The story of Tammie
Several years ago, I began having what I call head pain. It wasn’t your typical headache nor migraine and nothing stopped the pain. After experiencing a small seizure like episode, my neurologist decided to continue running tests. It has been the only one I’ve had to date. Fast forward to Jan 17, 2012, I experienced an extreme episode of pain, lost the ability to speak English, and difficulty swallowing. I did the wrong thing and waited 3 days to go to the ER. I had an already scheduled appt with my Neuro, needless to say he was unhappy with me. He believed I had had a tia (mini stroke). My speech was very slow and difficult, with difficulty swallowing. The radiologist on duty did not notice anything on my mri/mra and all blood work came back fine. My neuro was not convinced so he sent me to a neuro-opthamoligist in hopes of her getting to the bottom of my issues. She did some other testing and also reviewed my mri/mrs from the emergency room visit. What she found was a basilar artery was wrapped around the left side of my brainstem that was elongated and tortured. I had never heard of Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia until that day. But, with my regular doctor and my neurologist with the findings of the neuro-optha visit everything clicked. The tremors, aphasia, facial twitching, subsequent mini strokes, vertigo, tinnitus, occasional swallowing difficulties, head pain that is always there, We finally had a diagnosis, albeit took 5 years but we got there. I still deal with this on a daily basis, the mini strokes are fewer since beginning taking a baby 81mg aspirin to keep my blood in check. When family, friends or co-workers notice on really bad days, I either get I’m sorry you’re going through that, why’s it so bad today, or simple stares. I quickly remind them I’m a fighter and survivor, that the tremors are just my own personal amusement ride topped with a slice of interesting sentences. I, long ago, decided life is short and I’m gonna do my best to live each day, therefore, VBD may be something I live with but I’m not going to let it define me.