Sweet Migraines

Friday I had an appointment with my PCP and found out I was doing awesome with my diabetes. My A1C was at a normal persons range of 5.4. I had also lost 23 pounds since April. Talk about exciting news!

I also had my appointment with my HA Specialist Dr. B., He was just wonderful. My whole appointment lasted 2 hours. He went over all my prior history,and listened to every detail that I could possibly pour out. He upped my Topamax and put me on Zomig. He also gave me Cataflam to use when the Zomig doesn't knock out the migraine for the first dose and Zofran for nausea.

I have been having a lot of stress at work that I cant write about until later, incase anyone from work is reading this, so I will update that when I can.

I am off to lay down with what I thought was just going to be a dull headache that has now turned into a full blown migraine. Lets keep our fingers crossed for the Zomig!

Today my husband and I had planned on going out to eat with another couple to a new restaurant. We really have been wanting to venture out of the steak and potatoes cuisine, and try different cultures of food. So, tonight was the first night, and we chose a Thai restaurant. We have heard a lot of people say they loved the food and how everything was so fresh. This place was in a really small town in Illinois. I swear you could have farted and drove right through it. Of course the place was on Main street, probably because they only have one street and that would be MAIN. We all ate very light today, so we were sure not to ruin our appetite. We thought 5 o'clock would be a good time to leave, since it is only going to take us about 15 minutes to get there. We are sure to beat the dinner rush. I know what all my southern friends are thinking, 5'oclock is the dinner rush, no that is in North Carolina. In Missouri the dinner rush is 6. Weird..I know! Anyway..Dustin and I go over to our friends house so we can take one car. We are all really excited, and I am really enjoying the view. Anytime we go somewhere new it is like a big adventure for me, since I am not from this area, there is always lots for me to look at. So here we are in Columbia, IL and headed towards Main street when we start seeing signs that say detour. WTF?! Detour to where exactly? Guess what the hell today was! 150 years of Columbia, IL Day, which means the whole town and I swear I don't think a person was missing from the whole town was out celebrating in the form of a 2 mile parade. We were stuck, the parade was headed towards Main Street, and there was no escaping. We are sitting in the car watching the parade talking to a police officer asking if this is going to be over anytime soon, we are just here to try out a resturant in their 150 year old town. He makes us sit there for about 30 minutes and then I guess starts to feels sorry for us, so he backs his police car up so we can turn into down the road, into parade mind you, so we can turn around and find the back entrance to Main Street. I was so embarrassed and relieved at the same time. We were all starving and ready to find out if we were even going to be able to eat at this establishment. Luckily we did find the place the food was amazing! I took some pictures of the parade, but I can't find the cord that I plug into my phone to the pc. So, I will just leave you with this link I found at youtube. They had about 3 of these, and they were a riot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrS9nJ6q-uI

I saw this on Goggle's Joke of the day and I thought it would make an awesome topic for me to blog about today.

Discontinued Jelly Bean Flavors.

10.Cigarette...this really is too bad, maybe more people including me would stop.
9.Substitute Teacher...that's hot
8.WD-40 http://www.wd40.com/pdfs/WD-40_2000UsesList.pdf
7.Grandma...this would probably taste like moth balls.
6.Taxi...see number 10
5.Sand...probably a bit gritty
4.Dimetapp...I used to love to have a cough when I was a kid!
3.Burn Victim...burnt popcorn comes to mind, that smell lingers forever
2.New Car..loses its flavor before you even get it to your mouth
1.Gangrene...maybe you need some WD-40 for that

And speaking of jelly beans, I think I have missed them the most since my diagnosis of Diabetes. Buttered Popcorn from Jelly Belly has always been my favorite. I still find myself in need want of sugar I will often run to the grocery store for a little bag of them. I can't completely deprive myself of all things yummy.

Honestly how could I really be so stupid? Did I really think I could rejoice in the fact that I have been migraine free for the last 11 days, and not have the monster roar it's ugly head the very next day? My neck is so stiff that I feel like someone could hit me with a baseball bat and it would actually feel good. Maybe I can commit some petty crime and I would be thrown to the town square for public humiliation and the guillotine. OFF WITH MY HEAD!

I am just so damn irritable, so easily frustrated. It is just not me. I am such a laid back person. I can't stand how my personality changes. I get so angry! I hate missing work and like I have said before I make myself work through my migraines. On the rare occasion I will call in sick, but it is only because either my aura has just hit as I am ready to leave for work and it will not go away, or I am hovering over the bathroom toilet and can't seem to get up. I will come in with my sunglasses and my ice packs and just down right suffer. Of course when I get home I am much sicker. I feel like I could just lay down and die. Which is exactly what I will be doing tonight.

I have had a great migraine free week. I don't know really what I have done. My last migraine was a week and half ago that lasted three terrible days. I was able to find another trigger in aged cheese. I have now cut deli meat, aged cheese, nuts, alcohol, aspartame, and NutraSweet from my diet. Of course just when I really made a true commitment to keep my headache journal up to date, I have only had one migraine to document. Granted that migraine was painful as hell and I thought it would never go away no matter how many triptans I took. I ended up taking 2 Maxalts and a couple of Vicodin. I could go check my journal for the exact doses, but I am lazy and don't feel like getting up. I thought for sure I would end up with a migraine this week as I am having a bit of anxiety due to the fact that I should find out if I got my new job, and it never fails that when my stress level is up a migraine is sure to follow. I guess I am kinda laid back about whether or not I get the position as I blogged about before, so maybe I am not stressed out as I normally would be. Work has been busy busy busy and that for sure will bring out a migraine in people that may have never experienced one before, so again I am left asking myself...what is different. I wish I could just say, who cares. Part of me wants to believe that, maybe they will never come back, maybe that was my last one, but the realist in me knows better. I cant help but wonder is this the calm before the storm, is the next one going to be the worst migraine I have ever had? What if I cant manage it, what if I have to go to the hospital and be treated like a drug seeker for drugs I don't even like, because of the way they make me feel. I do not enjoy the out of my mind feeling, or the so drowsy feeling that I must sleep or pass out, or the way my face goes limp like I have had a stroke. On top of all that the drugs usually do not make the migraine go away, when the drugs wear off the migraine is still there, yes it is less on the pain scale and I can tolerate it for the next day or so until it is completely gone. I am very appreciative of the anti-nausea drugs though. Without those I know I would not battle those fluorescent lights, that for some reason can't be turned down. Anyone else wonder why there is no light switch in the ER rooms, or at least a dimmer?

I had to have another A1C test, which is a blood test that tests my blood sugar over a three month period of time. It was only a couple of hours that my doctor's office was calling to schedule an appointment to discuss the results, so I am sure it was not great. I really have been watching my carbs and my sugar intake, so if my blood sugar is still high then I am going to have to start taking Metformin. I really hate having to get my blood drawn. I am one of those people that my veins are not easy to find and will roll and blow out. Needless to say when I went in on Friday to get my test done I had the nurse stick me three times digging for my vein, then she looks at me as my face I am sure is turning white and asks, "Are you ok?" Umm Nope! She then goes and gets another RN and she finds a vein in my hand that she has no trouble getting the blood out of, but as she pulls the needle out, my vein blows and swells like 2 inches above my hand. I have a solid black and blue bruise all down my hand. I really hope that I don't have to have my blood drawn again anytime soon.

My husband got me an early anniversary gift! I finally got my laptop. He really is better than Santa Claus.

Today I have an interview for a new job at my current workplace. It is one of those jobs that I am on the fence about, because the extra pay is very enticing, but the hours suck. I would lose my weekends with husband. The job will be 4 ten hour days, Sat, Sun, Mon, and Tues, so I while I am exciting about having the extra money, I am not so excited about working every weekend. Of course I will give my interview my all, and just let fate play itself out.

I am still struggling with my migraines. I did find these new ice packs from medi-temp.com. The ice pack wraps around your head, and it helps me stay productive while I am at work. I have really been keeping my headache journal up to date. I have even started listing the small headaches that I get sometimes during the day. I think I worry about those and wonder if that worry will lead into a major migraine. I also worry that when I take any medication for those small headaches that I am going to turn that headache into a rebound headache. Worry, worry, worry.... Does anyone else with migraines worry this much. I never have been this much of a worrier before, but since I started getting these debilitating migraines, it seems I can't stop the worry of when the next migraine is going to come, or when I have a migraine I worry the pain will never end. Is this normal?? I am still super excited for my appointment with the Ryan Headache Specialist. I have a list of questions, and I really hope that I will get some answers. I know that I may not have a life without migraines again, but I would at least like to have a LIFE!

Well a lot has been going on since my last blog. My psedo tumor cerebi did come back, so I had to get a spinal tap. Wow those have changed so much in 8 years. I was petrified and really wished I had a something to calm my nerves, so I wouldn't have been so tense when I went in. The nurses could all tell that I was so scared, so I explained the last time I had one of the lovely spinal taps and how I ended up getting poked about 8 times or more before the doctor found the right entry point and how I left there with a scab about the size of a nickle on my back. Well now they take an x-ray of your back so the doctor knows the exact entry point. The worst part honestly was the numbing shot. I did end up having a little spinal headache, but the pressure headache was gone almost immediately, my vision was clearing as I was laying on that hard metal table. My neuro was a complete idiot so while I am thankful he helped me out in my desperate situation I will not be going back to him.
I am still having major migraines at least once to twice a week, sometimes they are too bad for me to even go to work. I just dont want to live like this. I hate having to cancel plans or always feel like just when I am having a good time somewhere that I will have to leave. I also really hate having to drag my husband home when I know he is not wanting to leave. Why should he have to suffer when he is not suffering from a migraine. I found a new set of doctors called Headache Specialist.They are with the Ryan Headache Clinic here in Saint Louis, MO. I have heard good things about the doctor I am going to see from ACHE, so I really hope that he will at least be able to help me find my triggers, and at the very least give me some medication that will be able to soothe the migraine so I can function through out the day. Then if I need to come home after work, or after my movie or after hanging out with my friends, or just whatever....I can. I just want to be able to live MY LIFE!