https://themighty.com/2018/10/what-basic-tasks-activities-are-like-illness-fibromyalgia/?utm_source=ChronicIllness_Page&utm_medium=Facebook

Woke with a bender today… solid 8. Maxalt w coffee for brekkie. Holy monkeys.

https://themighty.com/2018/02/opioid-epidemic-denying-treatment-chronic-pain/

https://www.myrateam.com/resources/on-living-with-acute-chronic-pain-please-dont-treat-me-like-a-drug-addict?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organicsocial&utm_content=myRAteam&utm_campaign=GuestBlogRAKate

If you can keep these medications in your home, or call your doc for prescriptions, the need for ER intervention might never be needed.

https://migraine.com/living-migraine/treatment-guidelines-for-the-er/

I went once and for the last time in 2008. I simply refuse to ever go to an emergency room for migraine treatment, as I’d rather just die at home. In truth, the only thing that ends a migraine is time. And I’d rather waste it at home for free than go to a hospital and have them fiddle with IVs and judge me as a drug seeker.

In 2008, I had had a 6 day migraine. Thrown everything at it. It wouldn’t budge. I was between neurologists because the last one told me there was “nothing she could do” and didn’t want to see me anymore. On day 6, I was vomiting every medication up. I did not yet have injectables, antiemetics and steroids at home.

Our friends watched our 4 small kids for 6+ hours when Marc brought me into the ER. That was a dose of humble pie… I never would ask anyone to watch our kids. Since this was 2008, both my in laws and my parents were minutes away. They would never be available to watch my kids. Grandparents. Imagine.

The ER department was very new and small and the staff were more than kind. I wore my sunglasses. They turned off the lights. They never made me feel like a drug seeker.

The nurse started an IV and fluid. She pushed an antiemetic. She, Marc and I were chatting… talking about her as she was a traveling nurse.

Then she pushed dilauded. I remember I was talking but then stoppped immediately. I felt the pain medication flow over me, bathe my pain-riddled brain. The pain of 6 days was calmed in moments. I couldn’t talk; I could only close my eyes and cry… tears, tears, and more tears leaked out of my closed eyes. The dam was released and wouldn’t stop.

The nurse became terrified I was having an allergic reaction to the med. “Are you ok?!” She demanded.

“It’s just the pain… the pain… after 6 days, it’s finally ending.” And my eyes poured more tears down my face.

Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline…

#H80BDPapaBeach2019

Marc’s dad turned 80 this weekend! Our step sister Virginia has been planning this reunion birthday for TWO years! And it really turned out incredible!

We met in Orange Beach, Alabama from Thursday to Sunday. It was a 10 hour drive for our family and such an enormous treat to see everyone and celebrate.

The weather was forecasted to be horrible, but instead Friday was quite nice and we were able to spend some time enjoying the healing waves, soft sand, seabreeze and overcast sun. Nothing heals like the ocean heals…

The sky was mesmerizing …

My children were enjoying their Spring Break… able to see each other after being away at college… it was so nice for them, and for me to see them together…

Spending some sea time with my love…

And seeing Kenji’s family surround him in love and celebration… we so enjoy spending time together…

💜❤💜❤💜❤💜

All smiles as our family assembles at Orange Beach for my FIL’s 80th bday! Reality is the last photo.
I am a chronic migraineur… but I WILL live and I will find joy in this life of many sorrows and many moments.
Sending out love and strength to all the warrors!

Thursday we drove all day. Friday we relished a little time on the beach. Saturday I spent in bed until ~3:30pm, listening to the family gather and enjoy each other downstairs ❤. And Sunday we said “See you later” to all our relations and we drove all day back home to Austin.

I’m in bed now, medicine ingested, heater on my back, ice on my head, and waiting for sleep in my Happy Place… my sanctuary, my bed. 😁 Tomorrow will be a mighty day of recovery. 💜❤💜

If you don’t have chronic pain, imagine the worst pain you ever felt. Maybe a broken bone, or stomach bug you caught on vacation once. Now imagine that pain is with you every day. It never fully goes away. Imagine how difficult it would be to work, see your friends, go grocery shopping, and spend time with your kids. Imagine the strength it would take to get through each day. That’s what people with chronic pain deal with every day, sometimes for years. So no, this isn’t a matter of patients needing to “toughen up.” They’re already tough.

https://themighty.com/2018/09/chronic-pain-suicide-prevention/

Lastly, get over whatever issues I have about not wanting to ask for help. If one of my loved ones were in the same situation I would want to do whatever I could to help out.

https://migraine.com/blog/help-not-wanted/

This. Wowza, as if I wrote it myself.

https://migraine.com/blog/not-the-life-i-wanted/