Fifteen
Years
On October 28, 1997, my life changed forever.
I was standing on the field hockey field at boarding school, and the other team
turned into purple spots. At the time, I thought it was just a regular migraine
and went to the nurse’s office to get my medicine. A week passed and the
headache didn’t let up. My mother came up and, on my 17th birthday,
Nov. 4, I had my first appointment with a neurologist. He prescribed Imitrex,
and when that did not work, Ativan, and prednisone which did. I learned from
this experience. Treatment for migraine was definitely a trial and error field.
I
went home, was hospitalized for two days- and this didn’t break the headache.
My brother married his first wife the day after that. I was told, “Put on the
dress and smile!” A maxim I have lived by a lot.
Fifteen years, numerous medications, neurologists, CT scans, two radiofrequency procedures, and the implantation of an occipital nerve stimulator later, as well as a fainting disorder, I am still here, still fighting this monster known as Chronic Intractable Migraine/New Daily persistent Headache and I will continue to fight until there is a cure. But I will not give up.
On
this fifteen year anniversary, here is a list of what I have learned from this
disease:
-There
is no cure- only ways to make it bearable.
-Friendship
is a precious commodity and should be valued
-College
students will drive you to the hospital for food.
-The
art and science of bribery is a skill to be cultivated and used when needed.
-True
friends will drag you to the hospital kicking and screaming, come up with a
military plan to do so, write professors when you lose the English language,
fight with doctors on your behalf, and distract the heck out of you in pain.
They are treasures.
-You
have to have faith in something.
-Sometimes,
those who seem the most faithful, aren’t, but I believe God will bring us
through-somehow, someway
-Most
importantly, I have learned not to give up, and to keep searching for answers.
Go
in Peace,
Sconesail
