Sunday, October 7, 2012

Struggles that Made Me Who I am

Many of y'all who know me know that I have suffered from chronic migraines. I have had them since I was 13 years old and now that I am 20 years old. I have been pain free to a year and six months. Migraines has not been my only medical (or life for that matter) struggle. 


In a previous post I talked about have Pseudotumor Cerebri  I have had that now a total of four times now and three times the resolved with a spinal tap. My last spinal tap was traumatic and required me to go to the ER two days later because my parent could not get me to wake up and be fully responsive. There I was told I was very dehydrated because I lost too much spinal fluid.

The very thing that has allow me to be pain free would cause a struggle due to a infection. I got a infection in a incision in my back. I had no way of checking it because I went to work at summer camp three month after being implanted. I was given the all clear but I am not sure where the infection came from but with the lack of feeling and have no one to check it for me. I developed an infection that I would later find out that that I had it for a month or two before receiving treatment. The first step was oral antibiotics and having the doctor go in and clean the infection out. After a month I was not responding and we put on IV antibiotics and had to have a PICC line. The PICC line is place under fluroscopy (real-time x-ray) and it goes from a point on your upper arm (in a vein) then goes closes to your heart. By doing this this allows the medicine to be distributed equally throughout the body.  After that was implanted I did a month and a half of two times a day IV antibiotics. This was hard for my and my family because even with the medicine I was getting sicker and sicker. I was left with but to have my stimulator remove. Even after it was removed I would have to do IV treatment and use Medihony on my incision to help them heal and prevent another infection. I waited three months and the was implant again with the stim and all was good. Then about month later I was showing sign of infection and had to do the whole PICC line and IV antibiotics over again but thankfully for only a month and I was good. With the stim I also had to have revision to fixes wires and to move the battery. With the stim alone I have had eight surgeries. And would go through it all again if I had too.
This is a bad picture of me but it show where my PICC line is
 inserted into the arm. Still smiling through the ups and downs in my life.
This the tube of Medihoney. I really like it cause it help protect slow
 healing wound like surgical ones from getting infected. I have mainly
 use it in infected wound and it great and helps it heal.

Before I found the stim for my headache I did Botox and nerve blocks of all kind. Along with just about every drug on the market that the doctor believe could help me. Some,well three of the nerve block were done while I was I twilight zone. I also did physical therapy and chiropractic therapy.  

Before migraines and headaches my mom would say that I was a healthy child. But for me that include Earache and Severs disease. I had really had earache from as long as I can remember till about 12 years old. I had tube implanted seven different times and I had my tonsils and adenoids remove at the age of five.  Because of my earaches I was left with deafness in both ears. To me this has no effect on me because I do not know any different and i am really good lip reader. Sever disease is where the platelets in your feet become inflamed and put pressure on the bones and makes it painful to walk or even wiggle your toes. I got this because I was over dancing on pointe in ballet. The treatment was to stop dancing on that foot. The doctor never said I could dance on the other on and so I did but that would bit me in the butt because I would get it I the other foot and have to use a wheelchair for walking more the twenty steps. I was told that if I didn't do as I was told it could result in fracturing of the bones.  Which would been a cast and the whole nine yards. 

These are just my medical problems that I remember I was born at 27 week. Which means I was 13 weeks early and that was a struggle all it own. So I have always had a struggle in my life and every age. But the medical struggles were not the only kind I had I also have learning disabilities.

Since I was born early I was developmentally delay with everything but mainly my speech and walking. I did not speck till I was four years old and truth be told my family can't shut me up now. So once I started school I would be pulled for speech lesson. I also had to work hard to write and use a pencil. After a few years in school I was diagnosed with ADHD, hearing impairment, reading disability. I would out grow the ADHD.  I was always treated differently I felt thought I did need the help. I just wish I was seen as different but not less myteachers manly in elementary and now some in college. 

To this day I struggle with a reading disorder, hearing impairment, dyslexia, migraines (yes I am pain free but the stim is like a bandage it just covers up the wound)and I also pass out for unknown reason. Because the doctor do not know why I am passing out I have a heart monitor implant in my chest to monitor my heart rate. I also struggle with short term memory like if my mom asked me to do something if it not written down I will not remember. I also will think of a word and go to say it and it come out different than what I planned to say. An example would be for dishwasher it may come out as dryer. I know what each one is but my brain mixes them up.

Yes all of these things suck and my life different from your average Joe or Jane but the truth is I wouldn't have it any other way. My life is beautiful and I learn so many thing that not your everyday 20 year old has learned or seen. I am strong, I am a fighter. I stand up for things I believe in and more importantly I do not want to disrespected other beliefs. I help when I can. I want to make the world a better place. I want to dream big and if I miss I know I land in the stars. For me Failure is not an option. 


Love this Quote!


1 comment:

  1. I love that quote too!!! So sorry you have had such a struggle with your stimulator and infections. Please take care! You have such a great attitude!!! I would say you have very well balanced and caring family. Looking forward to your adventures as you move forward with your adult life continuing to make a difference!!!!

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