Life at the Headbanger's Ball

Better day

Well, today was a much better day.  I only got hit a few times and oxygen killed those in short order.  I've been trying something else on the attacks as well.  You know those energy drinks like Red Bull and Sobe No Fear, yadda, yadda, yadda?  They are high in caffeine and taurine.  The taurine has a sort of amplifying effect on the caffeine and caffeine taken early enough in an attack can sometimes abort the whole thing.  So, these energy drinks can really kill a shadow or even an attack if taken early enough.  They cost between $1.00 and $2.00 per can, but when compared to up to $100 for an Imitrex shot, it's quite the bargain.  Everything that works is just another weapon in the arsenal against the cluster headache attacks.  A nice tip to know when you're out and about without an oxygen tank in tow.

As I said above, it was a better day today.  I actually worked out in the wood shop today.  I'm doing a project using handcut dovetails and I'm not that great at it, yet, but hey! I'll never get good at it if'n I don't ever try.  Hopefully, it will turn out well enough that I can post a pic here.

We finally found a place to stay while we are in New York to see our son, Zack, perform at Carnegie Hall.  It seems there is this clusterhead whose wife travels a lot for business and racks up the hotel points, but they never use them.  They used some of those points to book us into a hotel for two nights.  Needless to say, I was floored when he told me what they had done.  It was all I could do to keep from crying right there on the phone.  Now, it has always been a fact that clusterheads take care of one another, but this...this is so far above and beyond that I'm still fighting the urge to call him and thank them about twice a day.  I've said it before and I'll say it again...If you are a cluster headache sufferer and you have never met another sufferer, you HAVE to do it.  It's like no other feeling in the world - an instant bond.  The OUCH Convention is in Richmond Virginia this year.  If there is any way possible, I'll be there.  There is information about the con on their website at:

http://www.ouch-us.org/gatherings/richcon07/richcon07.htm

Well, I should try to go get some sleep.  Big storm system going to be moving through this morning and it's supposed to hang around for about three days.  Oh joy!  Well, at least I had one good day.  I'll take any that I can get at this point.  PFDAN (Pain Free Days and Nights) to all you clusterheads and to all you who support us, THANK YOU!!!

Wowsers, it's been a while!

I can't believe it has been so long since I posted to this blog.  I'm surprised my account wasn't closed due to inactivity.  Well, thanks to whomever for not kicking me to the curb.

So, what's new?  I'm back in a high cycle, which means I'm getting my head kicked in on a regular basis by CH attacks.  Seems I'm either having an attack, recovering from one or ramping up for another hit.  Insomnia has gotten really bad again, too.  I go two or three days without sleep, then crash and start the process all over again.  None of the so-called sleep aids work.  My body laughs off even the prescription sleep meds when I'm like this, soooo on and on the dance continues. 

Other than that, I still haven't found a preventative that works for me.  Still left aborting the ones I can with oxygen and imitrex injections and riding the rest (which are mercifully few) out.  Did I tell y'all about the Clustermasx?  It was invented by a clusterhead in England - puts every mask I ever used to shame.  Where it would take me 10 - 15 minutes to abort with a regular non-rebreather mask (and that was only successful about 70% of the time), I can abort an attack in 5 - 7 minutes with the Clustermasx more than 90% of the time.  Kills the hit quicker, makes an O2 tank last longer and reduces the number of imitrex shots I have to give myself, which saves me money.  Basically, it's the next best thing to sliced bread.  Skip that.  I'll slice my own darn bread.  For a clusterhead like me, it's the greatest invention ever.  Thanks Ben!

Life-wise, I am a grandpa again!  YEAH!  My oldest boy and his wife had a boy, Matthew Robert, on March 2, 2007.  Unfortunately, Matthew is in Mississippi and I'm in Oklahoma.  Can't afford the road trip right now.  I can't wait to see and hold my grandson.   

In other news, my youngest boy, Zack, turned 18 on March 21st.  Okay, I am officially old now.  Bite me!  Sheesh, where does the time go?  Anyways, he will be performing at Carnegie Hall in April - TWICE - once with his High School Wind Ensemble and once with their Orchestra.  My brother-in-law gave us a couple round trip tickets, so guess who's going to New York!!!  We're so psyched that we'll get to see our son performing at Carnegie Hall.

Well, looks like the beast wants to punch my dance card again so I better go fire up the 02 tank.  Anyone want to buy a slightly deformed hypothalamus?  CHEAP?  LOL 

I won't promise to write again soon.  It's fairly obvious that I pretty much stink at this blog thing.  I shall return eventually, though, with more whines and witticisms and maybe even a little useful information about Life at the Headbanger's Ball.