Sweet Migraines

It has been a much needed week off from the stress of work. I am still not sure I am ready to go back tomorrow. I literately did nothing this past week, but read and watch Tennis. I had no migraines, which was wonderful. Right before I went on vacation another supervisor was sending me her call backs knowing that I had my own customers to call back, plus my own work to do, and on top of that I was managing another supervisor's team while she was out on vacation for a week an half. She was also going on break during her phone time and asking me to get the phone. Well not anymore, this next week the answer will be no, you go to break once your phone time is over like the rest of us. I am not going to put up with this. Just because our boss thinks you can do no wrong, doesn't mean I have to feel that way too.

I really did make a new years resolution to start blogging more, but with all the stress at work, I just simply could not bring myself to write anything. My brain hurt! I do have a few new gadgets to write about that I bought myself to make up for my horrible Christmas :) More of that to come.

Christmas to me is a wonderful time of the year to spend time with family and friends and do a little gift giving to let those people know that you have thought about them and that you are glad that they are in your life. Now I know times have been tough on a lot of people this year. This economy has not been the greatest and there are a lot of people out of work, so the gift giving has been less or less expensive if you will. My husband and I have not been affected by the loss of jobs, in fact we have been lucky this past year and both have received promotions. We went out of our way a little more this year with our family and our closest friends. We defiantly didn't expect it back, or even want it.  I just wanted to pay it forward a little bit.

But you know what hurts the most! Not a simple thank you...or wow I love it...where in the hell are your manners?? My friends with children teach their children at a very young age that a simple thank you goes after your receive anything...no matter if you like it not!
Three couples from the family decided that we would pitch in and buy a really lavish gift for my husband's grandparents. We bought a 32 inch flat screen TV along with a TV stand for grandpa, and for grandma we bought a digital camera. I had my reservations about buying her a digital camera. She isn't exactly up with the newest electronic gadgets, but she had been asking for one for a long time and if she was excited about it enough it shouldn't take her too long to figure out how to turn it on and click down the button...right. I guess she changed her mind and didn't want the camera anymore...must of changed it the day before Christmas. Then if that wasn't bad enough grandpa bitched about us getting him a TV and not her a TV to watch in the kitchen. Seriously, in the F'n kitchen?! The TV they had before was one of those old console TV's. They just upgraded their cable to U Verse and they are paying for HD channels that they had no TV to watch them on because all their TV's were born in the stone age. I was literally ready to break down and either cuss and scream and tell them that I know 2 year olds with better manners or just cry my eyes out.

It does get worse, the title does say it all. My husbands mom has really hurt my feelings this year. I know she is broke and can't afford gifts, fine just come up and spend some time with us. She was not here for Thanksgiving and now for Christmas. She is also saying some pretty hurtful things, and the last one that really hurt was when were at my niece's special Christmas party this year. My niece lives in Colorado, so we had to drive an hour away to see her, so that we could have a combined Christmas with both sides of her family. My MIL announced that she and my niece had made special Christmas cards for everyone they cared about, and me nor my husband received a Christmas card. You know that card would have meant more to me and my husband than anything they could have bought us.

BTW, on Christmas Day I had a migraine from hell. It must of been because I was so distraught from Christmas Eve. Next year I am going to Cancun and forgetting that Christmas ever existed.

I received this email via a group in Facebook. Please take a moment to support our neurologists. It will only take a minute of your time. Thanks!

Dear All:

Please take 10 minutes to visit the AHDA website and email your senators. Your help is urgently needed. See the below.

Thanks,

Bray


As you can see, we've just mobilized an action alert to support the Medicare incentive program for neurology in close coordination with the AAN and six other neurological disorder advocacy groups.

Please take just a minute now to visit the AHDA webpage (http://www.capwiz.com/headacheadvocacy/issues/alert/?alertid=14446301&PROCESS=Take+Action ) to email the precise necessary message to your senators to support the Klobuchar amendment to the health care reform bill.

Time is of the essence. The Klobuchar amendment was filed on Monday and we do not know when it will be voted upon by the Senate.

Thanks very much.

Best,

Bob

Robert E. Shapiro, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Neurology

Given Building C219B,
Department of Neurology,
University of Vermont College of Medicine,
89 Beaumont Avenue,
Burlington, VT, 05405

Phone: 802-656-1480
FAX: 802-656-5844
robert.shapiro@uvm.edu
http://www.med.uvm.edu/neurology/WebBio.asp?SiteAreaID=729



Please Email Your Senators to Support the Klobuchar / Collins Amendment
Dear AHDA advocates:

The AHDA is dedicated to improving the welfare of individuals suffering from headache disorders. Our near-term goals have focused on increasing NIH funding for headache disorders to lead to improved therapies. However, the health care reform bill currently being debated in Congress has forced us to take action in a slightly different direction to protect access to quality medical care for patients with headache disorders.

The Senate Health Care Reform Bill contains a particular provision to provide bonus Medicare payments to doctors from certain primary care specialties. This is a very good idea. It is intended to incentivize and encourage doctors to enter and stay in primary care practice.

Physicians who specialize in headache medicine provide primary or principal care for patients with headache disorders and more than 90% of them are neurologists. Unfortunately, neurologists have been unaccountably left out of eligibility for these bonuses. If the Health Reform Bill passes with the incentive program as it is written, it will significantly undermine the ability to recruit and retain doctors to the field of headache medicine. Headache doctors are already very scarce, and it will become that much harder to find one.

What can we do? Fortunately, Sen Klobuchar of Minnesota, along with Sen Collins of Maine and Senator Brown of Ohio, have offered a bipartisan amendment to the Senate Health Care Reform Bill that would add neurologists to the Medicare incentive program. We, at the AHDA, have added our voice of support for this amendment to those of other national groups with interests in patients with neurological diseases, including the American Academy of Neurology, the ALS Association, the Parkinson's Action Network, the Epilepsy Foundation, the Brain Injury Association of America, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

We are asking you to contact your two Senators right now through our website to urge them to co-sponsor the Klobuchar amendment. Doing this is as easy as just a few mouse clicks. Please do it as soon as possible. Also, please forward this email and ask everyone that you know that cares about someone with a neurological disorder to do so now too. The Klobuchar amendment will be voted upon by the Senate any day now.

It's easy and should take you 10 minutes or less.

Thank you very much.

Best regards,

Bob Shapiro
Bill Young
Brad Klein
Teri Robert

Well I have had another birthday come and go since my last post. It was nice having my friends around to support me. I really feel like my migraines have been out of control lately.

I had an appointment with Dr. B, however I didn't get to see him. I saw the PA instead. She was nice. I told her about what was going on with my migraines and she seemed to believe everyone was struggling this past month. Hump. I don't really care about everyone else..maybe that is selfish, but after having such good months, then bam! migraine explosion I want to know what is going on. She made me another appointment in a month to actually see Dr. B. I told her about the tingles I had with my 3 day migraine and she didn't see surprised or worried, just seemed like it was something that could happen after a really bad migraine. I try to tell myself if the doctor isn't worried then I shouldn't worry either. I think I will still bring it up to Dr. B at my next appointment. She also gave me a rescue medication ultram I think it was.

Smells are really triggering my migraines a lot more these days. I have tried to get some Christmas shopping done on the weekends and the perfumes that are being sprayed everywhere is driving me crazy. It seems like I can smell perfume on people before I even get close to them and then shortly after here comes the start of a migraine. I can not do anything about this trigger!! I feel so helpless.

My knees and legs have been killing me lately also. I feel on some days I could rip my knee caps right off. No amount of rubbing, heat, ice or medication is helping to relieve the pain. I am just so sick of it, if it isn't the migraine causing me pain it my knees. WHAT'S NEXT!!

I just really feel like I am falling apart. It is really making me feel depressed, and I really don't want that for the holidays.

Things were a bit different today. I woke up feeling rather well considering I had no migraine to treat. In fact I didn't even have the usual dull headache that I normally get after a really bad migraine. What I did have was this tingling sensation that went from my face to my feet about 30 minutes after I woke up that lasted for about 2 hours. It was only on the left side of my face but both of my arms and hands were tingling and both of my legs and feet. It was very strange and was becoming rather frightening. It didn't hurt, not like when your foot goes to sleep not like pins and needles. It was just tingles. It is hard to explain. Once they went away I have been ok for the rest the day. I even managed to go the grocery store.

While I am anxious to talk to Dr. B about the things that have been going on with me the last week, I really hope that he does not give me too hard of a time for not getting my MRI done yet. I was suppose to have that scheduled. I honestly just could not find the time. Well I suppose I should say I have not wanted to disappoint anyone at work for taking a day off. I really need to learn to treat myself better I know, but he also wants me to have an EKG done and that has to be scheduled by my PCP and if I am going to take a day off I would like to get them both done at the same time.

Day 3 and I am still not well....We had such beautiful weather...then came the down pour, my monthly friend, and I went back to my evening shift. I really thought going back to my normal work schedule was going to be a blessing but apparently that was just going to be another change in my sleep pattern that ended up being the straw that broke the camels back if you will. I am not sure I am in status because I have got some relief with the zomig, just not enough. I have taken 3 triptans in 2 days and I dont think it is a good idea to take anymore, but my head is pounding right now. I have suffered today with not taking anything, but I am really close to just taking my last vicodin and hoping that I can get some sleep. I see Dr. B in 2 weeks and I plan on really having a long talk with him about some form of rescue medication. I dont need them often, but when I do I want some RELIEF!

I have had such a hectic few weeks. I have been in training at work which means that I am on the day shift. I do not like getting up when it is still dark outside! I am having a really hard time remembering my new medication schedule. I cant remember if I took my Topamax in the morning and then I am so tired by the time I get home I totally forget to take it at night. I really wonder if I am coming or going. I thought it would only take me a couple of days to get used to it..NOPE! I am still forgetting my medication as of last night, and it has been 2 weeks. I have had 2 migraines, which is quite shocking since I am so out of wack with the medication and a new sleep pattern. I thought for sure I would have one everyday.

Last weekend every time I tried to blog I would sit lay down on the couch with my lap top and start to write something and 5 seconds later I would be asleep. It was very frustrating.  My crazy husband tried to even take a picture of me with my fingers in the typing position, the screen saver on, and me fast asleep. I promptly deleted it!!

I have at least been able to catch up with friends since I am working like a normal person, and that has been at least nice. I have came to the conclusion however that I AM NOT NORMAL, and I will take my second shift back any day now. I am thinking it will be either Thursday or Friday of next week.

The good news is Columbus did sail the ocean blue and we must give him thanks on Monday. Hip Hip Hooray for Bank Holidays and three day weekends!