Finally, I'm officially over my 6th Year !

Wednesday, December 05, 2007


My how time flies when a white hot poker is stab into ones' eye. The end of November officially concluded my 6th year of living with cluster headaches. What a year it was from a Clusterhead's perspective, of course. Besides, there was not much time for anything else. From pain-free days ( yes, amazingly there were days. Something I am not used to at all ) to a 6 month cycle.

As far as years go this wasn't the worst and not the best. I did have more days with less than my standard minimal of 4 attacks each day. The were several 'groups of days' without an attack at all. Those take me completely by surprise but am not ungrateful for. The major drawback with pain-free days are that the next round feels much worse. The body is just not used to days that don't involve numerous ice packs. Still, I'll take the 'days offs' anytime.

The six month episode was of such a fierce nature that I almost broke. Without the support of the people around me I do not know how it would have played out. What finally broke it was a dose of Demerol. Like migraines when nothing else has helped, sometimes one gets lucky and it snaps the cycle. After 6 months of daily, multiple, 8 to 10 level intensity style of attacks on the Kip Scale I was willing to try anything. Can you blame me? The amount of attacks in that time period is conservatively guesstimated at 672. 4 attacks a day. 28 days in a month. Most have more but not less. Someday I had more than 4 bouts but never had a day lower than. Scary how many isn't? One of these days I will calculate just how many I have in a year.

This was the main reason I had no desire to keep my blog up to date. Just needed some separation from the reminder of just how bad things can get. I hope to get back to posting with regularity. Thank you everyone for supporting me through my 6th year of cluster headaches as well as the 5 years prior. The 7th WILL be better.

Paul

You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it.
-Bill Cosby

6 comments

6 Comments:

hey, congratulations! in a weird sort of way

By Blogger deborah, at 6 December 2007 at 06:34  

here's to surviving! Sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do to make it through. I'm glad you did and that you are still with us!

By Blogger Jackie, at 8 December 2007 at 19:06  

lots more years to come.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11 December 2007 at 13:45  

do you write down every thing you do in a day. maybe after a month of doing this, you could make a graff. Then maybe see how everything is relating.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11 December 2007 at 13:49  

I won't surrender to the belief that the rest of my life will be spent with clusters.

For quite some time I wrote down everything I did, ate, drank, what the weather was like and so on. I found out what the triggers were and what helped or made things worse. It took years to figure out and I am still learning.

However, after a diagnosis, with multiple second & third opinions, plus treatment regime designed to improve my quality of life, I figured I didn't want to devote every waking minute to monitor my life moment to moment but rather live my life the best that I can.

By Blogger Versilleus, at 11 December 2007 at 21:32  

I did the same thing! the monitering thing; writing it all - ALL down, from the tinies rain drop to my waking hour and first foot step. It was exhausting.

I, too, now just live. or do my best. good for you.

By Blogger deborah, at 12 December 2007 at 05:52  

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Medical terminology can cause confusion at the best of times. If there is a word you do not understand all you have to do is double-click on it and the definition will appear! Don't forget to drop me a line by email at versilleus@gmail.com with your comments, questions‚ recommended resources‚ concerns‚ & especially your experiences with clusters. Or come find me on my Facebook Profile to add me as a Friend. Whether you are a supporter‚ care-giver or sufferer. I would love to hear from you!

*Please do not use this information for self diagnoses. Writing about my experiences with chronic cluster headaches & epilepsy is a good outlet for me. Consult your Dr. with any kind of headache or chronic pain you may have. The 3rd party links on my site I have found to be a good resource to me over the past few years & dearly hope they will benefit you as well.*


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