First of all the good things. I am back to full bore running most days a week, which is awesome. I ran three marathons over Christmas Break. I did have six planned, however I tweaked my knee in the double over the 27th and 28th and decided it would make sense to not injure myself MORE so I bailed on the last three. Not that I didn't run. I did run 14 with a friend instead of 26 one of the days. I also ran at least 5 or 6 the other two days. I have the WDW Dopey Challenge coming up this weekend and I wanted to not be benched for it.
I am truly thankful for the running because it is what makes me, me! Sometimes I don't feel like going out; my head hurts just enough to make me want to curl up with one of six dogs (or two of six or even all six) but I make myself go out anyhow and I'm always glad. There are still way too many days when I just can't go and I don't like that, but at least there are more on days than off.
I think I'm maintaining my intelligence, which is also a good thing. Except on really REALLY bad days I seem to be capable of rational thought and critical thinking, even at the same time. Sure, on bad days I drool into my cereal bowl and grunt like Neanderthal Man after a bender, but those days are only once or twice a month.
My strength is back to where I was before and now I'm going to get even strongerer! Huzzah! I haven't missed teaching a bootcamp class in awhile (although we're on hiatus right now). I find that most of the time I can get out and get relief, even when the head is bad going in. That has helped me to firm up, and feel better about myself.
Unfortunately it's not all good news. I don't think I've seen any improvement this last year at all. I'm beginning to worry that this is it. This is life. I get to carry around a humming head full of pain forever. My tinnitus has grown worse, although I find that if I ignore it it doesn't bother me that much. It sounds, though, like a loud frequency hum from an old, failing TV set (currently) living in my right ear. It moves. Sometimes the TV set lives in my right ear, sometimes in my left. Blessedly there is only one set, so so far, not in both ears.
I got a new app that allows me to do a diary of my headache and it tracks the weather. I can see a direct correlation with changing barometric pressure and pain. It tends to hurt more when it drops and the bigger the drop, the bigger the hurt.
 |
| Don't hate me because I'm beautiful... |
I have tried a few things out of open mindedness and desperation. I've tried a Cefaly Device.
This hot little number sent electrical impulses into the trigeminal nerve and disrupt the pain signals. I wore it for an hour every day and it was painful (and according to this picture, sucking the life out of me because I look old here). While it was a highly attractive accessory piece, it did not work. Sad. I sent it back and am waiting for my $300 or so back.
I'm currently trying acupuncture and it's, so far, not working beyond when I'm on the table. Wait, I take that back. Last night I had some relief for the entire night. Today I'm in a lot of pain again (whoopee) but that was nice! It does give me a little hope. I am not anti-acupuncture because it helped my neck and I really like Joe, the doctor but so far I don't know if it's helping as much as I hoped it would.
Let's face it, I want 100%, permanent relief.
I'm also trying chronic in a good way. I haven't found anything that seems to work for much other than making me say "Oh yeah. I have pain, but it's over there." In other word, it kind of diverts my attention from the pain to some extent. I use it only when it's really bad. A friend brought me some pills from a coop in West Seattle that I haven't been to, and they seem to help more than anything else, but they do make me super tired. Nothing, so far, I can use on a daily basis.
So there we are. State of the Noggin. It's still there. I am still in pain 24/7 most of the time except when I run and sometimes I get relief. Yay. Then the relief fades, boo.
What are my goals and plans for 2015? Well...I can't keep going on the way I'm going. We talked about me going on disability but I decided I'm not ready for that. I think next school year I will see if I can change my schedule and teach half time. I can't teach full time any more. It's just way too hard to do this with the constant pain. I need more rest, more consistent exercise (which is prescribed for the pain and I never do if it makes it worse), and the ability to stop and lie down when I get dizzy. I hate that I have to do that, but I have to do that. Dammit I hate that I even have to write that. It makes me feel feeble and weak and angry that I am feeble and week. I blacked out today, though, and fell at work. Fortunately it was in my office, into a chair, and it was momentary. I sat there and looked like I was thinking until I was able to get up. FUCK FUCK FUCK I hate that!
But maybe if I'm not doing so much with my brain it can heal. Or maybe it won't, but maybe at least I can have some time every day to do things for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying "I want time to play every day so I don't want to have to work." I mean, yeah that would be cool. But every day I come home and just want to go straight to bed and I don't want that any more. I still do bootcamp at night two nights a week but I have to take a nap most afternoons. I HAVE TO TAKE A NAP! Then when I go it's a struggle to get there and usually I go home and pass out and don't move the rest of the night.
I feel like I'm rationalizing, and I am. I've always worked 50-60 hours a week and now I want to work only 20-40 and I feel guilty. I won't bring in as much money, I will be home and probably won't do as much as home as I feel I should. I just don't know what the right answer is.
Sometimes it's just so overwhelming.
No comments:
Post a Comment