Reticular activation has kicked in. As I understand RA, once I see something, when I see it or something like it again, I am more likely to notice the second sighting because of the initial viewing.Saturday, when Steve let the dogs out of the barn in the morning, it was obvious that something was seriously wrong with our 13 year old yellow Lab. Now my friends know that I'm not too wild about our three dogs because the three form a pack and the pack is not well-behaved. But if I could have one dog, it would be the Lab, Gable. He is a lover and an all around nice dog. (In this picture, he looks like he is snarling, but actually is getting ready to smile.)
Steve said that Gable had vomited and I could see that he, Gable, not Steve, was stumbling around as if he had no control over his body. When this proud dog urinated in the house, I insisted that Steve take him to the vet. I was sure he'd had a stroke.
Luckily, I was wrong. He didn't have a stroke, but has idiopathic (no known cause) vestibular syndrome. This is an inflammation of a nerve in the ear which causes him to have one big hangover -- or at least the symptoms of such. The course of care is keeping him quiet, giving him prednisone for the inflammation and Dramamine to help control the nausea. He is much better already.Okay, here's where the reticular stuff starts.
1. Hubby, Steve's buddy that he grew up with, had the same thing within the last year. He is an orthopedic surgeon, so you can imagine the fear that set in when he awoke with the symptoms.
2. Saturday I was reviewing a list of new chamber members, and sure enough there was the Vestibular and Balance Clinic that had joined.
3. Then Sunday in the paper, the veterinarian's column was also about this syndrome. Weird, huh?
I know that I am just noticing this word because I have been exposed to it. It has visibility with me.
Gosh, I hope Certified Networker of Ohio is striking people in the same way! (in a good way, that is!)
Do you have a crazy reticular activation story?
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