Bad Headache Day #23 2009

I Am Now Officially Fifty Years Old

Bad day today (I guess by now that is yesterday). I was able to stick out about five hours of work, and make it home but despite best efforts The Headache is winning this evening. I knew it was not a good thing this morning because my left eye was tearing and the left side of my nose was running (where it was running to I don't really know - it can't go far without the right side of my nose).

I am trying to stick it out - have an important meeting at 10:00 this morning. Can't sedate too much or I won't make it. It's past midnight and the thunder is sounding ominous. Since I live in Tornado Alley this is another reason to be awake besides The Headache.

Had to run to my primary care physician's office today. Apparently the stimulator study sponsor needs verification that my Type II diabetes is under control, or I'm out of the study. The study coordinator at Cleveland Clinic called them, and I needed to sign a release of information form so they could fax them a letter stating that this is well-controlled. My fasting blood sugar (with diet and medication) is generally a 94 - which is normal. My PCP and his staff are fantastic, always willing to help. Of course my medical record there is about three inches thick because I'm broken, and OF COURSE don't have an extended warranty for replacement parts.

My boss gave me two beautifully framed photos for my office space yesterday. They are lovely. One is of a large waterfall in Oregon I believe, and the other is of Glacier National Park. He has a natural eye for composition and great photographic skills. I have hung them already, and that has enhanced the office space considerably. I brought a lamp so I can turn off the overhead fluorescents but brought the wrong bulbs - it takes chandelier bulbs. Sigh. Should be a nice soft light though.

I gave up and filed some short term disability paperwork today. Incomewise I am making what I did in 1987 because I just can't work the hours. Per hour my pay is great, but I have to work enough hours! My bosses are wonderful, have kept me a full benefits so far, and have had such patience waiting on The Headache to be cured. I asked them that for the upcoming install give me a couple of day's notice before I need to travel (the site is only a few hours away) so I can try to get a shot of torradol to tide me over onsite. I don't think I will be buzzing away with an occipital stimulator before I will have to be doing site surveys, etc...

Ouch! Doh!!!

My Head Hurts

I know I whine about it a lot. I know it dominates my every day. But my head hurts - a lot. Last night - don't know if it was just because it was the third day after a bad day, or because I did housework - The Headache started to ratchet up.

When I say ratchet I mean like "CRANK" up goes the pain, wait a moment, "CRANK" up goes the pain, wait a moment, "CRANK" up goes the pain. In the matter of minutes (its like going 0=120 mph in a race car) The Headache gets up to speed and won't slow down. I was able to medicate with Benedryl and Phenergan and it has stopped at about a high eight on my personal pain scale. I can function up to a nine, but that's not far to go. My pain scale is like the Richter scale - the higher the number the more exponentially severe the pain is - sorta like redoubling on every level.

Cluster headache sufferers talk about the Kip Pain scale, which is similar. I'm not suicidal but when I am at a 10, I almost go into shock the pain is so bad. I start shaking, my arms and legs go whacky, and my body temp drops for hours. I don't make sense, and can barely talk. My extremities are like ice for a day or two. I wonder if everyone else with this type of pain has the same problem feeling cold. Of course maybe the simple explanation is that when I am at a 10, I end up in the ER with an cold bag of IV liquids being pumped into me.

Today we haave a meeting this afternoon at work. I will leave in a little bit so I can go, and I have another meeting tomorrwo at 10:00 am. I hope to hold at this 8 level for today and tomorrow. It may be too much to hope for, since I am not staying home today with my head wrapped in ice.

My Computer Has Bugs

The Ants Come Marching One by One

The untimely winter weather yesterday and last night has driven the local ants into my sunroom (which is a built in porch really). They seemed to like the warmth of my computer, so now I have borax scattered everywhere in order to dissuade them from their toasty new digs.

The Headache didn't like the storm coming in Friday, but yesterday and today have been pretty good. I didn't do much of anything yesterday on purpose, so I could clean some of the house today. Sweeping floors, mopping, and cleaning bathrooms....maybe even vacuuming and dusting and polishing!!! I also shook out throw rugs. Such a beautiful day after two unseasonally cold days.

I wish that I had more energy. I need to work on gardens and get ready for spring flowers. The promise of the occipital stimulator seems distant and far away this week. Times like this when I normally could go out a do what I want physically make me feel deprived. I know there are people out there struggling with much worse ailments - my brother-in-law who is in year two of recovery from a massive stroke is one of them - but I'm inpatient to get my life back on track.

Work has an install coming up, and that can be quite challenging when I am feeling well. I'm just going to have to suck it up and medicate the best I can. Last summer when I traveled for a week was agony - but I also drank a glass of white wine (as a spritzer) when we went with the client out for a nice meal. I was actually miserable the night before - so not sure if the wine was at fault or I was just on the downside of my headache cycle. The night I got back, I ended up at the ER again. I hope that I can avoid that - the ER copay makes it an expensive foray for me to go onsite.

A Thing of Beauty

Parrothead's Unite!

My niece sent me a wonderful birthday present. We have a tradition of sending from time to time "ugly gifts" just to make us laugh. The gift needs to be silly and/or ugly and cheap. The gift needs to be something you would never ever want in your own home. Sometimes the ugly gifts mysteriously show up via the postal service at someone else's house just to spread the joy by regifting. This year I have been graced with a parrothead pot or vase. The hunt by the giver is made joyous upon finding the perfect ugly gift! Once in a great while the recipient becomes very attached to a gift and it never finds a new home. This one may be it for me.

The parrot looks a little bit like it has a headache too! Maybe I'll plant some "lucky bamboo" in its head so it can sprout a topknot. The possibilities are endless.

Today The Headache and The Belly are behaving. Maybe it's the parrot mojo working. I was able to work a few hours and actually get some things done. Hoping for a great tomorrow also!! The overhead lights at work didn't bother me so much today, so I guess it was The Headache creating the light sensitivity the other day.

Bad Headache Day #22 2009

This Evening is Better

The Headache had me down and out yesterday and part of today. I think I am going back to the old pattern of a bad time every three to four days. I hoped that the three weeks I had without The Headache being really bad was a sign of things to come, but unfortunately that has not turned out so. Not able to go to work yesterday or today, hoping for two full days Thursday and Friday! I have things to do and The Headache is interfering with my plans.

One good thing, with The Belly being so particular I have lost 10 pounds in the last month. Of course, not eating very much should have that reaction from a belly like mine! I am almost down to where I was before I was on prednisone last year.

The headache diary is being kept up. I return to Cleveland on April 15th. I am trying to find a flight that leaves out of the local airport that doesn't cost extra thousands of dollars. Driving hours to an airport was just too tiring. I checked out train rides, but they all would be overnighters - no good for me.