My new status: stroke victim.

Yesterday, I went to see a neurologist. It was a follow-up visit, and I was expecting to talk about the Epley maneuver and other vertigo reducing therapies, plus get additional ideas on why my symptoms (vertigo, cold legs, twitchiness, etc) are so persistent. I had forgotten about the MRI and other scans I had sent to the doc in prep for my visit, but these are what he wanted to discuss, because he had spotted a stroke on my vremis, a part of the cerebellum thought to be "linked to the brain's natural ability to integrate and analyze inertial motion."

I felt a bolt of fear go through me, followed by a wave of melancholy.

He went on.

He said that he wasn't sure whether the stroke had caused me to loose consciousness back in 2006, when I suffered my severe traumatic brain injury or whether it was the result of the whiplash of my head bouncing off the bathroom wall, but regardless, the location of the stroke would explain the Parkinson's-like movements I sometimes exhibit, and the trouble have coordinating my movements in unfamiliar environments.

Sigh.

As with all things brain, there is no set treatment and certainly no guarantee of results for the treatments that are thought to maybe, possibly help, but on the doc's orders, I am awaiting delivery of a Tai Chi DVD. He also gave my some drugs, but I want to talk with him further before sallowing the first pill.

What a way to end the year.