Rain and pain and feeling bad…

Posted in Health & Medicine, Rants on June 12th, 2009

Pain of the BluesMaybe it could be a song, I haven’t slept much in during the last two nights. I spend time in bed, but just don’t manage to drop down deep enough in sleep to dream. I toss and turn and turn and toss and finally get up and read or watch something. Sometimes I really wish I had something that showed — some problem so that people could look at me and think: she’s in pain, let’s go easy on her. But I don’t.  I look healthy. Even when on that blasted scale of pain from 1 to 10 when the pain is a 7 or 8, I look perfectly normal. I’ve learned to hide mostly.

My poor husband puts up with the whimpers and the tears. He tries to comfort, but it’s now day three of pain level 6 or 7, and I’m beginning to wonder if the the pain itself is driving the new pain. I don’t have any pain meds left that work on this. I’ve got Imitrex nasal spray and last night, since I had a whopping migraine on top of the muscle aches, I used it. So after the Imitrex and 7 extra-strength Tylenol, I managed to get 2 1/2 hours of sleep.

I’m whining. I know I am. But I’m sick of the American medical system that ignores people in chronic pain. If I hear “Go to your happy place” or “you don’t need pain medication, you just need to change your attitude”, I’ll scream. I’d like to say: let me take this hammer and smash it into your hand with all my might, then you can go to your happy place and adjust your attitude, but for heaven’s sake don’t take any pain meds because that’s a crutch and it might be addicting.

I’m going to have to ask for pain meds again on my next doctor’s visit. My last Rx ran out over a year ago and I’ve been very sparing on the last 30 pills. I’m not in the market to get addicted. I just want a good night’s sleep once in a while. When the pain level is around 4, I usually can handle it, but these last few days are making me feel like something the cat dragged in after a particularly energetic bout of “play”.

So, I hate to be such a wimp but gee, I got to vent sometime to someone. Doesn’t make me feel any better physically, but I do feel better emotionally. So, just how do you handle pain without pain killers? Grit your teeth. Find a happy place. Beg for medication. Sit in the dark and cry? Just wondering how other fibromyalgia, migraineurs, or just people living with chronic pain cope.

One of those days…

Posted in Health & Medicine, Hearth and Home on February 21st, 2009

I have good days and so-so days and bad days. Today started as a good day so I rushed about doing everything I’d let slide over the past week. I got caught up on a lot of work tasks, did some housework, and then…ran out of steam.

I should of known it was too good to be true when the headache didn’t go away when I got up until after the coffee. (I’m limiting myself to only one cup a day.)

I moved slower and slower as the day wore on and when Hyperion got home… I’d been sitting and reading and I could barely move when I went to stand up.

Poor me. Whine and cheese. (long list of whines here). But I’m still so much better than I was that I’m sure this is just a minor set back (fingers crossed and quick wish).

The problem with fibromyalgia is that it changes. Some days I’m normal and some I feel like I’m a billion years old. Other days, I’m just a bit off. I’ve had a lot of off days lately but managed to plow through and today is just one of those muddle days where the whole range shows up in one day.

Better tomorrow. The sun will come out and it will be a glorious day even if it rains, storms, four-letter-words, or is perfect. Every day is a joy.