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It was never my ear

So many of you have written and expressed concern over my health that I wanted to give you a quick update for now.

After 14 hours spent in the ER this past weekend during which time I explained that the noise in my head was unbearable and vibrating, the resident ruled out several possibilities and then on a whim, decided to do a CT scan to rule out anything vascular setting off the noise.

In “ruling out” they “found.” They didn’t see it at first, but upon closer look, my Dr. House found it.

Possibly a result from my car accident back in November, there is a tear in the artery in my neck which has clotted and blocked that artery 65%.

I’m a medical mystery on several fronts. The surgeon is baffled that the resident even thought to check a healthy, young-ish person with no symptoms and no medical history for a vascular issue. Why is the artery causing the noise? They don’t know. But thank God it did, because with me showing no other symptoms other than that noise, it is the roaring and the bubbling and the jet engine and the motorcycle and the helicopter in my brain that allowed them to find the blockage before it became too late and I had a stroke.

I am currently under treatment with medicine to hopefully clear the clot and allow the tear in the artery to heal. In six weeks, I will undergo a new CT scan to see if the blockage has improved. If it has not or gotten worse, surgery might be necessary to repair the tear.

For now, I have to take it easy. Take care of myself. Get better.

Hopefully, each day the noise will become a bit less intrusive and I’ll get my whole quality of life back to where it was. For now, I’ll remain on medical hiatus, but I’ll be around via my magazine blog and column, Facebook, and Twitter.

I truly appreciate the kind thoughts and all the prayers. I feel them every day.





130 Comments

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  1. Noelle
    June 23, 2011 2:10 pm

    Very glad to have an update, thank you! Rest up!



  2. HorseShoeBend
    June 23, 2011 2:11 pm

    Be well. No worries. You will be fine.



  3. Megrcam51
    June 23, 2011 2:16 pm

    Ok — so for those of you keeping track at home, we all want Sully to fly our planes and Ginny’s resident to treat us in the ER. That resident was on top of things! Good for him/her.

    So glad they caught that and that you are on your way to recovery.



  4. Lauryn
    June 23, 2011 2:24 pm

    Wow. Thats intense. Glad to hear they figured it out. What a random thing to be causing that much noise for you.

    Rest up and feel better soon! Enjoy some nutella for me!



  5. Amy
    June 23, 2011 2:30 pm

    Wow- glad to hear you’ll be okay!!! Take care of yourself and rest – we’ll all be here awaiting your return!



  6. Scott
    June 23, 2011 3:08 pm

    Hang in there, hon.



  7. NicoleinTallahassee
    June 23, 2011 3:22 pm

    I’m so glad they were able to figure out the problem. Still praying for you during the recovery period – Take care! :)



  8. Butcher's Dog
    June 23, 2011 4:15 pm

    @AngryMongo: save the recreational drugs for later in the day. Just sayin’.

    add me to the list of those saying Thank God and get well soon. Don’t watch House so I don’t have anything cute to say on that score.



  9. Sooska
    June 23, 2011 4:23 pm

    Glad to hear you will be OK. As a fellow Medical Mystery-type I am always worried I will end up on one of those ridiculous TV shows. At least you knew you were pregnant.



  10. Clementine
    June 23, 2011 4:30 pm

    One day soon that obnoxious noise in your head will be a distant memory! Get well soon!



  11. Lauren
    June 23, 2011 4:52 pm

    Prayers for you. Heal up quickly : )



  12. hellpellet
    June 23, 2011 5:02 pm

    Sending happy & healthy thoughts your way. Glad they caught it when they did.



  13. lipreadergalore
    June 23, 2011 5:19 pm

    Guess it’s not always a deaf thing! Thank goodness for that resident; so glad you’ll be okay. While it’d be nice to hear, the noise in your head isn’t it! Hope you feel better soon!!!



  14. T
    June 23, 2011 5:24 pm

    So glad you figured it out! Hope the noise ends soon and you are all better! :-) take it easy!



  15. Moxie Bestos
    June 23, 2011 5:54 pm

    Glad to hear that you have some answers, and I’m hopeful for a full and quick recovery. Medical issues are much less scary once they’ve been identified. I only wish that you could be cured with prescription-strength Nutella.



  16. Bram R
    June 23, 2011 6:03 pm

    Wow. This is the only bad thing that might have happened to you which is impossible to blame on Lukey. Thanks for the update, my thoughts and prayers are still with you.



  17. bluzdude
    June 23, 2011 6:18 pm

    For all the good you’ve done for hospitals (and their patients) I’m glad that one could return the favor. Hope that nasty old clot gets dissolved quickly… We miss you!



  18. AnitaF
    June 23, 2011 6:40 pm

    Godspeed.



  19. ajm
    June 23, 2011 7:04 pm

    been praying for you every day. will continue to do so



  20. tw
    June 23, 2011 7:43 pm

    Ginny thanks for posting and I have actually heard of your condition and seen great recovery.
    My father-in-law just had a tear in his vertebral artery about 2 years ago (don’t know if it’s the same artery as yours, but it sounds similar enough). Anyways after seeing his recovery I am confident you will be fine. I knew one other person (a woman in her early 30′s) who also had it and she simply took the blood thinners and waited and everything healed fine. My father-in-law however is very over weight with poor vessels and such so he did the waiting and then had a stent put in and has been fine ever since. Yes, I’m no doctor and guess I know squat, but after seeing two people close to me have the same (supposedly) rare occurrence I feel positive about your situation. Good luck and take care of yourself… hope it helped to hear about others with the same thing. You’re in my prayers. :)



  21. km
    June 23, 2011 8:11 pm

    So glad you have an answer. Prayers and good thoughts coming your way :)



  22. LuAnn
    June 23, 2011 8:12 pm

    Thanks for the update… sending healing thoughts your way.



  23. KGC
    June 23, 2011 8:17 pm

    Ginny..

    Wishing you the very very best.. you know that.. great to hear that it looks like you’ve found source of the problem. Certain medical issues can be such a PITA to diagnose (as I know all too well).

    Now. To the pressing matter. Let’s have a few margauritas when Las Velas re-opens.. hopefully before I leave on my 2-week golf trip to Ireland/Scotland in mid-July. Ok?



  24. Addie
    June 23, 2011 9:02 pm

    Happy that you got an answer and are on the road to recovery. Will be thinking of you.



  25. Rachel
    June 23, 2011 9:30 pm

    Happy to hear they found the source and that you’re on the road to recovery! Sending healing thoughts and prayers your direction!



  26. Arlette
    June 23, 2011 9:41 pm

    Ginny – Hope you’re feeling up to your awesome snarky self soon. Clots are no fun – especially since you can’t drink on blood thinners! :-( Like many have said before (and I’m sure after) we are patient people. Personally *I* can’t wait to see what you write about the furries!



  27. Steeler in PR
    June 23, 2011 9:50 pm

    Get well soon!!! Our prayers are with you. Don’t worry… you’ll be back leading the charge against the pigeon threat in no time!!! :)



  28. Monty
    June 23, 2011 10:19 pm

    Holy moly. Was thinking of you all week. Heal, woman!



  29. Stephen
    June 23, 2011 10:26 pm

    Get well soon. Pittsburgh is already a dimmer place in your brief absence.



  30. L-A
    June 23, 2011 10:28 pm

    love and hugs to you and to the resident for their awesome intuition!



  31. Pa-Pop
    June 23, 2011 10:31 pm

    Hey, Virginia! Forgot to mention that just because you’re on medical leave doesn’t mean the Amish have quit misbehaving. One Willard Yoder of the state of Indiana was caught sexting up a 12-year-old “English” girl. I guess that would be like “Art thou horny?” or “Show me your ankles!” I wonder if he also tweeted as @HoosierDaddy? Anyway, if you Google “Amish sexting” you’ll get a quarter bajillion hits on the story. You get sick and the Amish get creepier…



  32. Vivian formerly NYLuvsPitts
    June 23, 2011 10:54 pm

    Thank God they found the problem before it turned into something worse. I pray you feel better soon.



  33. mom22
    June 23, 2011 11:18 pm

    Sending prayers for healing your way. Will be patiently waiting for you and your fabulous sense of humor to return to the blog. Take care and get healthy!



  34. Elmer Fudd
    June 23, 2011 11:30 pm

    Glad you are on the road to recovery Ginny! Looking forward to your blog after all is well!!



  35. Bitter
    June 23, 2011 11:43 pm

    Thinking of you… Glad they were able to find what it was. Take it easy!



  36. Karen S.
    June 24, 2011 12:23 am

    Take care of yourself!!! So glad for the update and WOW what an inspired catch on the part of the resident.



  37. Jenn
    June 24, 2011 12:31 am

    sending thoughts and prayers your way! Take care



  38. Mirth
    June 24, 2011 1:03 am

    Sending good thoughts your way from AZ (aka: Hell.) It’s amazing that they caught that, I’m glad you’re on the mend.



  39. Andrea
    June 24, 2011 1:16 am

    So glad they found what’s wrong. Sending all good vibes and thoughts your way, stat!



  40. Toadsly
    June 24, 2011 2:16 am

    It’s wonderful they found the problem. Take it easy. And with so many people praying for you, I’m certain you’ll make a complete recovery.



  41. JO Janoski
    June 24, 2011 8:10 am

    Rest and be well!



  42. Butcher's Dog
    June 24, 2011 9:04 am

    @pa-pop: “Show me your ankles.” Hilarious!



  43. Ya Jagoff
    June 24, 2011 9:46 am

    Well, in the past week we lost a very dear friend, 35 year old mom to cancer and I questioned the results of prayer. I didn’t give up. hopefully some helped you! Glad you have a diagnosis and a treatment plan.



  44. DuranieGirl
    June 24, 2011 10:22 am

    So glad you found out what was wrong and that it’s something that can be taken care of. Take a nice, long, relaxing vacation.



  45. MrsGJG
    June 24, 2011 11:57 am

    Holy crap! Praying for you, momma.



  46. Russell
    June 24, 2011 12:47 pm

    That’s great news! Can’t imagine how frustrating not knowing would be.



  47. Julia
    June 24, 2011 1:16 pm

    Best wishes for a speedy, uneventful recovery. And in the meantime, call Edgar Snyder… I bet he could do wonders for you if this really was caused by that car accident!



  48. MattDC
    June 24, 2011 2:37 pm

    I’m relieved you got a tangible diagnosis, 90% of the battle. Brief soapbax interlude: Whenever managed care or skeptical physicians advise against CT Scans, that’s when I know to demand it. http://healthbeat.areavoices.com/2011/02/22/too-many-ct-scans/
    Get well soon.



  49. SWFTerra
    June 24, 2011 3:54 pm

    Wow, what to say. I feel compelled to tell you just how relieved I am that you finally have some answers and that you had a resident who was diligent enough to think of EVERYTHING. Regardless of what your health is “supposed” to be at your age. I know I am not alone when I say you have been missed and I hope you have a speedy recovery.



  50. am
    June 24, 2011 4:32 pm

    Also in defense of the CT scan, I too was once a medical mystery with a headache and the ‘ol CT scan found the culprit too. We miss you, come back soon, but also relax, get better and don’t rush!



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