MEDICAL UPDATE, FEEL FREE TO IGNORE
I have had one hell of a week.
Pain, stress, and worry have all been hitting me in spades.
Last week (Wednesday), I had what I now know to be a Thunderclap Headache, brought on during some mild exercising. At the time, I just thought "This is fine, just another headache to deal with, I will just add it to my already extensive collection". I also thought "this will get better pretty quickly"... it did not. It carried on, at the same intensity as when it first hit me.. that is like someone smashing a hammer into the back of my skull. My head felt like it was in a vice, and that hammer kept on coming, rhythmically pounding the back of my head like an over eager medical student with the sexual libido of a mountain lion.
By Saturday evening, I was beginning to worry somewhat, but thought I would leave it till Monday (which turned out to be Tuesday as Monday was a Bank Holiday... seriously, do they NEED any more time off than they already get?). I phoned my Doctors, got an appointment pretty quickly, and went up to see her. She is a lovely lady, a bit strict and treats me more like her Kid than a patient, but overall very efficient and good. She genuinely cares, which given how little they are paid here in the UK, is pretty rare. I told her all about what had happened, and she sat there listening (again, Rare). She let me finish, then said in a cold, hard stare -
"I need you to go to the Accident and Emergency room... now!"
Then explained that Thunderclap headaches can be VERY serious and be caused by a Brain Bleed, which are SERIOUS serious, the "GET YOU TO A HOSPITAL" serious. She explained that 99 times out of 100, it was just a headache, but that 1 time that it was not just a headache made it important enough to get to the hospital immediately...
She followed up with "IF you do not go to the hospital right now, I will beat you!", she really is an awesome doctor.
However, I was thinking all sorts of hellish thoughts, and I started to worry, but tried to keep calm and carry on... My wife who has Anxiety and Panic attacks stepped up to the plate and marshalled the troops (me... and her) into getting stuff ready for a Long wait at our local A&E (our local hospitals average wait time is 15 hours currently... it really needs better funding).
We got there, and they did a CAT scan almost immediately (less than 2 hours), and despite my deep disappointment that they didn't put Cat ears on the CAT machine (of which I did 'complain', and demand they rectify for later patients... causing much laughter... even though they probably get that joke at least 20 times a day). Thankfully, the CAT scan came back Negative for Current Brain Bleeds... so that was nice.
Then the Hospital Doctor there said "Oh, but wait, we are not done yet" and like some twisted game show host suggested (strongly) that I have a Lumbar Tap to check to see if there was any blood in my Spinal Fluid (which would suggest I had already HAD a brain bleed, but that it was not bleeding currently, serious, but not life threatening). After he explained all the Pro's and Con's (especially based around my Liver issues) I decided better safe than sorry... or dead... so said "Do what you think is best".
He did, and it hurt, not like a LOT lot, but definitely enough to make me want to punch him squarely in the face at least once (I didn't, the police don't look to kindly on the punching of Doctors, even if they do deserve it), but he did tweak a nerve going in... and that HURT all the way down to my toes on both sides, and then back up again into my shoulders. We waited there for a few hours while the results came in. In total, we were only there for about 7 and a half hours, and a good deal of that was in our own little room which was a nice surprise (We even got food... crap food, but hot food, which was better than none).
After the ALL CLEAR was delivered, they said I could go home... and go home I was raring to do. Say what you will about uncomfortable Sofa's, but when they are uncomfortable sofa's AT HOME, they are instantly more comfy than anything the Hospital can provide unless you are on Morphine, then literally sitting on Lego spikes would be comfy... or at least you just don't give a damn. I had the Track taken out of my arm, and started to leave and got about half way down the corridor to leave the ward I was in, when my wife said "You may need to go back"... I looked down, and saw a puddle of blood at my feet... and by puddle, I mean actual puddle (yeah, Liver issues are annoying sometimes). After that was sorted, and the doctor went through a few shades of Green, Blue, and finally a paler shade of White (He swore he would never take a Track out again as long as he lived... kind of felt sorry for the guy... well... I didn't, but I can pretend to), I drove home. We were Exhausted by the time we got home.
I was advised that due to the nature of my Liver issues, it would take a little longer for me to recover than normal (usually takes 24 - 48 hours, but double that and some for someone with my condition). I am still very sore, my arms look like I have been practicing as a Crash Test Dummy without a seatbelt, and I hurt... all over. My head hurts, my arms are all pins and needles, and I cannot get comfy at all meaning my sleep is disturbed (and not in the "Get Down With The Sickness" kind of way, more of the "WHY IS THAT GIANT NEEDLE SNAKE CHASING ME WHILE GIANT BEEVER ANTS EAT MY FEET?!" kind of way).
Thankfully, this too shall pass, but right now, I do not feel any kind of cheerful nor happy... just painful, relieved, and sore. My beautiful wife broke down yesterday, as the stress finally got to her, after her initial strength ran out; I felt so fucking awful for her... she is such a damn ROCKSTAR in my eyes. She was crying for quite a while, and I do not blame her. Funny thing about stress, you don't realise how stressed you are, till the stress eases somewhat.
Anyway, if Life is a Sadist, then I need a Safe Word, and the closest I have come to finding one is Music.
What music do you listen to when you are stressed or in pain?
For me, anything helps really, but Amon Amarth, Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Arch Enemy, Stellamara, Wardruna and Infected Rain are pretty high up there (eclectic I know).
Oh, and finally, if you are ever doing any kind of exercise (kinky or not) and you suddenly get a sharp, solid pain... stop... GO TO THE HOSPITAL.... in all likelihood, its just a headache, but it could be something much worse.
