Text Height versus Text Width

I am trying to edit text that has a different width then the height.  4.5 and 5.  When I use the edit text dialog box and select the text it transposes the height and width.  If I select it again it transposes again.  In fact watching the Edit text dialog box while moving the mouse I see the height and width cycle between the 2 different values placed in there.  I put in 8 and 10 and it will cycle between the 2 values.  Has anyone else seen this?  I am using 8.11.09.578.