or two I'm heading down our stairs --four flights, 68 steps, holding on to the banister-- I'll enjoy walking -- I may check out the new vintage store on eighth avenue.

If this explanation of handling my vertigo seems jabbery, rambling, convoluted, blame it on my light-headedness. I'm just saying that mentally making yourself feel better is part of the cure!