So it's been a week

Really, a week and two days since I have my low frequency radio frequency ablation of the sphenopalatine ganglion nerve bundle. (Whew! Every time I type that it's a mouthful, or, uh, finger-ful.)

From what my doctor told me, I'd start noticing within six days. I tried not to hang my hat on that, but of course I did. The ONLY thing I'd noticed up to that point was that maybe Thursday (day six) my head hurt a tiny bit more on my left side than on my right (my block was done on the right).

By the way, my doctor allowed me to choose the side. I'd asked for my right since most of the time if one side is going to hurt worse, it will be my right. I figured I could tell better.

So today is eight days post. It started out a nice day so we took the dogs for a walk, which is an ordeal in itself as we have seven dogs. We decided to start with the five tiny dogs (three chihuahua mixes, a mini-pin foster, and a yorkie foster). We took them down to the park for the Best Day Ever (according to them). As we were out, the wind started up.

Wind and I are bitter enemies. Oh sure. As children we played together; "Wizard of Oz" and I used to love when the wind sang to me. However, once I had my brain hemorrhage it has become nothing more than a torture demon. Whenever it shows up it brings Spidey with it to wring out the worst of the worst headaches!

We went home and swapped out for the big dogs. Again, Best Day Ever! The wind kept on it's torture and as expected, Spidey made an entrance.

For those who are here just wanting to know about the RFA SPG block, you have to sit through my dog stories, bad jokes, and now you're wondering who the hell Spidey is. Well, Spidey is my headache. Since my brain hemorrhage or stroke was a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and arachnoid sounds similar to arachnid, I have always referred to bad head pain as Spidey.

So Spidey started torturing me, and I decided to pay attention to how the pain was developing since it was getting too windy to really talk, plus one year old Pogie (border collie, lab mix who is really named Rogue, and is much more used to running with me, than this walking shit) was pulling me well ahead of Roy and 11 year old Dash (lab, pit bull mix who is not used to even this walking shit, and is much heavier and slower, but was still having the Best Day Ever).

As the pain ramped up:

Right side: 3-4-5 and stopped
Left side: 3-4-5-6-7->8 (ready to cry by the time we got home)

So...I'm maybe starting to feel like it might have worked, but am still hesitant to get my hopes up.

For one thing, there were still a few spikes of pain on the right. I do think the nerve is still dying, but even right now the right is better.

Plus I'm just worried if I get them up too high and it's just a fluke I'll be so disappointed.

But if this is working and even if the best I get is days that don't go above five, that would be much better. I really want complete relief most days, though. I know I can't be guaranteed that, but it sure would be nice.

Week One of New Week's Goals

So last week my goals were to exercise at least 10 min a day five times, to fit in some me time and say no when I didn't want to commit to something, and I don't remember the third thing because right now my head really hurts and it hurts more when I try to recall.

I did exercise at least ten minutes a day. One of the days my head was really bad so I set the timer for ten minutes and I played with the dogs for ten minutes as my head pounded. I did it, though! When the ten minutes were up I nearly collapsed. I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

The other four times were bootcamp one day, good beasty workout, and three runs including one that was almost 11 miles.

Right now we're having the best weather. In fact it's so nice that we are having record heat by far; yesterday it was 88 degrees and I canceled bootcamp. Last week it was pouring down rain. I think the change in weather so drastic that it's caused just horrible headaches. it's Tuesday and I only lasted half a day yesterday. This morning I knew I shouldn't come to work, but I did. I am suffering my way through it. I can't imagine how I'd teach a regular teaching job. I helped one of my girls with geometry and I just did not get it. I think I confused her more. I know it made my head hurt worse. Finally I gave up and asked some boys to help her.

I want to go home and go for a bike ride or a run, even in the heat (it doesn't bother me that much) but my head is so bad standing up makes me feel like falling down.

SO...goals for this week...

• Work out for 10 min 5 times a week, at least. (The 10 min is on bad head days. I did not work out yesterday.)
• Download a bio-feedback app and try to use it at least 2 times
• Declutter at least 1 thing per day

Oh, and I decided to limit my activities to three; running, my business, and the other thing i do. I can picture and think of the other running to give. That's the thing. My head really hurts. Thinking is hard. I think I'll call my neurologist and try to get in for a block again.

Flexibility is on the menu

Today was a GREAT day, head-wise. I had a headache that went from 5-8 on the pain scale every day since last Wednesday. However, I am proud that I was still able to run 13 miles on Saturday and 14 on Sunday. Monday, though was a rest day.

So today when my head was feeling much better, even with periods of no pain, I was thrilled. I couldn't WAIT to get home to run. Got home, changed my clothes, grabbed two of the dogs, and out I went. But for whatever reason, I was not feeling good. Usually if I start and I'm wonky, it'll settle within the first mile. However when I passed mile two and my disconnected feeling was still there, I knew that I needed to stop. I called Roy and he picked me up. 

I am learning patience and flexibility. I know that there are some who might say "If you can run 13 miles, you do NOT suffer from chronic pain." The truth is it is BECAUSE I can run long distances that I am living with, not suffering from chronic pain. As an ultra marathoner I have the capacity to put pain on hold. When you're in mile 24 and you know you have 8 more miles until the end of the 50k you learn to take quick body inventory and move on, putting any non-consequential pain out of your mind. It is because I can do that that I think I am doing so well living with the chronic daily headaches. 

I was disappointed today to have to call and finish two miles short of my minimum goal, but like there are times in a race when I have to know when to push on, and when to be smart, today I had to listen to my body and be flexible. 

Today there are a number of storms passing through. Look in one direction and the sky is blue with nary a cloud, look in another and it's black and menacing. In one direction everything is calm, in another the wind is blowing. So throughout the day I'd be feeling good then get a spike of pain that might last 2 minutes or 20. I think that's what was going on as I ran. The weather was just messing with my balance and it made me feel disconnected and like I might fall at any time.

Oh well! I got to hang with my boys (Flik the Bo-Chi and Wiley the Shepard-Heeler) for awhile and be out in the sun! I did finish another mile of incline work on the treadmill so I got 3.5 in today. Not what I wanted, but flexibility is the word of the day.