I'm Unbalanced

And no, I'm not referring to my mental health this time.  All my life, I've had problems with balance.  When I was a pre-teen, a classmate noted that everyone has a certain "walk".  Mine involves leaning slightly to one side.  It's a running joke that I ride a bicycle like I'm drunk.  When walking down the sidewalk, I drift to one side or the other.  A google search tells me that "listing" is a symptom of all kinds of scary illnesses, but I don't have any of the other symptoms.

There are two likely suspects for this.  The first is DNA...  the ear is the organ of balance and ear issues run in my family.  A lot of us (me included) have hearing issues.  My father's vertigo was so bad, he was forced to retire.  At least one of my siblings also has vertigo.

The second is a longer story.  When I was a toddler, I played Tarzan on a light-pull string.  Over a cement floor.  I was unconscious for, I've been told, five minutes.  I was not taken to the hospital or doctor.  I've had also had syncope (fainting spells) all my life, and the only time it was mentioned to a doctor was after rejection for military service.  I often wonder if my syncope and balance problems are because of the Tarzan Incident.

For the most part, I've learned to live with it.  It really is, for me, a minor inconvenience.  I take a little extra care on ladders and stairs.  I get funny looks some times, but I don't mind.  I'd probably wonder about some lady going down the steps in the weird posture, myself!  It's pretty common for a relative walking with me to say "You're drifting" because I'm pushing them off the sidewalk.

My syncope, my dysthymia, and definitely my diabetes are larger issues.  I've even learned to tell the difference between an attempt to faint from a sugar low.  I take my medicines and try to follow doctor's orders.  But the balance issues?  I wave my hand dismissively at them.