My Migraine Battle: On The Forefront

A Shot in the Dark

Ok, so I made it through my first of what I have come to find out is a series of shots. So, the first series was put in my neck, which was the second surprise, rather than in my head. I'm kind of glad of that, because it didn't hurt as bad when they put it in. But, maybe I wouldn't have felt it if they put them in my head either, because they doped me up first with Versed. Versed is a sedative with amnestic qualities, which means that it will relax you and make you forget the procedure. They use it on kids alot, so they won't remember their surgeries which can be really traumatic to little ones. I mean, think about it, it's scary enough for adults to have a surgery, let alone a little squirt.

So, as much as I'd like to tell you about the procedure, I really don't remember much. I wasn't in alot of pain beforehand, thankfully. I was having one of my good days, for once and the night before I'd knocked myself out with phenergan, so I could sleep a normal hour. I'm very vampiric in my sleep cycle these days. Sleep most of the day, awake writing most of the night. That kind of thing? So, I was pretty relaxed. But, when they hiked up the gurney with the hydraulic foot pedal, it really bothered my head. It hurt alot and I was at a pain level of about 8 or 9, but it was acute pain and I knew that it would settle down pretty quickly. It's really weird how I can tell the difference between different kinds of pain, now. It's even weirder to know that there are different types of physical pain, let alone different levels.

So, I was waiting for the pain to settle down and they wanted me to move onto another gurney. They were so nice there, too, did I mention that? I mean, these were some of the nicest men I'd ever met in my life. Seriously, I was impressed. Only one or two women, nurses, there that I could see, but they weren't involved with my care which was just fine by me, because my nurse was way cute. Not movie-star/model cute, just man cute, know what I mean? Like the kind of guy who you wonder, "Is he married?" about, but of course, I didn't ask. He'd think I was trying to pick him up, if I did that, and I wasn't. Oh, yeah, so back to the story. lol So, I got on the other gurney and was in this position that was very painful, again, for my neck. I never sleep on my stomach anymore and it's because my neck can't stay in that position. It just hurts too bad, hurts my head, too,a nd that pain takes a long time to go away.

So, I'm like trying to ask some questions about what they're going to do, but the doctor's just talking over me at this other guy that he's teaching how to do this to, I guess, and so I just listened, because I assumed he'd be talkgina bout my case with this student. The nurse next to me, said something like, "Just try to relax, Jessica." And I'm like, yeah, right, my hospital gown feels like it's falling down around my shoulders. Well, it was, and that guy noticed and pulled it up for me and said, "Don't worry, I'll keep you ladylike through this whole thing, ok?" Now, why I'd trust a man I just met to "keep me ladylike" in a room full of men, I don't know, but he seemed sincere, so I said, Ok. And then, I tried to tell him that that position hurt and if they weren't going to get the job done right away, then maybe I could just... And he goes, "We're going to start pretty soon. Just relax. This should help." And I was about to say something else, but he injected the versed right then and I kid you not, but ten seconds later, tops, I felt my whole body turn to jelly. The last thing I remember is him saying, "There you go. Now that feels better, right?" And that's all she wrote as far as the procedure goes. I just don't remember any of it.

Now, afterward, my neck hurt really bad and I thought they were unprepared because they didn't have an icepack ready for me. However, I tried not to act like a princess, because I know I can have that tendency when I'm coming out of sedation. So, I'm on the way home and my neck just hurt worse and worse. It ached, much like I thought my head would be aching, for three days afterward. I alternated between ice and heat and then just heat and it relaxed finally. I couldn't lay flat that first day or night, either. But, like I said, that did pass eventually.

Now, I don't know what I'm waiting for or looking for. I don't know how I'm supposed to tell if it did any good or not. I don't feel much different. I had a good day, but that's just it. I occassionally have those and it's not necessarily related to the shots I received. Today, my head and neck was killin' me, but I can't attribute that to the shots any more or less than I can the good days. So, now it's just another waiting game, I guess, and whether or not getting my nerves burned will do any good is anyone's guess at this point. But, then, I guess that what these "tests" are all about--finding out whether or not that procedure is worthwhile for me.

posted by Jessica @ 7:22 PM