I Thought I Was Dying!

Okay, maybe the title of this post is just a bit melodramatic but there were a few days when I thought it was true! Thursday afternoon I was out watering in the garden when I felt a slight throbbing begin behind my left eye. It steadily grew throughout the day into a sharp throbbing/stabbing behind the left eye and behind the brow. I didn't sleep a wink that night and went to the clinic Friday morning (my doctor was on vacation--of course!)

The doctor at the clinic didn't see anything unusual and prescribed (without my asking first--always ask so you don't waste your time!) ibuprofen. Now, I LOVE ibuprofen for muscle pain and for those special few days each month but it does NOTHING for my head. I met a friend for lunch and my head seemed to be a bit better. By Saturday it was brutal. I really should have gone to the ER but I was being a hero and thought I could suck it in until Monday. By Sunday I was in horrible pain and wanted nothing more than to rip off my head. It was as though someone were pushing my left eye from behind and he had a friend that was stabbing with glee at the brow!

I spoke to my cousin who has suffered from migraines for more than 20 years. She thought that I was describing classic symptoms of migraine (although my vision was fine, the light didn't bother it, etc.) She very forcefully made me promise her that I would go to the hospital if it stayed bad or got worse. My mother had bought Excedrin for migraines (only found in the States) and it helped much more than the Sudafed and I slept 5 hours Sunday night.

Oh, I forgot to mention that my mother is an armchair diagnoser (is that a word?) She has a binder with clippings and she had a section devoted to various kinds of headaches, what their symptoms are, treatment and so forth. Actually, it was good to see this because we could rule out certain things. "Probably not a tumour" she said after reading the scariest ones first. "It's not a tumour!" (remember that line from Arnold in "Kindergarten Cop"?) We settled on sinusitis, migraines, or cluster headaches. But, it also could be the precursor to an aneurysm. "What?!?!" My cousin, in telling me to go the hospital, reminded me of a girl from highschool who had complained of severe headaches, got a pat on the shoulder from her doctor and a prescription for Tylenol and was dead from an aneurysm 3 days later.

Okay, no fooling. My mother brought me to the ER (I couldn't get in to see my doctor until Tuesday at 1:00) There weren't very many people there and I don't think I waited more than a half hour before a nurse took me in and asked various questions. Based on what I told her, she was pretty sure it sounded like sinuses. The ER doctor ordered XRays to be sure and there was fluid at the brow, at the right sinus and in both ears. I was also running a small temperature.

So, long story short, I got a prescription for antibiotics, nasonex and will continue to use my OTC drugs for the pain. I feel so much better already. I didn't think I'd even be able to stare at the computer for a minute let alone post. If you're feeling something out of the ordinary DON'T WAIT--go get yourself checked out right away. This story has another good point to it. The nurse in admitting weighed me and I'm down 1.5 (later checked this at home and it was true!) Something good from being sick and not excercising at least eh?

THANKS FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL COMMENTS ON LAST WEEK'S POST. I WILL GET TO EVERYONE THIS WEEK BUT RIGHT NOW, THE PAIN IS COMING ON JUST A WEE BIT. So, bear with me!