Saturday, February 18, 2012

Shake it out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=WbN0nX61rIs&NR=1

This is my new favorite song. Just listen to it; it'll make you feel good! :)

Friday, February 17, 2012

New Year, New Challenges

This year has been incredibly amazing, yet incredibly tough. I started school, saw friends I haven't seen in years, made new friends, started and ended a relationship, and started a migraine cluster...that never went away. The day before I came up to school in January I started another migraine cluster and like always, I expected it to last for two weeks and then for it to go away so life could get back to normal. That never happened.

For reasons unknown, my migraines, which usually appear every three to four months for two weeks, have become chronic. It has been almost two months since my migraines started. Hopefully by next week though I will have some answers. This is because my new neurologist had me get an MRI and a crazy amount of blood work done and the test results SHOULD be in by next week, if they aren't in already. I am hoping and praying for some answers soon because dealing with chronic migraines and trying to go to school and do homework and socialize and deal with all of the stuff that entails, is exhausting and debilitating. BUT through all of this, I'm trying to stay happy and upbeat and positive because I know that in all of this somewhere, there is a lesson to be learned. I know that Heavenly Father is watching out for me and that He cares about me and I know that He has been with me every step of the way.

SO, just for all of you that haven't been with me or around me since January, this is an excerpt from a letter I wrote to a friend who is on a mission for our church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This excerpt details some of the scarier beginnings of my migraines this year.

Written on January 20th, 2012

"Last week on Wednesday night/Thursday morning my mum finally came up to Rexburg and took me to the emergency room because it got so bad. They gave me an I.V. with fluids and pain killers and then because whatever they gave me made me really anxious they had to sedate me with a fair amount of Benadryl to help me calm down and to help me sleep. It was really scary. I’ve never had to go to the emergency room for something like that before. We got back to my apartment about 2:00 a.m. Thursday morning and I slept that whole entire day, only waking up for a few hours to email my teachers and submit some homework via email.


I thought the worst was over, but Friday morning I woke up and my head was just throbbing like crazy. I took one type of migraine medicine and then another a few hours later when the first one didn’t work. Even both kinds working together didn’t do a thing. I had two classes that day and I had to get my student teaching paperwork signed so I trudged across campus and quite honestly, I don’t know how I did it. I think Heavenly Father was definitely with me that day; I am surprised I didn’t collapse on campus somewhere. I was somehow able to sit through my first class and afterwards realized there was no way in Heaven I was going to be able to sit through orchestra and I called my mum to see what I should do. She was at work and all of my siblings were either at work or school and she suggested I see if I could get one of my friends to take me to the doctor. Thank goodness one of the first calls I made I was able to get my friend Charles to take me to the doctor’s office and they gave me two shots of heavy-duty pain killers and a prescription for a daily migraine preventative. Saturday was a bit scary because I blacked out in the hallway on the way back to my bedroom and collapsed on the floor. (I hit the wall and fell to the floor.) Luckily it was just because I got really dizzy and I got up a few seconds later!"


I also want to thank all of my friends, family and anyone else who has been helping me to get by these past two months. Your support means so much more than I will ever be able to express. Thank you.



~Stephanie Ann