August 13
5:30a- pain all over body as if I’ve been badly beat up. Eyes watery. Stuffy nose. Toss & turn most of night trying to get comfortable. Random muscle spams thru body. Weird dreams.
10:20a- PT looked at progress so far even with the Costocondritis set back I’m still improving. That’s a relief. Exercises she’s having me do is for core strengthening and to ease the vertigo and headaches.
10:30a- Praise: My PT (physical therapist) has asked me to be part of a study with some of her students (could be up to 10). Since my case is so unique and complex, it’d be perfect to challenge their brains.
This is exciting for me because it’s getting the word out in the medical field for lightning survivors and their many complex issues they deal with afterwards. Praying that it’ll trigger medical interest in studying and helping more survivors.
11:50a- at TBI now, pt had me try new exercise. Boy oh boy my lower back is throbbing.
Ron told me he dropped off medical request personally at my old Dr office. He hasn’t heard anything, but when he gets copies of my medical records. He’s going to give me a copy of them. Old Dr office is being burger about releasing my medical records. Ugh!
2:50p- once again I’m stuck in a store bc of thunderstorm. Noticed a pattern. Just minutes prior to storm I get a wave of strange feeling (don’t know how to describe) and feel like I’m about to pass out. This happens before it’s raining.
My muscles have tensed up immensely. When lightning strikes I jump every time.
Currently sitting on floor behind buggy in front center aisle. Several people have asked if I was okay. Sweet. Explained to 2nd lady I was struck two yrs ago and just waiting storm out. A store employee asked if I didn’t mind if she asked how it happened. Told her. She said she wondered if it could do that. I told her it could.
3:40p- finally able to make it home. I need to rest a while. Exhausted. Drinking D.E. to help reduce inflammation plus it has host of other benefits.
5:00p- making dinner (salmon patties, yellow rice, & broccoli) is wearing me out. I ask Jakob to take his sister to vball practice so I can get some rest.
7:05p- While in livingroom, hear odd noise. Got up to investigate. Eventually located noise coming from bedroom. Alarm went off but it was seascape noise. It wasn’t very loud either. Don’t know how it got set to 7pm. Hearing is definitely magnified still. Wonder how I would do on a hearing test?
9:30p- I’m exhausted and hurting more. Took ibuprofen 800mg.
Took about half hour or so to fall asleep.
Don’t understand the tourniquet tightening feeling in middle of lower lft leg down to feet. Entire back throbbing especially lower back. Headache. Hands swollen and achy. Sinuses congested. Face hurts. Ringing in ears off and on.
While in livingroom hear odd noise.
August 14
7:00a- woke exhausted. Entire body hurts. Gotta work on healing the gutt brain barrier – just not too sure how to on a limited budget. Lord, please provide.
Entire back throbbing, hands and arms ache, chest aches and is tender to touch, neck hurts, sinuses congested, eyes watery, stomach aches, lower lft leg tourniquit tighten feeling with some numbness, rt elbow aches,
Need to make list of things I need to get done today. Gotta do better on that. Working on a system for meal planning to make things simpler and easier for me. Brain gets going. Thinking I have all this to do and gets me overwhelmed bc my pace is much slower than used to be. Still working on finding the right balance for me. Summer slipped away and school begins next week. Oh, so much to do and so little time. Lord, I need thee every hour please help.
11:52p- got quite a bit accomplished today though still not ready for school to start Monday. Told Dezirae that first week we’ll have to work thru the hiccups.
Tomorrow is Joe’s spiritual bday. I’m surprising him with meatball subs for dinner. He’s been craving them. I don’t like ’em. Not fond of sub bread. It’ll have to be crockpot style bc we eat at church on Thursdays. Also going to have kids help me make peanut butter cake with peanut butter icing. Yum!
Whole body aches though I think the Ibuprofuen regimen and D.E. is helping reduce the inflammation. Chest still sore. Still not able to lift much or extinuate myself too much.
Headache, hands swollen and achy, scheduled apt with physical therapist for student lab sessions, shoulders tight and achy, back throbbing, lower lft leg tourniquit tighten feeling, didn’t get the weird sensation and passing out feeling when it thunderstormed today so that blows that theory out the water, stomach periodicall had sharp achy pains during day, muscles randomly spazzing thru body all day. Ringing in ears off and on. Chest starting to throb. Feet cold. Thirsty.
Thank you, Lord, for helping get done what was accomplished today. Thank you for reminding me to pay mtg.
August 15
7:45a- made peanut butter chocolate chip muffins for breakfast.
8:00a- decided I was craving eggs for breakfast. Cooked 2 eggs for myself. Kids can eat the muffins.
8:30a- went outside to check on tomato plant. Need to transplant it but can’t decide where. Decided to harvest my amaranth.
9:00a- son asked if I was going to food pantry today. Oh, I totally forgot about it!!
9:20- left for food pantry. At least I didn’t miss it. Ron (a tbi coordinator) was glad to see me. God provided apples. Dezirae has been asking for apples. Thank you, Lord.
1:00p- Muscles in upper torso feel tight and hurt so much that I feel like I’m crashing. Headache. Neck hurts. Rt hip throbbing with pain shooting down to rt knee. Toes tingling. Back aches. Muscle feel tight in torso. Hands swollen and achy.
Laying down a bit then need to make Joe’s birthday cake. Heating pad on back for 20 minutes. Took Ibuprofuen 800mg to ease inflammation and pain. I really need to get back on msm. Didn’t realize how much it was helping.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/the-benefits-of-msm-88324
1:30p- printing something for business mtg tonight. Printer not cooperating! Ugh! Dezirae graciously agrees to make cake while I fuss with printer.
2:30p- made coleslaw for dinner. Had to have Jakob help cut cabbage head in half. Didn’t have enough strength to push knife thru. Using ninja blender to chop cabbage and carrots.
Poured filtered water into jugs. Rt arm is cramping. Dawns on me left side of brain was struck so my entire rt side is weak. Switch to lft hand to pour water into filter to refill.
Wash few dishes. My rt arm is now throbbing and hurts to move. Low back throbbing from standing too long.
Asked Dezirae to finish making the peanut butter frosting for cake. We’ll put it on at church to give cake time to cool.
Now need to lay down a piece for muscles to calm so I can keep going. There are days I get frustrated with not being able to do as I could. There are days I am just glad to still be alive.
Trying to teach myself how to type on phone with 2 hands…not doing too well especially with rt hand cramping. Thank the Lord for autocorrect.
I wonder how one drains the negative effects of lightning strike from the body? Is that such a thing?
6:45p- chatting before service. Mentioned I’m not sure I’m ready for school to start on Monday. Mom surprized Dezirae already has vball game on Monday though co-op doesn’t start til Sept. She tried to scold me for agreeing to start teaching ASL again. It didn’t work. I reminded her that Dr said that TBI patients need to challenge their brains to overcome. She didn’t like that too much. I’m not bothered. No ones going to always agree with what I do or how I do it but as long as my husband is okay with it and I have peace after praying about it – that’s what matterz. Besides, I know my students will be patient with me when I get flustered bc I’m having trouble with my brain to speak syntax. I will also have a mom friend as a helper who has been there for me since my lightning strike. I’ve got confidence my Lord will see me through. (I still have no clue how I made it thru that first year afterwards, but taking this last year off has been a BIG help too.)
8:30p- husband told me that one of his coworkers had oral surgery today. I thought that was interesting bc I felt God laid that person on my heart this morning so I took time to pray for this person though I didn’t know what going on. Person is doing well and should be able to return to work tomorrow. They said they could feel the prayers and was appreciative of them.
10:15p- need to have Jordon at work by 6am. I’m exhausted but wide awake. Hurting like crazy all over. Hard to get comfortable.
