Well, I am happy to be sitting here with a cup of coffee (Just One I promise) after the week I just had.
It all started last week - I had the first one of "The worst headaches of my life"
It only lasted a few minutes but it scared the crap out of me. Two days later I had another one which lasted about 20 minutes. I was convinced something had burst in my brain so the following morning I headed over too the ER.
They did a CT scan and some other tests and all was fine but my blood pressure was high. I was released happy to know I didn't have an aneurysm.
Things seemed ok for a couple more days until BOOM - the headache was back and it was there to stay.
Dread brought me to the ER again. Poor guy had to drive a vomiting woman - he was so good. There, I had another CT scan (which was OK) and a spinal tap which showed a little blood.
That is when things got scary. I was loaded onto an ambulance - which was really HOT and MISERABLE and was brought to the Neurology ICU at a hospital in Portland. All the while my headache was BAD - pain medicine didn't work and
I opened my eyes in the ICU to find a whole slew of Doctors and Nurses around my bed.
I was poked with needle upon needle looking for veins and loaded up with three IV's. Meanwhile, every 15 minutes I had doctors and nurses questioning me. It is a teaching hospital - picture a scene in Grey's Anatomy.
I had the headache and 15 minute checks throughout the night. They worked hard to lower my high blood pressure - quite an ordeal - lots op meds and some unfavorable reactions to some of them.
By the morning my blood pressure was too low and the headache had finally subsided after 20 grueling hours. - so next they had to bring it back up which meant keeping me awake.
I then had an Angiogram I wont go into details but it is a highly invasive test. The results were good - MY Brain is OK!
After laying flat for six hours to recover from the Angiogram I was released!
I have been home for four days .
The first day I had a crazy rash and all sorts of bruising.
I wasn't able to shower until yesterday - It sure felt good after 5 days of sponge bathing.
Now I'm taking my Meds and avoiding heavy lifting - per doctors orders.
I'm still having sinus headaches but as bad as they feel they are NOTHING like the headache that brought me to the ER.
Now I need to stay headache free and attempt to avoid heavy lifting while packing for our move in just two weeks!!!
So I am happy to say