I'm trying to live like a normal human being (although I have still left exercising out of my day for safety's sake). It works, kinda, except the headaches are back now. It's a Saturday and I haven't done much thinking at all, but my head hurts.
I'm out of guesses here.
...and Go Bucks!
27 October 2007
19 October 2007
I have to admit...
it's getting better. Getting better all the time. (It can't get much worse...)
The new dosage has so far allowed me to walk at a normal pace for pretty much the entire day (with small slow-down periods), pretty decent brain function with only intermittent confusion, and I wasn't mentally spent at work this week until 3:30 pm on Friday.
Of course, I didn't attempt any evening work this week thanks to Tribe ALCS games on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. If I ever get a normal week, we'll see precisely how much better I am. Until then, I pop more pills.
The new dosage has so far allowed me to walk at a normal pace for pretty much the entire day (with small slow-down periods), pretty decent brain function with only intermittent confusion, and I wasn't mentally spent at work this week until 3:30 pm on Friday.
Of course, I didn't attempt any evening work this week thanks to Tribe ALCS games on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. If I ever get a normal week, we'll see precisely how much better I am. Until then, I pop more pills.
15 October 2007
Today's Appointment
I talked with the Nurse Practitioner today (fortunately, Doctor Wolverine left himself out of the discussion this time). The current diagnosis is that all this crap is an aftereffect from the bonk on the head I took back in July. I'll chat with her again in five weeks, but in the meantime, they're increasing my dosage of the D-stuff to 50mg (now 1/3rd of full-strength).
If they're right, I'm happy. If they're right, I'll be getting progressively better throughout the next five weeks. If they aren't right, three months of my productive life will have slipped past the urinal grate, and we'll be right back at Square One.
I mentioned everything that was on our list. She said all the symptoms I have are consistent with "closed-head trauma" or whatever technical term they use for a bonk on the bean. Even symptoms waiting for six weeks to re-spring like that are not unusual, apparently.
I'm going to act as if they're right, and time and medication is the best course of action. I'm going to work through pain more often as if I'm not affected, because being useless doesn't help anybody. That will either make me stronger or make me critical. Either way, a problem gets solved - be it through recovery or by medical emergency forcing somebody in a lab coat to test something.
(At least the NP used some of her medical instruments today. I remember the light thing and the little reflex hammer - that's a start!)
If they're right, I'm happy. If they're right, I'll be getting progressively better throughout the next five weeks. If they aren't right, three months of my productive life will have slipped past the urinal grate, and we'll be right back at Square One.
I mentioned everything that was on our list. She said all the symptoms I have are consistent with "closed-head trauma" or whatever technical term they use for a bonk on the bean. Even symptoms waiting for six weeks to re-spring like that are not unusual, apparently.
I'm going to act as if they're right, and time and medication is the best course of action. I'm going to work through pain more often as if I'm not affected, because being useless doesn't help anybody. That will either make me stronger or make me critical. Either way, a problem gets solved - be it through recovery or by medical emergency forcing somebody in a lab coat to test something.
(At least the NP used some of her medical instruments today. I remember the light thing and the little reflex hammer - that's a start!)
14 October 2007
Asking for Ideas
I go in tomorrow at 3:30 pm. Somebody needs to diagnose something if I'm ever going to get better, and it's painfully obvious that Team Wolverine would rather I take the fore. Problem: I'm semi-retarded.
I have a short list of potential problems / tests to take into the appointment tomorrow that I have gleaned from a variety of sources... mainly you guys. If you have anything to add to the list, please comment to this post.
Currently on the list:
Staph Infection
Pinched Artery in Neck/Shoulder (or other cause of low bloodflow to the brain)
Stress / Depression / Other Chemical Imbalance
Try Blood Test
Try Balance Test (to see if one physical side of head is more affected)
I can't imagine it could be anything other than these since my MRI and CT scans are clean, but my imaginer isn't so good these days. All help is greatly appreciated.
I have a short list of potential problems / tests to take into the appointment tomorrow that I have gleaned from a variety of sources... mainly you guys. If you have anything to add to the list, please comment to this post.
Currently on the list:
Staph Infection
Pinched Artery in Neck/Shoulder (or other cause of low bloodflow to the brain)
Stress / Depression / Other Chemical Imbalance
Try Blood Test
Try Balance Test (to see if one physical side of head is more affected)
I can't imagine it could be anything other than these since my MRI and CT scans are clean, but my imaginer isn't so good these days. All help is greatly appreciated.
12 October 2007
Come On, Monday...
This new dosage would be a lot less bitchabouty if it gave me a two-minute warning before total brain shutdown. Last night on my way back from the Hoover store after a largely successful (but active) day at work, driving into particularly harsh sun-glare was enough of a trigger to shut my brain down. I had no idea where I was, when I should take a left turn or why I was driving to begin with. Fortunately, I hit a couple red lights so I could duct-tape a few brain cells together to manage the drive home.
After eating dinner I was OK until I received four phone calls in about half-an-hour while attempting to do the dishes. Around 8 o'clock or so, I found myself putting away a washed fork... still dripping wet... in the toaster oven.
The pain is still largely gone, and the confusion, rather than running at a constant low voltage, seems to save itself and dogpile me all at once. The visual fuzziness is still around at times (like right now). I think the D-stuff makes me more functional - especially in the 20mg dosage - but I'm definitely not truly better.
Monday afternoon is my appointment. Perhaps Team Wolverine will express some desire to fix my friggin' problem... or at least scientifically approach it. For what they get paid (I saw the insurance EOB - they charged $324 for the hour or less they saw me and got a little over half of that), I damned sure expect some type of effort.
After eating dinner I was OK until I received four phone calls in about half-an-hour while attempting to do the dishes. Around 8 o'clock or so, I found myself putting away a washed fork... still dripping wet... in the toaster oven.
The pain is still largely gone, and the confusion, rather than running at a constant low voltage, seems to save itself and dogpile me all at once. The visual fuzziness is still around at times (like right now). I think the D-stuff makes me more functional - especially in the 20mg dosage - but I'm definitely not truly better.
Monday afternoon is my appointment. Perhaps Team Wolverine will express some desire to fix my friggin' problem... or at least scientifically approach it. For what they get paid (I saw the insurance EOB - they charged $324 for the hour or less they saw me and got a little over half of that), I damned sure expect some type of effort.
07 October 2007
Six Days On - The New Dosage
Interesting so far. Doubling the dosage seems to magnify the effects, both positive and negative. I can do more throughout the day, acting more normal - walk at a nearly normal clip, go for a few hours without confusion, even take on a tough problem or two - but when I'm done, I crash.
Once I'm out of mental energy, I'm useless. I can't even control my personality very well, often reverting to whipped-puppy mode. It's terribly annoying, for me and doubly so for Sally, but I'm getting no help from Team Wolverine. My next appointment with them is October 15 - all I can hope is they at least pretend to give a shit and run some kind of science-based tests or something. I'm not a fan of paying professional rates for guesses.
Once I'm out of mental energy, I'm useless. I can't even control my personality very well, often reverting to whipped-puppy mode. It's terribly annoying, for me and doubly so for Sally, but I'm getting no help from Team Wolverine. My next appointment with them is October 15 - all I can hope is they at least pretend to give a shit and run some kind of science-based tests or something. I'm not a fan of paying professional rates for guesses.
02 October 2007
Double Dose
I got a hold of Doctor Wolverine's secretary yesterday regarding the backsliding. She conferred with His Weaseliness and authorized doubling the dosage of that D-stuff to 20mg. I'm now at 1/7.5th of depression strength, so I'm not concerned yet. Let's just hope it works.
The pain is largely gone, but the increased dosage makes my head itch (it did the same when I went from 0 to 10mg, so that's no surprise). The problem is when I scratch my head, my brain goes blank. I have an Etch-A-Sketch on my neck now - which is no good at all, because I can barely draw boxes on an Etch-A-Sketch.
The pain is largely gone, but the increased dosage makes my head itch (it did the same when I went from 0 to 10mg, so that's no surprise). The problem is when I scratch my head, my brain goes blank. I have an Etch-A-Sketch on my neck now - which is no good at all, because I can barely draw boxes on an Etch-A-Sketch.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)