WHY IT IS MEDICALLY NECESSARY FOR MRS. LO TO BE IN A ROWBOAT

MRS. LO'S SATURDAY MORNING BLOG. "WHY IT IS MEDICALLY NECESSARY FOR MRS. LO TO SIT IN A ROWBOAT ALL DAY" - when I went on the Family Cruise 3 weeks ago, my first cruise, I adjusted incredibly well to being at sea. That should have been my first clue. I could literally do cartwheels down the hall on rocky seas when other passengers had trouble walking. However, upon disembarking, my knees buckled and I could not get used to the sensation of being on land. The world was moving like a cruise ship but I wasn't on a cruise ship. I saw my primary doctor and he gave me medicine for vertigo, which was helpful. Then I saw my ENT and he diagnosed me with "MDDS," or Mal de Disembarquement Syndrome. This rare and temporary condition occurs when your brain adjusts so well to the pitching and tilting of a cruise ship that the brain is unable to "re-set" to being on land. Hence, the incredibly uncomfortable feelings of vertigo all the time. "Great, Dr. Munzer, I'm so glad you diagnosed me, now how do we fix this?" I said, cheerfully. "Oh, there's no cure for it," he said equally cheerfully. (I'm sorry, is it the ringing in my ears, did he say no cure?). He explained that this would go away on its own, in time, and the first thing I should do is stop the vertigo medicine, which just masks the symptoms and does nothing to improve the condition. I asked him how I was supposed to get through the day. "Just power through," he said. Crew parents will recognize this to be a term used in crew, maybe in other sports, to mean just suck up the pain and keep going. "Is there anything at all that makes you feel better?" he asked me. Well, whenever I go in the motorboat with Big Coach or sit in any of the crew shells or kayaks, yes, I feel great. "Then do that," he said. So, yesterday, with the world pitching and rolling in my office, I left, went down to summer camp and went in the motor boat with Big Coach. Normally, that's a harrowing ride but for me it was heavenly. And I spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching the kids at practice, while lying in a rowboat. Just what the doctor ordered. Of course, I had to explain to Big Coach what I wanted to do. "You want to sit in the motorboat?" he asked, "and you don't want it to go anywhere?" Exactly, I said. "Are you tricking me into something?" he inquired with a raised eyebrow

. "No, coach, it's doctor's orders." He was confused by my request, but way too busy to ask any further and basically said help yourself, Mrs. Lo, as long as I don't have to drive you anywhere during practice. I promise to be especially thankful for my balance when it comes back to me. It's funny the things we take for granted until their gone. Remember to count your blessings, everyone, and have a great day! Mrs. Lo