How I won the Vestibular Disorders Lottery. Twice!

I don't consider myself to be a lucky person. I've never really won anything significant in my life.
Although once, when I was 9 years old, I had a winning raffle ticket at an event I attended with my family. My prize was a small bottle of whiskey. My mom told me I could drink it in another 9 years time once I reached the legal drinking age of 18. I never drank it. The whiskey still sits unopened in my mothers cocktail cabinet. She wrote my name and the winning number on the back of the box.

I've often wondered what it would be like to be the winner of something big and life changing - like the lottery. It would be quite something to be a grand prize winner. Especially if it was a rollover lottery. Or how about the Publishers Clearing House Sweepstakes, where you can receive a large weekly cash prize for the rest of your life? And since longevity runs in my family, for me, that could potentially be a long time. I think that would be pretty awesome. Awesome, but also unlikely, since I never play the lottery.


How is it then, that someone like me who never wins anything could be (un)lucky enough to win the
Vestibular Disorders Lottery? A Chronic Illness Sweepstakes that I didn't even enter? Oh and not only did I win, I was one of the grand prize winners too. One who will receive weekly random payouts of headaches, nausea, brain fog, unsteadiness and dizziness. For the - Rest. Of. My. Life.
I  must admit that I asked myself that question again. Why? And the answer came back almost immediately. Just like any other lottery win - it's arbitrary. Totally random.


 It was with my conditon in mind, that I decided to enter a Facebook contest through one of the fan groups that I belong to.

I like a company called Mantraband. They make jewelry and bracelets with inspirational or motivational messages and quotes engraved on them. I presently own three silver ones.

I've had to retire this one, since I can no longer run.

These mantras inspire me daily.

 For this contest you had to choose three mantras to be worn at the same time and say why you would wear them together. Most of the other contest entrants chose positive and inspirational mantras for use in everyday life. I took a somewhat different approach. I thought about what I would want to say to myself on my toughest dizziness day. What words would help me through a bad vertigo day and the days of recovery that followed. I decided to go with these three mantras:

1. Breathe
2. You Got This
3. One Day At A Time.

And I threw my entry into the random draw with all the others.

So, imagine my surprise when this appeared in my Facebook messenger inbox. I won. My vestibular disorder inspired entry, made me a winner.


This has made me want to pick up my shield and keep fighting whatever this illness throws at me. I've been a little discouraged recently. So, to all the other vestibular warriors out there, whatever you may be facing today, remember this... Breathe, You Got This, One Day At A Time. #Winners.

Now, in the light of my recent win, what are the odds of winning this car in the competition I entered at the Canadian Auto Show last weekend? Stay tuned.

You can follow my Facebook page, The Dizziness Diaries, here.