My Medical Journey

A journal from Jan 2025-Jan2026

Below are my entries, some I have posted within my private FB group, but they are very personal. So please don't look for formal writing here, just me thoughts, feelings, gratitude, and frustrations.

Intense Neurological Symptoms Onset 1/10/25

My prayerful thoughts:

·       Pity parties need to have an end time.

·       Imbalance creates core strength.

·       My true friends ask how I am.

·       Vitamin B = Belief

·       God, please reset my body to Your original factory settings.

·       Bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable (bringing a greater outcome) for ALL things” (1 Timothy 4:8).

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1/18/24 - Many are asking and wondering why I canceled all of my classes last week.

According to all the medical professionals we've seen and consulted over the last 8 days, I'm suffering "acute onset of vertigo" with no explanation so far, and no end in sight. It came on suddenly last Friday, January 10 at 4pm.

I'm unable to walk or complete daily tasks without aid. I'm told by neurologists this condition could leave as suddenly as it arrived that day and I could be fine.

But in the meantime, I'm stumbling to Dr appointments with my husband at my side and have an MRI on my brain next week.

I wouldn't give this much detail to the general public but you’re my people.

And here I'm hoping to

1. Relay my sincere sorrow for not being able to be about my regular life, which includes each of you.

2. Rely on your supportive prayer.

I’ll offer updates here as I can but please understand I won’t be able to respond or be active here at this time.

In the meantime...

"May the Lord guide your hearts into God’s pure love and keep you headed straight into the strong and sure grip of the Anointed One." (2 Thes 3.5, The Voice)

Much Prayerful Love Bethanie

***edited to add:

BPPV and Epley Maneuver are very familiar as it’s the first elimination with every Dr. it’s the most common cause of vertigo so it’s everyone’s go-to for the past 11 years of my vertigo journey.

After 10 years of off/on brief symptoms, I was finally diagnosed in 2023 w vestibular migraine and yet every Dr keeps going there - we’ve eliminated BPPV as a possible cause.

Thank you for praying, God only knows.

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1/21/25 Update Day 11

Thank you all for praying!!!

I’m getting better - Glenn says I “don’t look like a drunken toddler walking around the house anymore.”

Seriously, I feel a bit more stable walking and I am now safely using the bathroom and showering by myself. These are major victories!

Diagnosis is still unsure but we’ve ruled out BPPV and migraine as no treatments for these conditions have worked.

I’m still unsure about driving, may attempt that later today but I’m hopeful and I know your prayers have kept me in a place of Peace with God.

Thank you!

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1/25/25 - Day 15 - saw the ENT, we have a potential diagnosis, “vestibular neuritis” and I’m being treated w meds to help this. But Doc says the only thing that truly takes it away is time - and we don’t know how long that will be.

The good news is there should be no lasting effects and most patients only deal with this once in a lifetime – lucky me!

Driving is still completely off the table and walking is still very much compromised.

Praising God that my vision and ability to read are greatly improved, however I’m still on bed rest.

Unfortunately, I’m nowhere near independent yet, so not sure when my regular life will resume.

Your continued prayers are a huge encouragement to me and I sense them holding me up - THANK YOU

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1/27/25 - Day 17

I’m still on “bed rest” - UGH.

Our practices on Tuesday and Wednesday are canceled this week as I’m still very unsteady on my feet and unable to drive with this vertigo.

I’m on the upswing tho - so don’t give up on me!!!

GIANT SHOUT OUT TO MY HUBBY!!!

Glenn was able to drive for me, be my loving pack mule, and set up our session last Thursday in Boardman - and I’m hoping he’ll be able to do this again for me this week.

Thank you all for your consistent prayer - I know this is temporary and God is in charge of the timing.

Trusting Him

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1/31/25 - Email Update: HERE

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2/6/25 - Update - Day 27

Tiny improvements mean a great deal! I am upright most of the days now, can work from my tablet and read. Your prayers are holding me up and I’m so grateful for each of you who has texted, called, sent cards and dropped off meals – and mostly your prayers, thank you. I know it’s your prayer that is keeping me in Peace. I still can’t drive and have a lot of trouble walking. But Glenn has been driving me everywhere  I go.

I got to attend a training in Cincinnati (that I signed up for 6 weeks ago) and he’s bringing me to my Thursday night classes. He’s carrying/setting up/tearing down everything for me, alongside a few beautiful helpers on site. For this, I am so grateful.

Unfortunately, I am unable to get to my job at Belmont Pines, but they have so far been very gracious with me and I’m not fired yet - praise the Lord!

As many of you know, when one is self-employed, and we don’t work, we don’t get paid – but we also know God is meeting all of our needs.

I miss you all and can’t wait to see you all again. Trusting God.

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3/13/25 – Day 57 – 8 weeks tomorrow

I just got home from CYT and it’s taken me 3 days to recover strength. I drove to Wed Chair yoga yesterday, got the car washed, and checked the PO Box. Driving is still very uncomfortable and I’m not confident with turning my head so I’m not able to go on a highway or high traffic areas. Got home and ended up in bed by noon bc I was trembling inside and out.

Glenn is still working from home and taking me to Tuesday Cohort for HATHA as I cannot imagine driving there. So grateful.

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3/31/25 - Email Update: HERE

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6/1/25 - Email Update: HERE

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7/3/26 - This was a VIDEO update.

Find it HERE.

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9/10/25 - Email Update: HERE

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11/20/25 - Update - Day 314

Thank you all for for asking and praying with me.

Yes, I’m still impaired greatly.

Yes, It’s still all day, every day. But I am better. And tho many of you call or text to check on me, I haven’t updated you in forever soooo…

Here’s the update:

I stopped seeing the Concussion Specialist in September (see video from July) bc it was doing no good and he wanted more money from us to continue, so I declined.

I cry about it sometimes when I pray and lament, but I’m genuinely OK with it most days, spiritually & emotionally. I’m in bed most days by 4pm because being upright is unmanageable.

I drive short distances as long as there aren’t many turns. No more than 15 minutes tho! Glenn still drives me almost everywhere and if it weren’t for him, there would’ve been no Thursday night yoga for the past 10 months.

Can we all just give God a SHOUT OF PRAISE for Glenn!!!

I’m able to work at my tablet (in bed) or desk as long as I’m VERY STILL and I typically can’t do this past 2-4pm. My morning yoga practice helps me tremendously on the days that I work, enabling me to be upright just a bit longer.

Here’s what I still cannot do without MAJOR STRUGGLE (with or without medication, no matter):

• Move my head or eyes quickly.

• Walk Stairs

• Walk in large open areas

• Drive longer than 15 minutes

• Shower, Wash my hair, shave my legs

• Load/Unload the dishwasher

• Run the Sweeper (thank God for the robot with these 3 hairy pups!)

• Type/Create emails, texts, or social media content quickly. Everything just takes longer.

• Read while standing.

So, my visit to The Cleveland Clinic yesterday was a complete waste of time, energy, hope, and money. “Vestibular Migraine” was the consensus... AGAIN!

The assessment showed nothing different - this “migraine” road has been well traveled for 11 years but no one can explain a 10.5 month long migraine that responds to NONE of the meds they’ve thrown my way over the years.

Needless to say, I’m frustrated w this path and jumping off the medical train soon.

They wanted me to come up there weekly for physical therapy, I declined.

I was a bit sassy (I confess) and told them I could likely teach THEM about vestibular therapy since I use my Rebounder (mini trampoline with handlebar), do the PT exercises shown to me by all of my specialists, and even use my boxing machine!

Thus far, since 2014, I’ve seen the following Professionals and eliminated related issues from the appropriate specialists (in no particular order):

• Acupuncturist

• MRIs x5

• Blood Tests (to rule out any/all neurological disorders)Ayurvedic professional consults

• Naturopath

• Chiropractor (diagnosed with Bulging/Herniated Discs June 2023)

• ENT (no crystals in my ears, I know it’s the go-to)

• ENT Surgeon (Roto Rooter of my sinuses in Nov 2023)

• Neurologist (Vestibular Migraine Diagnosis Sep 2023)

• Concussion Specialist (TBI and PCS diagnosis in April 2025 from a fall in 2014)

• Heart Specialist (no POTS or other heart problems)

• Ophthalmologist (Diagnosed with Corneal Dystrophy or ABMD)

• …and likely some others I’m forgetting right now.

But Know This!

Your prayers are the most precious thing any of you can do for me.

HATHA (the nonprofit I’m running) is growing tremendously and although I’m not able to do anything more than teach yoga and work at my computer, God is showing Himself in ALL OF IT!

It seems that God and I are the only ones who truly understand what I’m experiencing every day

(Glenn is the next closest to the situation and his empathy is unmatched).

BUT GOD is the only one that knows why.

So this is me now ... until God heals me.

Holy Spirit keeps reminding me, “You’re gonna be ok.” – I hear His Voice every day.

And this I know: What God allows, He redeems.

And I trust Him fully.

Amen.

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11/12/25 - Email Update: HERE

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1/6/26 – Same Scat, different day. I’m headed back to a “regular” schedule today after being off for the holidays for 6 weeks. I tried another migraine pill Qulipta, and got a cortisone shot in my neck on 12/17/25 (still in pain, need another according to them). None of that helped. So here is my declaration: I am officially DONE with traditional medical practice for this condition as all they offer is pills and PT. No cause, no cure, no help.

God, turn this around.

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1/15/26 - Began a tx protocol with a new local chiropractor who is an "upper cervical specialist." He says my MRIs show a great amount of inflammation at my brain stem and he believes with C1 (atlas bone) & C2 (axis bone) adjustments, he can relieve pressure - reducing inflammation and improving my quality of life. Fingers crossed!