I don’t often write about being a person with chronic pain and migraines, but every so often I think it is a subject that needs discussion. A few months ago, a friend came over. She was moving and wanted me to see her new place. Once we were en route, she hit me with a I am going to paint and I’m putting you to work! Well, not only would that be extremely painful for me, but it would also put me in pain for hours if not days after. When I told her I couldn’t paint, but I would be happy to keep her company, she got angry. I felt awful, of course, but even more so I felt angry that I accepted her anger.

When I was 9 years old, I began to get migraines. I would get a few a year maybe, with an upset stomach, but manageable pain. After I had my first child, they did not really change in frequency or intensity. After my second, they got a little worse and I had to take regular daily medication. Even so, they were fairly manageable. After my third child, they got considerably worse, beginning from when I was pregnant. I had intense, extremely painful migraines, and they would last until I took strong medication. During my first trimester, I was in the ER 17 times for a shot because my migraines were so bad.

During my first pregnancy, I developed toxemia (also called preeclampsia), a condition where the woman’s body begins to reject the baby as a foreign object. It affects the blood flow, supply, and pressure. After delivering my first child, I began to bleed out, and almost died. In the process of them trying to save my life, they created scar tissue, which fused my pelvis together. It did not effect me during my second pregnancy or delivery, but upon delivery of my third child, my pelvis broke. I’ve had some major surgeries since, one leaving me in a wheelchair for six months and another leaving me in a back brace for six months. The fact that I live with a relatively low level of pain now is a bloody miracle. I spent almost 10 years in pain almost every minute of every day. It was exhausting, emotionally, physically, and mentally. It was difficult on my marriage and my family.

Thankfully, I’m coming out the other side and living with a lower level of pain than I have in a decade. However, if I were to begin over-extending myself again, I would be sorry. Chronic means it doesn’t go away. It can get better, but whatever it is is still going to be there. That’s why I began a wonderful group of Facebook that I am so very proud of, called Suffering in Silence. We have an amazing group of men and ladies, dealing with invisible illness’ and if you have one then I encourage you to come find us. We’ll be thrilled to have you! So, come join us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/206261796054436/ ….. we’re waiting to make your day better!

 

@drruth2point0- twitter

Anna DrRuth ForToday- facebook

linusbaby1998- tumblr (an homage to a very very old screen name lol)

Anna Levenson-Pintrest