I am almost done with grad school to become an SLP, can you guys believe that it has been 4 years since I first met many of you through the BB on LdOnline? That is about how long I have been going to school and I can’t wait until I get my MA in May. :-)
My kiddo is doing ok in school, she is in 8th grade and mainstreamed. She has recently discovered sewing and makes some cute beaded handbags and is very artistic and creative. My poor husband is outnumbered as all 4 of our kids are right brained, creative and ADD.
I was recently diagnosed with Meneire’s disease which means I have to monitor my hearing and take medication to make sure that it doesn’t progressively get worse. So far it is stabilizing but it has been rough having fluctuations in my hearing and occasional vertigo on top of grad school. I would love to hear how my old friends are doing.
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Well done Patti!!!! Grad school… what an incredible accomplishment! You should be very proud of yourself for setting such a difficult goal and then mastering it! (VERY LOUD APPLAUSE!!!!)
Glad to hear your kids are doing well also.
We’ve just been busy over here with work etc… Our boy turns 21 in a couple of months! He’s finishing up one more semester, I think only 2 classes to complete requirements for an AA degree, and then there’s rumor of wanting to transfer to complete his college degree. He is also working 32 hours per week and adjusting to the traumas of the working world :)
Amazing all that can go on in 4 years! At any rate, Happy New Year!
Best regards,
Andy
You don't know me but...
Many congrats on the imminent Ma. And none of my business but since you metioned Menuire’s. I was diagnosed about 20 years ago and was flat on my back for days at a time with vertigo a number of times thru the years until I discovered that chiropractry and accupuncture helped more than the medication. It improves the circulation to the inner ear. None of my business but just FYI.
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Dear PJK,
I have suspected that I had Meneire’s for years especially after I started my program as an SLP and saw that my audiogram matched the hearing loss that goes with Meneire’s but the ENT’ I saw years ago just brushed me off. It was the audiologist I work with who recommended a different ENT in November who said, “Gee, I wonder why no one has put this together before now…” I laughed…..
I was curious if you knew about research that has been conducted that connects fluctuations is hearing connected with hormonal menses cycles? If I don’t take the diuretic, especially when the endolymphatic hydrops (negative pressure) gets really bad, I can’t hear and have problems with word discrimination, (my ear that has the hearing aid has the problem) and it is something I can’t just lipread my way through„,.people notice right away especially when one works as an SLP….
The other thing that helps is vitamin supplements such as Niacin and B-Complex to improve the circulation…..I don’t get the vertigo that bad but I do lose my balance though. Thanks for the tips…glad to know that you are dealing well with Meneire’s, it was nice to meet you.. :-)
Congrats, Patti!
You’re going to be an awesome SLP! We’ve missed your insight on SLP questions.
I’m still teaching & still managing to stay out of trouble in the public school system. The thought has occurred that they just want me on their side and not against them and so just leave me alone & let me do my thing.
Did you guys travel back east like you planned? Is your son home from his long travels?
Andrea Kotula asked after you. She’s been posting some on the Reading BB.
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Welcome back patti. Congratulations on completing such a difficult task. I am just starting to go back to school to get an associattes degree hoping to eventually go on and get a batchelors. I am scared stiff I am almost 40 and don’t know if I am really ready for the challenge. It is nice to see stories like yours to give me encouragement to at least give it a try. I have noticed though that my husbands and my struggle to get back into the swing of school has motiviated the kids to look at doing it right away. My oldest son is currently a freshman in high school and is holding his own pretty well. I was very worried since schooling to date has been a nightmare for him. High school seems to of changed things for him so hopefully he will continue to improve. We look forward to your wonderful posts and insight into the SLP world.
P.S.: believe it or not I am thinking about going into the world of speical education. After 20 years of military service I must be crazy—lol
Good luck to you and your family in your future endeavors.
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Welcome back and congratulations, Patti! Hope to see you over at Net-Haven some evening. We’re back in the States- I got my M. Ed. 18 months ago and am working as a school counselor. (I too did my time as an aide!) The kid is doing great— a junior this year and honor roll.
Re: You don't know me but...
Hi , I probably don’t know any more about the hormonal changes than do you. Just that it can and does happen. There was a mention in “When the Brain Can’t Hear.” of menopausal women reporting hearing changes. But you prob know about that. I’m finding more and more hormonal connections now that I seem to be meeting perimenopause head on. As in: If you thought Mother Nature was a Bitch before….LoL.
I’m glad I didn’t offend you. Some people think accupuncture and chiro nutty, but I don’t care what it’s called - if it works. The vertigo had me where I couldn’t even work for a while in my 20’s. The medication made me feel almost as bad and was barely effective and then I found a good chiropracter (who I also credit for preventing ear infections in my boys) and I haven’t had an episode in about 13 years so I haven’t really done any more research….
There’s a good resource book, “Screaming to be Heard ( hormonal connections women suspect and doctors don’t know about)” written by a menopausal female MD. I found an MD who reccommends this book to all his patients and who tested my hormone levels. This might be useful to you just to get an overview of what’s going on hormonally. Perimenopause can start in your 30’s- don’t know how old you are. Best of luck. Sorry I can’t give more info.
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Congratulations. Happy to hear that you and your family are doing so well. Things are excellent for our family too. I continue to teach in the public school clinic setting - FastForWord, LiPS, etc. Our son is a sophomore at Winston and very happy. He wrote his first novel this summer (he dictated-I typed). Nice to hear from you. Take care.
(((((((Pattim))))))))) Geez, are you not soo proud of yourself?? I am still trying to get up the nerve to go back to school. Don’t know if they are ready for me!
Glad to hear everything is going well for your kid:-) Of course she would be creative,taking after her mom.
Take care of yourself,please.
my two are in the throws of adolescents,god help us all. My oldest knows absolutely everything. Both are still doing incredibly well. You should see Joey’s handwriting! You can read it! Swear to god, you can:-)
God Bless Pattim. Don’t forget where you can find me on Sunday night!
www.net-haven.net 9p est.