Saturday, November 1, 2008

Something To Think About...

Here's something to think about:
I've been off-blogging again... just laying around, doing nothing No moving, no trips to Texas, no unpacking, in fact no housework for 3 1/2 days-sound nice? ...ahh, probably does sound great, until you realize it was because I had a migraine. NOT so nice! I was out of Imitrex and couldn't afford to pay out cash (almost 35.00) for one. Too much. It was that or the hospital, and I've been in the ER too many times. 4-8 hours of waiting til it's all done, and you don't feel like it's completely gone when they're done. They give you something to calm it down, not even Imitrix, or the new stuff by the makers of Imitrex. So you still have to rest another day to get over it. Better than the original pain though..
But the ice never lasts long enough in the waiting room. Ice bags that is. I bring in a baggie of ice
to keep over the pain-it's the only thing that keeps the pain minimized! The ONLY thing. Massaging my neck with the Shiatsu 100 helps too (the migraine comes from the neck). But after around 2-2 1/2 hours the ice melts, unless I'm lucky enough to get a nurse who refills it or better yet, they have an ice-machine there in the lobby like a couple I've been in. And of course neck pillow is essential-you have to lie down with these buggers-there's no sitting or standing up with them.
So, if you're one of the lucky people that have never felt a migraine-here's a brief, not really accurate description. It's like a flaming hot knife being twist tortuously under one eye, while the rest of the area around the eye and behind it are pounding/hurting in conjunction. A brain-freeze x 10. All taunting you at once, saying, "You can't do anything about it!" Plus, the pain causes you be sleepy-a natural reaction to the body when there is so much severe pain going on. Often, it causes the stomach to be ill too or at least somewhat nauseas. At least I do have some medication for that particular symptom.
So, for 3 days and nights, (unless I'm lucky and get the 4 day vacation) that's all it is. All day and night, changing the ice-bag every 2-3 hours and getting back to sleep. Sometimes lying on the couch in the evenings to hear the TV, for something different to do. And wouldn't you think the other medication I take for fibromyalgia would do any good for this. NO. It doesn't. It may a bit, but doesn't get rid of it-only time or Imitrex can. They say caffeine does too. But I don't feel like coffee when I'm that sick. I used to take pills loaded with multiple cups of caffeine in them-for headaches-and they helped some, but I hated the side effects, and they didn't do enough good anyway-so no thanks to that option.
So, if you do read this blog, now you know why I went on an "off-post binge" again, and the probably will be the main reason-illness of one form or another-when I do again. Hopefully, not often. I know-I am a Christian-and should be stronger in belief in healing-but it's hard when you've had these conditions for years and years, and it's taken years to get someone/anyone to believe you in the first place, must less treat you or help you.
If there were a cure for what I have-and someone said, "Here, you can either have a cure with NO more headaches and NO more neck/head pain-no more pain anywhere-no more tiredness-no more bi-polar, OR a million bucks," guess which I'd choose, in a snap!
Just sayin' -something to think about in your own life I suppose.
Pam
PS_If you've had a migraine at a rotten time in life, let me know about it! I had one right after my daughter was born (who's near 9 now). Turned out I had to get a "blood patch" put in my spine by the anesthesiologist. Until then, I couldn't lift my neck or even feed her. They thought I didn't want to bond, until one nurse figured it out. I got the patch the same day we went home! So, what's your story about migraines?

1 comment:

  1. Wow... it sounds like you have some pretty serious migraines. I hope you start to feel better. I am lucky that I don't have issues with that, but I have tons of other medical things going on with me, so I can sympathize. *hugs from Texas*

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