February 27, 2006. I was recovering from an upper respiratory infection- nothing special except that the fatigue was major. On this particular day I was hit like a train with a severe headache concentrated in the back of my head (occipital for you medical folks). Couldn't shake it or tone it down. I had been under the care of my doctor for the URI so I decided to talk to him about it the next time I saw him. I work in ICU and see doctors all day long. The following Wednesday I was at work and the pain was intense. I kept hoping I would see Dr. K but he didn't have any patients in the unit. I was praying, wondering how to get some relief from a headache that had been with me for 3 days.
I know it was a Wednesday because I missed church and the first Wed night of the month fellowship meal. I left work and walking across the parking lot was none other than Dr K. (Thank you Lord) I stopped him and he said it if was real bad I needed to turn around and go in the hospital to have a CT scan, etc. Exhausted after my 12 hour shift I agreed to drop in the office the next morning. I left and headed for home. Passing the church I pulled in and parked unsure about whether to go in and get everybody to pray for me or crank up and go to the house.
Wylene came out about that time and we started talking about other things. I told her I had a bad headache and concerned she said she'd be praying for me. Like we all do when we don't grasp the gravity of what someone is telling us, she moved on to another topic. I said ,"Wylene, this headache is really bad; it's different. I can't get any relief from it. I'm gonna see Dr K in the morning." She was troubled and we hesitantly said goodbye and drove off.
I remember the next morning going back to bed after the kids and Tim left. Now in addition to the pain I was having muscle twitching in my arms, legs, and neck/shoulders. I wondered if I was having a seizure? I'd sleep then wake up in pain, sleep, wake up in pain and becoming alarmed by the twitching. The morning hours turned into noon and later. I just didn't want to get up, shower, and go to the doctor. Made it through the rest of the day and evening........wondering, hurting. Returned to work the next day.
My doctor was already in the unit seeing patients. He expressed worry since I hadn't shown up or called. He told me to make an appt and come in without fail. I saw him that week and for the next two weeks we did blood work, CT scans, tried sleeping pills, and finally opted for a neurology consult. There was a new one in Milledgeville. I was to see him the next day. Hopeful that relief was near I left the office.
Dr W did a long interview and exam and didn't offer me anything other than a prescription to wait. Headaches can come on and last for a very long time, he said. I had already had the tests he would order. Well can I have something for pain? Neurologists don't routinely issue pain meds but he did give me a script for a mild pain reliever. Call if it got worse or if I developed any more symptoms other than severe pain, muscle twitching and sensitivity to light. I was stunned and shuffled out of the office. The tears came making the pain worse. Tim was silent on the other end of the phone when I told him the outcome of this dr visit.
The next morning I was in Dr K's office. He flew in the exam room and said he was making arrangements to get into a prominent headache specialist in Atlanta at 8 the next morning. Dr J.W. A headache specialist in Atlanta. Now we're getting somewhere. I can't stand myself for the pain, but we're going to see the big guns now. It'll be over soon. Oh Lord, I prayed, get me through this and please take this pain; I can't stand it.
It's hard writing about this. I didn't know it would be.
