I was reminded yesterday to Breathe. Sometimes I forget that. This can get so stressful and overwhelming sometimes, but always important to remember. Even more than just remembering to Breathe, I’m going to start incorporating more meditation into my day. When I am in a ton of pain, and stressed out, it is very easy to start feeling overwhelmed.

This has not been a great week so far for pain. The new medication my Pain Management Doctor prescribed gave me a Migraine that lasted 5 days on and off, and it was completely miserable! This was an ER (extended release) Opioid, which I was hopeful about as it would mean only having to take one pill a day for pain, and having none of the Acetaminophen that is in the Norco that I was taking. I tried it for a week, and the Migraine would not completely go away, so I went off it, and am back on the original medicine. I am just glad I have a Doctor who is willing to work with me on this. I am already on so many medications, and have so many restrictions my treatment options are very limited at this point, but I love that she is willing to try something new and think outside the box. My Migraine is finally gone, now it has just turned into a lingering headache. For those not familiar with the different headaches, a Migraine is the kind where I cannot even get out of bed, a headache for me is just pain that I can kind of function, but still doesn’t feel good.

I went back to CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) this week also. I have had the same Therapist on and off since 2010, so that is nice that I only had to catch her up on the last year since I saw her, and not the last 8 years! She is the one that reminded me to Breathe 🙂 Going back to her was definitely a good decision. When I get stressed and overwhelmed she helps put things into perspective, and steers me in the right direction, like Meditating twice a day to chill out a little 🙂 I am a huge supporter of Therapy, so if anyone has any questions about how it can help if they have been thinking about it, please reach out, it is really helpful 🙂

Slowly but surely making some progress 🙂

**Also note: I am copying off Grey’s Anatomy and making my new Blog Posts song titles… so I will try to include the song on the page. Enjoy this one by Pearl Jam. **

#Onward

I took the train to Northwestern today, repping the Cubs

I am really lucky.  Like really really really lucky.  Someone is definitely looking out for me.  Not only did I survive tearing my aorta, but I have also now torn a second major artery, and somehow escaped the worst case scenario again.   This can get frustrating, but I am really glad they found both before they turned into something really bad.  Again, I am REALLY LUCKY.

I went for my follow-up appointment today at Northwestern and it went so much better than talking with that last Doctor when I was in the hospital went.   I got a few more diagnoses and referrals, but I am overall very happy with how everything went today.  I saw a Nurse Practitioner today in the Neurology Stroke Program (I guess because of my dissection, and because it can cause a Stroke, this is the speciality I see now).   She answered all of my questions and explained everything really throughly and so that I would understand it, and I always appreciate that.  I pretty much have to take it easy for the next 3 months.  I will have a follow-up scan in July, and untill then we just let it heal.  I have no patience for “letting it heal,” so you can probably expect a whole bunch of Blog posting from me for the next few months being at home is already driving me up the wall.  This is actually the LONGEST I have ever been off work.  Every other time I have needed to take time off it has been for surgery and I healed and went back.  Even my initial accident, I went back after 6 or 7 weeks.   I have been off for two months now, and I am going to need to find some new hobbies because I got bored of TV weeks ago 🙂

So she said it’s going to hurt alot, and it is going to take time to heal, but it should feel better.  Hearing that helps of course!!!  I don’t think all of the pain is ever going to go away, but if it will come down a few notches, I am cool with that!  Tomorrow I go back to Pain Management.  Hopefully actually having this diagnosis will help this Doctor belive my pain and start to actually help me with it.   Right now, nothing is working  🙁

She also referred me to a Cardiologist, because I have some new Cardio related diagnoses to add to the list… I got a bunch of tests done while I was there that I have never had before, so I guess they found some new stuff, fun.   I have a Murmur, PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale, or a hole in the heart), and Tachycardia.  There are no appointments available until June 1st, but I am on a cancellation list, so I might be able to get in sooner.   It’s just one thing after another here!  Is this list ever going to stop???

After Northwestern, I had Physical Therapy.  I can’t really do much yet in physical therapy, but she worked on some of my muscles today, and that seemed to loosen them up a bit.  I got a bad headache after, but that happens alot lately, and is probably from this dissection.  The headaches have been coming back almost daily unfortunately.

Overall a good day of appointments, now just to find a way to feel a little better!

#Onward