Summary

In “Cinema of the Confined,” Crosley has vertigo. When the condition lasts longer than it has for her in the past, she visits Dr. Goldfinger, who administers “the Epley” (162). The Epley is “the only known way to alleviate . . . vertigo” and is “meant to dislodge sodium crystals” in the ear canals (163). Following the maneuver, Crosley is supposed to remain in a forward-facing position for 24 hours so the crystals settle back into place. Though the therapy has worked for her in the past, this time it is unsuccessful. Dr. Goldfinger then prescribes an MRI, as the condition has lasted an inordinate amount of time. The longer she is sick, the more Crosley thinks about wellness, and how it impacts her state of being.

Following the MRI, Crosley learns that she has Ménière’s disease, a condition defined by “a...