Why Now?

Paul has known since he was 12 years old that music was his design. All his life music was the thing he was most passionate about. He left college for a period to save enough money to study at the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in Los Angeles, California. But because of disbelief, deep rooted fears, and some discouragement, he never followed that dream.

In the summer of 1999, Paul developed an intense ringing in his right ear. He began experiencing dizziness and imbalance along with vertigo. His doctor said it was too early to diagnose, but since he had no infection or other problems it was possible that it could be the beginnings of Menieres disease.

The doctor was careful to mention that it was too early to diagnose this problem, since Menieres is only diagnosed after many other things are ruled out. After investigating this strange disease on the internet, Paul learned that Menieres is a problem that develops with the inner ear and can lead to hearing loss and even deafness! People suffering with this disease are disabled from the normal activities of life during these recurring bouts with vertigo and ringing. As you can imagine, the words “hearing loss” and “deafness” were terrifying words to a musician.

The worrisome symptoms continued. The doctor ordered additional tests – auditory (which showed some hearing loss in the right ear and CT scans (to rule out tumors) and finally an MRI. All these tests were negative so Menieres diagnosis seemed the only explainable thing. So, the only way to say definitively that it was Menieres was to wait and see.

Waiting can be a very trying thing. Even the possibility of ear damage and deafness brought Paul to a place he feels he needed to be – on his knees. Paul asked for forgiveness for not using the gift of music that God had so freely given to him and for a second chance. 

To date, Paul’s symptoms have never recurred. Paul now pursues music with a renewed vigor and passion and most important of all – with purpose.