Headaches and Stress

[Soundy]

The past couple weeks have been beyond stressful...

On the 8th lost a friend to cancer...actually the treatment... she had a bad reaction and her veins
kinda shed from inside causing her to bleed internally... bad/sad ending to a too short 44 years...

On the 9th my cousins 13 year old daughter was thrown from a horse and hit her head killing her
instantly... still in shock ... she was riding a horse she had been told to stay off of but being a kid
and knowing all she took him out anyway... a friend that was riding double with her was unhurt

On the 10th my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer... she had a consult on the 19th and
mastectomy on the 20th... she is doing good and even out driving... she will have some radiation
but no chemo...

On the 18th as I was heading north on the way to my appointment I topped a hill to see  a truck flipped
in the south bound lane of interstate sliding upside down...he hit a guard rail and flipping back over on
wheels... cab came to rest in the grassy median... the cab was crushed down to top of tires and he along
with it ... seeing what was a few seconds before a human being and then not had me immediately on side
of the rode with a baseball bat to the head headache... pulled on down the road a bit when allowed to
go and drank Dr Pepper and ate a hydrocodone ... took about 30 minutes before I could drive....

I got almost to doctors office and got a call that they had called the house and the appointment had to be
moved to next day do to unforeseen circumstances... so I turn around and head back south getting off
interstate so as not to see the truck again... a hundred mile trip and nothing accomplished...

I did stop at a Lowe's to get some trim for daughters room that we are working on... a man reaching to get a
sheet of plywood from above his head lost footing falling backward and ended up flat on his back with the
edge of the plywood across his neck... I guess the day was too much for me ...I was still nursing the headache
...about a second after his head hit the concrete so did the contents of my stomach... a woman came to me to
make sure I was OK... I told her it had been a bad day and asked for something to clean my mess up with... she
said don't worry and she called maintenance to deal with it ... mean while a manager was yelling at the man who
was now sitting on the ground rubbing neck... he was telling him that they had the
ASK FOR HELP WITH ITEMS ON TOP SHELVES signs for a reason... I was thinking make
sure he is OK then yell  and head pounded more ...

I have had a headache for the past 3 days that just won't go away... right now a dull ache with occasional stabs
behind my deaf ear... I have been having more headaches and less treatable ones since all this started... granted they
have been unbelievably bad weeks ... and more stress than ever normal... but I find myself thinking of it all
and head begins to pound...

Did make it to doctor on Wednesday and he gave me prednisone to aid with on going ear issues and
klonasapan (sp) to take at night  and a half dose during day if needed ... I am not sleeping much and when I do wake
every hour or so...I am uptight and can't not think of what has happened and the ongoing treatments with my
mom... just losing a friend with breast cancer doesn't help... I have my trusty lavender/mint /rosemary pillow that I
zap in microwave and lay under my neck and that helps some...

Anyone with ideas for stress induced headaches??? some are started by tensed up neck and shoulder  muscles and
I can get those under control but the ones coming from inside I am having a tough time with... the doctor said the
pills he gave me would relax me and ease mind but all I can see them doing is making me sleepy and shutting me off...
with kids I can't be shut off... I have to watch them and can't even help my mom as much as I should ... any ideas
would he appreciated...

Christmas today with kids was a good thing... they are at the age that they understand what is going on around
them but still young enough to not dwell and turn worry wart on me and got on with the day with smiling faces and
that helped me who was dreading the day... it was just us ...my grown kids and my grand-babies along with mom
and friends will come over Saturday for big get together... was dreading it but aside from cooking and getting
20+ people in my house now looking forward to it ... grand babies 2,4,5,5 and 7 along with my 8 and 10 year
old will make it a good day

Merry Christmas to all... sorry for dumping but seems AN complications don't take holidays and this has been
eating at me and need to share /dump ... I guess just get it out of my head...

[marg]

Hi Soundy,
   You have had a couple of terrible weeks... any one of those things could give you bad headaches - but so many things are like being attacked from all sides.  I understand... I have been there many times  and it is so hard when you can't  'turn off' especailly at night ( I had 2 nights in a row like that ...and got a migraine the next day Dec.23rd).  

         I'm better now but here are some things that I do that might help you too:
 I take a warm shower (helps the tight stress in my neck and shoulders - which is often the starting point of my headaches ),
A massage helps but that isn't always in the budget so I use a tennis ball and put it on the stress knot on my shoulders and lean on the ball so it's on the wall,  
A walk for at least 15 minutes (outside if possible so you can get some Vitamine D from the sun),  
I remind myself that God is in control and I am not -worry about things I can't change will  fill me with fear and then steal my faith and trust in Him so I need to I put things in His hands ( and try not to take them back out again ) .  

Of course one thing to do is what you just did...shared with others who care ( in this case your AN family) what is overloading you.  We are here for you - and we do care. We can't fix these things - but we can listen ... and let you know we are listening.
 
My prayer for you is that 2008 will be much better for you and your family than 2007 has been.
Margaret

[Static]

Soundy,
Sorry to hear you've been having such a crappy time.  Sometimes life just plain sucks!  I was at the mall and went to an origins store to pick up some body lotion that I originally was given a sample of and I wanted to use something different and the organics line smells great, IMO, anyway, I also was given a chance to try something called Sensory Therapy, "Peace of Mind".  It's this little pump bottle of stuff that you put a little dab of this cream on your three mid fingers then rub them on your other hands three mid fingers then rub them either on your temples, or the back of our neck, behind your ears, your forehead, whatever area might work for you and it has this cooling, tingly feel that really works and when I tried it I had a slight headache and it did cool it down a bit.  Mind you, I was in the mall on Dec 26th, standing up, so if I felt a little difference then, I figured imagine what it would be like if I was home relaxing, or even just sitting down in my car.  Anyway, I'm going to try it next time I get a head banger that goes out of control.  I'd tell you what else is in it, but I can't find my glasses.   I hope you are feeling better.  Maybe a shot of zambuca for new years will calm you down a bit.  Take care of yourself!
~Karen

[Soundy]

My computer decided to go on vacation and have been without since the 27th... I don't post alot here but
read and sure have missed everyone

I guess this should have been on the vent post...

Feeling better... still having headaches to end all head aches ... I have been taking two Tylenol fast release
gel caps before I even get out of bed... seems alot of headaches start in morning ... getting the Tylenol in
me before they start has cut them way down...and also cut the amount of hydrocodone I need to knock them
out...

Still have alot on my mind but not dwelling... have stopped the klonazipan (sp) because even a half a tablet
at night was leaving me hung over and groggy up into midmorning... I keep a DVD in player and if I wake up
I flipped it on and will usually go back to sleep... I had been getting up and cleaning house reading but the kids
said the light coming from living room was bothering them and and husband said my moving around through
house was bugging him...

Over all doing OK... tired and run down but still moving forward... or standing still which is better than back wards