Happy anniversary to my headache and me! We’ve been together for four years now. One of the interesting things about having a blog is that it makes you realize how much your perception of an event can change over time. You can read an entry from four years ago and not agree with anything you said. You can be happy and smiling next to someone in a photograph, and four years later drawing devil horns and a tail on that person’s image.
So it is with my headache, which I first mentioned in this entry on PastaQueen.com before going on to chatter about a pizza cutter shaped like a piranha and an ice cream scoop shaped like a whale. Oh, dear. What a clueless girl. If someone had pulled me aside and said, “Four years from now you will have received a Chinese translation of a book your wrote about the horrible years to come that will be illustrated to hilarious effect,” I would have been like, “What?” I can only imagine what bizarre stories the me from four years in the future could tell the present me.
Alas, all I can do is putter through, clueless and blinded to all the ways I will continue to change.
Kalyn says
February 17, 2012 at 5:55 pmAnother thing I think is remarkable (besides how much we change) is how much we can accomplish even when health issues are getting in the way. I bet you never imagined that in four years you could have accomplished so much, despite having the headache from hell! Congrats on that!
Becca says
February 17, 2012 at 6:00 pmYou STILL have that headache? juuust kidding. I am wondering though, how has it changed, or your perceptions of it?
Abbey says
February 17, 2012 at 7:07 pmI completely understand 200%! If someone were to have told me 12-13 yrs ago that I’d have headaches every waking minute & only get relief when sleeping, I would have laughed in their face. That has been my life for the last 12 yrs with occasional migraines which can last me up to (but normally) 2 weeks each onset.
Merry says
February 17, 2012 at 7:44 pmNot the kind of situation where ‘Happy Anniversary’ applies, alas.
Leah Kadwell says
February 17, 2012 at 10:49 pmHanging in their with you, Jennette… I had my three-year headache anniversary last month. Thankful for coping mechanisms and all the good things in life despite the pain.
Thinking of you often… from your co-headache-sufferer still living in India…
Shirley @ gfe says
February 17, 2012 at 11:17 pmJennette, seriously so sorry to hear this. I know we’ve chatted briefly about this topic before, but wondering if you have tried living 100% gluten free for a prolonged period of time. A gluten-free lifestyle has helped many with chronic headaches. Sometimes it works immediately, but sometimes it takes much longer because the headaches can be due to the malabsorption issues caused by gluten (vitamin and mineral deficiencies) that take time to resole. Another big culprit is artificial sweeteners. I know you’ve said you’ve tried everything before, so don’t want to annoy you. No need to answer. Just throwing it out there again, and wanting you to be headache free.
Shirley
Jen says
February 18, 2012 at 11:22 amUm…happy anniversary, I guess?
And I have some advice…..just kidding!
The Chinese book is really fun. Why don’t we illustrate our books like this?
Carolyn says
February 18, 2012 at 4:08 pmI remember reading your initial headache posts, not quite four years ago but at least two.
Just today my husband was trying to remind me that EVERYBODY has something they have to deal with, and how I need to ease to heck up thinking I’m the only one with problems. He’s right, we’ve all got ’em – the only difference is in how they manifest.
Still, I’m so sorry that problem continues for you, and will continue to hope and pray that you will find an answer to this!
Lyn says
February 18, 2012 at 7:24 pmHey, have you tried…
(kiiiidding! just kiiiidding!)
I think a divorce is in order.
El says
February 20, 2012 at 11:24 amYes…I had this exact thought when I was reading through your archives. I thought, “Poor girl, she has no idea…”
TucsonPatty says
February 20, 2012 at 5:30 pmJen – I just found you through your second book. The library didn’t have it yet, I suggested it, they had your first book, I found your first blog, and now your second blog.
I think you are awesome and funny and I’m so sorry you are still in pain.
This may sound weird, but if you find someone who can ‘patch’ you with the LifeWave patch called icewave, I think it might help you. It is used for pain relief.
Please give it a try. I’ve seen miracles with this patch.
Suzanne Somers uses it and that is how I came to know about it.
I hope something out there helps. Patty
http://www.lifewave.com/icewave.asp
TucsonPatty says
February 20, 2012 at 5:32 pmP.S. I apologize for giving more unsolicited/unwanted/unneeded advice. I didn’t read far enough in the blog, or the comments. I wish you all the best.
Debby says
February 20, 2012 at 10:06 pmThis year I have my 18th fibromyalgia anniversary and my 2nd “we-don’t-know-what-it-is-but-you’re-definitely-sick-and-can-we-do-another-biopsy” anniversary. Sucks, doesn’t it? But I appreciate the way you handle your headache with such honesty and even humor. You make me feel better when nothing else much does.
Leigh says
February 20, 2012 at 10:07 pmI swear t’Gawd, if a Genie ever appears in my life and grants me three wishes, the very first one will be to banish your headache and make you well again. You are a rockstar and you deserve better. The situation just sucks. 🙁
Dup says
February 28, 2012 at 5:22 pmMy hope is that one of those changes in the next four years will be that the headache goes away permanently and forever! I know….everybody else already said this…but I wanted to add my two cents. GOOD THOUGHTS!
Ro says
February 29, 2012 at 10:49 amSorry to hear that it is still looming. Even a small headache is annoying.
Shea says
March 6, 2012 at 12:41 amUgh, sorry to hear. I’ve had mine for nearly 6 now, so can totally sympathize. I hope it goes away soon and easily!
As a positive side, isn’t it great having x-rays of your head? I find it’s always good to have proof of a brain just in case anyone ever questions it 😉
Tabitha Buono says
February 1, 2013 at 5:33 pmJennette,
Hi- Just wanted to let you know that I check in every once in awhile, to see if hopefully your headache has gone away. I just had my 4 yr. anniversary this Jan. 15, 2013. My migraine is still the same, I can’t even call it a headache anymore. I feel people don’t take you serious then. I cringe when people talk about how bad their headache is- that they couldn’t even go to the gym? Really?? Four years later- I have a hard time showering, and leaving the house. I just get things done day by day. I just pray one day we’ll wake up, and it’s gone. I won’t even need an explaination. Your migraine sister,
Tabitha
JenFul says
February 1, 2013 at 6:40 pm@Tabitha Buono – Hey, Tabitha. I’m so sorry to hear you’ve still got the headache knocking around your head and messing up your life. Mine is still around too, but I’ve been doing fairly well lately with my meds and behavioral changes. I still don’t have a magic cure, otherwise I’d give it to you!