Growing Deeper Roots: My Story of Invisible Illness

I've heard this is true for many chronic illnesses and I've seen it to be true for myself: there are good days, there are okay days, and there are bad days.  When people ask me how I'm doing I usually respond with "I'm alright," or "I'm okay today." But when I have the bad days, the dog days, the rough days, it's hard to lie. This is when I usually say something vague like "Oh you know, there are good days and bad days."  Unfortunately, I can't control when those days come. If I could plan them, I would choose days when I have no plans and it's raining, or days when I can just lay in bed. I wouldn't pick the days when I have family visiting, or I want to go out and see friends, or when I have plans to actually have a life.  Today was a dog day. Today was a 4 faints in 4 hours day. Today was a vertigo day. Today was a nauseous day. Today was a leg spasm day. Today was a brain fog day.  But today was also Father...

Okay, fair warning: This post is going to consist of me rambling about being a huge baby when it comes to needles and tests.  I went to a new cardiologist and neurologist yesterday. Two appointments for a total of 4 hours of answering the same questions for the 100th time.  In addition to the usual recommendations (drink more water, eat more salt, stand up slowly) both doctors ordered a slew of new tests. Luckily, I have nothing better to do than sit in an MRI machine for several hours.  Between the two doctors I have the following tests to do: MRI (brain) with and without contrast MRI focus on pituitary gland MRI with orbits MRI cervical MRI thoracic MRI lumbar Carotid ultrasound  More blood work Ophthalmology evaluation Tilt table test Electrophysiologist evaluation Stress test Another Holter monitor So I've had a ophthalmology evaluation before and I'm not too worried about that, except when they blow in your eye--that's just obnoxious. I'v...