Pain Management

I've learned that a big part of my Journey is Pain Management and a Balancing Act. Up until about 6 weeks or so ago I couldn't sleep at night because my head would just hurt, well it was tough to sleep at any point because the pressure I have in my head is a constant pressure but it is made worse by laying down. It really sucks because it isn't a "sometimes" thing or a "hit and miss" thing, it's ANYTIME I lay my head down. It's hard to explain how it hurts other than to say that, you know when you sleep a bit too long and you end up waking up with a pressure headache? Well imagine that many times compounded and that's how I feel after laying my head down for a mere 5 minutes, it has really sucked to try and sleep and I've kept my Husband up many nights while I'm crying in pain as we switch out pillows, blankets, clothing, toys, etc to try and find a position in which my head would stop hurting.

I've played around with different support wedges, types and styles of pillows, toys and even balled up clothing: When you are desperate for relief you'll try ANYTHING! What I have is that first and foremost, I have a sleep limit! I use to not only be able to but LOVE to sleep 8 hrs straight, 9 if you'd let me, 10+ if I was sick but I just can't do that now. Now I can sleep 5-7 hrs at a time max. Oh, and I bought a toy worm at Walmart and use it as a pillow, I kid you not:)

I can sleep at night in a block of 5-7 hrs, however the closer I creep to that 7 hr mark the more likely I am to wake up with a headache which unfortunately stays the whole day so I try to sleep 5 hrs at night and if needed I take a 1 or 2 hr nap in the day and that seems to be working. Oh yeah and about that worm lol It's a long plush toy that they had out in Walmart for Sprintime and I thought it might just be soft enough to do the trick and it does help when I need to lean my head to the left. It's odd, but it works. And quite frankly that's all I care about right now.

I've found out that Pain Management in itself is a balancing act but at least I've found what works. As for how long this pain will be with me, I don't know. Until I get a meeting with my Neurologist I won't really know if I should still be experiencing the pain that I am right now or not.

As for why I don't have a Neurologist at the moment, it's an annoying story lol I was referred to a Neurologist in late November by my Family Dr and met with him and liked him. This Neurologist was located in the Cancer Centre in Hamilton which just proves my theory of the one stop shopping for cancer patients! He said he would take me on as a patient if I wanted him as my Dr, but since The Cancer Centre is out of town and at that time I was dreading having to travel there for Chemo/Radiation I asked if I could get a referrel from him to someone back home in the city and he said fine. So I left with another referrel in hand and had my check up with my Family Dr who said that this latest referrel actually moved his practice to Hamilton (the city the Cancer Centre is in) and not St.Cath (where I live) so I said that if I'm going to have to travel to Hamilton that I would like the first Neurologist back because I liked him and he's at the Cancer Centre and I may as well keep all Drs & Documents in one spot. Ok, so you can have him back I'm told, we just have to track him down haha My Family Dr forgot who he referred me too and even though I know the Drs name I forgot how to spell it:) so I have his receptionist on a wild goose chase to track down a specific Neurologist at the Cancer Centre lol I so see my Family Dr on April 1 and hopefully I have my referrel at that point because there are quite a few questions that I have to the Neurologist.