June 1, 2023. Here we go again. The months are flying by and soon the year will be half over. This is a busy month with the annual AAUW Used Book Sale among other things but I definitely wanted to start it out right with a great Comments for a Cause.
If you remember I wanted to honor my mom and her love of books and also her love of volunteering for years at the Copeland Oaks Library. She absolutely loved that volunteer job and was quite proud of the library and what they were able to offer their residents. Perhaps I got my love of volunteering in the Connestee Falls Library from her. I never thought about that. Silly me. I am thrilled that Chris and I will be making a donation of $150 to the library at Copeland Oaks to help them continue their great services to their residents and staff. Thank you to ALL who have taken the time to comment this month. I may not always get a response in a timely manner but I do read and appreciate each and every comment that is made.
What on earth is VeDA? Well, if I did not have a friend with vestibular neuritis, I would be saying the exact same thing. My friend, Audrey, who you already know blogs over at Minnesota Prairie Roots, has been battling vestibular neuritis for months now. It has been an ongoing struggle and one that she is bearing with grace and strength. So what exactly is this strangely named ailment?
There are a lot of definitions out there that describe this much more succinctly than I could but in a nutshell, vestibular neuritis is a disorder resulting from an infection that inflames the inner ear, specifically the vestibular branch of the vestibulo-cochlear nerve. It can cause dizziness, imbalance, vertigo and more. Audrey has also experienced double vision, hyper sensitivity to sounds, headaches and much more. If you are interested in reading more about her journey, a good place to start is with this post.
So what do you do when a friend has something that is affecting almost every thing about her life? You try to do some research on your own and you find out that there is a non-profit that has formed specifically for disorders like the one Audrey has. Vestibular Disorders Association has a great mission as found on their website:
Mission
We envision a world where vestibular disorders are widely understood, rapidly diagnosed, and effectively treated so patients can restore balance and regain life.
The Vestibular Disorders Association (VeDA) strives to create an inclusive community where everyone feels valued, represented, and respected.
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I know Audrey is nodding her head in Minnesota and saying that these things are all very true. VeDA offers lifelines to those who are suffering from all types of vestibular ailments and offers information, resources, support groups and more to those who visit their website. What a great source of help this must be to folks who are just looking for answers and ways to manage their symptoms. While they clearly state that the website is not to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment, I can imagine that this is a great resource for those who have received the medical diagnosis. Education is powerful and this organization has a lot of information to share.
So please join me this month as we support Vestibular Disorders Association as our Comments for a Cause. For each comment made on any. post this month Chris and I will make a 50 cent donation to this organization for their ongoing efforts to help those with this type of disorder. I would appreciate it and I know that Audrey would as well. You can find more out by clicking on the social media links below.
