At 4 a.m. this morning, I was jolted out of sleep by a bout of vertigo.

Oh yeah. It’s back. Just a little over a week of having been on my feet again.

#FML. Seriously.

Fortunately, this one doesn’t seem to have the strength of the original version, but it was enough to nauseate me already.  I woke Brandon up, poor thing, to fetch me an anti-nausea pill. He asked if I want to do the Epley maneuver right away. I chose to sleep comfortably for a few more hours then do it when I’m actually ready to get up.

A more thorough self-diagnostic via the internet found that I didn’t properly perform post-symptom care.  I have been careful with my head movement; however, I should’ve also been sleeping slightly elevated and avoiding sleeping on the bad side for at least a month after the symptom subsides.  Did either of the ER and urgent care doctors told me about any of these things? Of course not.

(And yes, I did it twice so far today and it did help. The world has stopped spinning. I’m just feeling the after effect of slight nausea now. Thanks for asking.)

While I was bound to the couch once again for most of the day, I heard the jingle-jangle of the bell on the neighborhood cat’s collar as he ran by below the window. It usually makes me smile to hear that Clark is in the vicinity. But today, especially, somehow that sound just makes me extra happy.

Clark lives a few doors down and across the street, but he spends a lot of his time over in our parking lot and apartment complex.  Everyone loves him around here.  One of our neighbors even feeds him a little snack while he works in the garage.  Clark often races Brandon and I up the stairs to our apartment so he could come hang out, and get some water and TLC.

We’ve become so familiar with Clark’s bell that when we’re out and about, both Brandon and I sometimes hear “phantom Clark”.  Something that sounds like his little bell would get us looking around for him like a Pavlov dog looking for a bone. I mean, I was doing that in Auckland last year, for crying out loud!

Listening to Clark’s bell while feeling absolute worst reminded me of Zombieland Rule #32.

Enjoy the little things.

I’ve enjoyed being healthy and having my normal life back this past week and a half. But then in a snap, I’m back on the couch once again, holding my head in one hand and a bucket in the other. That just really makes me appreciate the good health that I had. Now that I know that the vertigo can come back to get me at anytime–for the next several months, at least–suddenly I see the value of all the little things like Clark’s bell. Or anti-nausea pill. And a jar of pickles in the fridge. (Seriously, I sound like I’m pregnant. But pickles help!)

The sound and smell of the rain. And the sound thunder, especially out here in California.

A jar of Pim’s chilli jam and a small bottle of the real Si Racha chili sauce (you folks might know it as sriracha) I brought back from Thailand. (No, not that Alhambra-made Vietnamese rooster stuff.)

How Brandon growls at the alarm clock before hitting the snooze button.

The way my dad say “Hello!” when he answers the phone.

Small cartons of UHT regular milk and soy milk boxes. What a life/money saver for a household that doesn’t really use soy/milk except for occasional cereal or recipes.

Speaking of cold cereal, having some for dinner.

The little devil on my shoulder telling me to buy the freshly baked cookies.

Seeing my brothers’ Facebook updates in my news feed. (Hey, they’re alive! LOL)

Writing in the wee hour of the morning when Brandon had already gone to bed, leaving me alone with my restless brain.

Oh hey! There goes Clark again.

Life’s pretty good right now, all things considered.

What are your little things?

[ETA: I just realized that I did write  a post with the same title 3 years ago when I first saw Zombieland. LOL!]