I'm Baaaaack

Y'all miss me?  I've wanted to come here and post updates on several occassions, but never got around to it.  Life, love and clusters have been keeping me hopping. 

My middle son, John, moved out in June.  He still comes back for the odd meal, vehicle help and to do laundry.  Kind of strange only having one kid in the house.  Not even a kid, really.  The youngest is pretty much self sufficient.  Just add money.  LOL  Seriously, he's a good kid. He stays busy with his color guard/marching band/school band/orchestra/etc.  Very serious minded about going to college and has the grades and musical talent to get there.

Eldest son is out of the Army now and living with his wife in Mississippi.  They are expecting a child in March, so - I"M GONNA BE A GRANDPA AGAIN!!!  We went down to see them the 1st week of July.  They had planned on coming up here for his birthday (July 4), but he had to cancel so he could work on their house and get it all set up.  That was a nice 1800 mile or so round trip.

After a week's rest, it was back in the car, to Milwaukee this time, for the OUCH Convention.  We had a hell of a convention with speakers and members coming in from around the globe.  Two doctors from Harvard updated us on the psilocybin/lsd study they are working on.  I won't take the shrooms right now, because it is illegal, but I'll be first in line to volunteer for the clinical trials if they ever happen.  In between and after educational sessions and meetings I spent as much time with other clusterheads as possible, just having a good time.  If you are a cluster headache sufferer and you've never met another, you HAVE to do what it takes to get to a Meet & Greet or a Convention.  The bond is instantaneous.  There is an understanding like you have never known.  It ended all too soon, but then, it always does.

Home on Tuesday and then off to Arkansas on Saturday.  The youngest was in band camp at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.  The kids are divided up by their abilities and placed into different bands. Zack made 1st chair in the top symphony orchestra and also 1st chair in the honor band.  What can I say - he rocks.  Well, as much as one can rock on a bassoon.  LOL

Now Zack is in his senior year in school, John is in Vo-Tech taking welding and metal fabrication and Kenny is working in a local Sheriff's Office down in Louisiana.  His wife, Sarah was going to go back to school, but I think that has been put on hold until after the baby is born.

My grand daughter turned 3 August 9.  Can't believe she's that old.  Seems like only yesterday she wasn't much bigger than my hands. Now, she is walking, talking non-stop and of course asking questions.  What's this?  What's that?  Why?  She's so cute.  She'll pull up her chair at my feet and sit down and look up at me all thoughtful and say, "PawPaw.  I have a question."  What can you do, but smile and do your best to answer?

Headwise, things have been rough, which means nothing has changed.  Still getting pegged up to 5 times a day.  I have been able to side step some of the milder hits and shadows using ice and energy drinks, such as Red Bull.  The caffeine, taurine and inositol in them can sometimes work to kill it before it gets too bad.  Better to pay $2.00 a can than $100.00 for a shot when I can get away with it.  Oxygen still works well when I have it.  I ride a lot of hits out, but for the really bad ones, I use the imitrex injections.  I'm just glad they work as fast and as well as they do.

Well, that should have bored you to tears - assuming you are still here, that is.  I hope I can keep up with this a little better.  Just so busy with the whirlwind of activity going on around me.  Later!!!