Author: Melissa

September 1, 2017

I’ve been experiencing a new symptom (icy sensation from inside out in center of chest through to back) the last few days and I don’t know if I should be concerned.  I have call into doctors.

Trouble focusing, foggy brain, easily distracted, speaking difficulty, sensitive to bright lights, memory trouble, heightened sensitivity of senses, itching, costochondritis flaring up in chest.

Trying to research my symptoms and make sense of it all.  Came across this website: https://neckandback.com/conditions/peripheral-nerve-anatomy 

It’s an article about nerve damage and healing.  I have no idea the exact extent of my injuries as doctors are just monitoring my symptoms not causes. 

September 2, 2017

9:01am –Feel okay I guess. Right hip is throbbing. Slight dizziness.  Slight headache. Going soul winning for the first time since being struck by lightning…not sure how I’ll do, but I won’t know until I try.  Hesitant, but I’m uncertain about most things these days.  Need to keep pushing forward.

11:30am – Took pain rx before going out.  Able to knock two doors today.  Would’ve done a third, but Joe had kids get it.  I’m tired, but ok.   Headache gone.  Right hip still throbbing.  Minor dizziness – increases when I move too fast.

2:52pm –Right thigh is cramping.  Starting to feel icy sensation from inside out in right hip.

9:12pm –Quite sore all over right now.  Took an hour nap early evening bc I so tired I couldn’t go anymore.  Can feel my heart beating, hands ache, eyes feel blurry on edges only, trouble with talking, whole body is aching now.

11:38pm –Body hurts from shoulders down to toes, calves are throbbing, need to use bathroom more, extra thirsty, feel exhausted, but can’t sleep (usually read a book or play games until I fall asleep). Took pain rx and muscle relaxer. Hopefully, that will help. *Strange thing is the only book I’ve been able to read thus far is my Bible – any other book causes my eyes to water and dance all over pages  making difficult  reading.

September 3, 2017

7:42am –Woke up just before alarm thinking I overslept. My body aches all over.  Heart beating hard.  My hands, thorax, and feet feel like Art has come to visit.  Lower back and butt have burning pain.  Eyes feel loke I’m looking thru a tunnel.  Just feel like crying. 

Missing Jakob today.

I feel like I’m falling apart and everyone else in my family is too bc I can’t do it.

11:28am –I have the hardest time focusing when I play the piano for church. My right hip hurts so bad!  Able to sing “The Lighthouse” for special today.  Had Joes stand behind me for support.

11:52am – Sharp random pain in bottom of right foot causing me to jerk.  Trouble spelling and typin  notes – thank the Lord for spell check.

2:52pm – I hurt so bad right now – pain mainly in lower back.  Heart beating hard.  I’m exhausted. 

I jumped and covered my eyes when a waitress dropped a plate at restaurant.  It was so loud to me it was as if she was next to me and she was across the room. Jump easily these days.

August 29, 2017

Praising the Lord that I was able to open the lid of a new coffee container today.  It was just the tin foil that you peel off, but I did it.  I’m slowly regaining some strength.  It may seem trivial to you, but to me it’s a baby step of improving.

10:54pm – I’ve slightly overdone it today.  Back muscles hurt, but are chilly too?  Not sure what that means.  Doctor’s don’t seem to have an explanation.

August 30, 2017

10:22am- Muscles in back hurting and starting to feel icy again from inside out.  I’m now under blankets because Im cold all over.  Very sleepy too.  Going to take a nap.  Heart rate 88 at rest.

4:43pm – Right side of neck is cramping, lower back hurts, middle back hurts

Lightning Facts
You can’t have lightning without thunder.
That’s because thunder is the sound caused by lightning. A charged, superheated lightning bolt creates a “resonating tube” as it travels. The air in the tube rapidly expands and contracts causing vibrations that you hear as the rumble of thunder.

https://www.google.com/…/ww…/culture/lightning-strikes/amp/…

 

August 31, 2017

12:16am – Chilling sensation in muscles from inside out – especially in middle of chest and back.  I don’t know if this is normal or not and it’s kind of scaring me.

9:56pm – Felt half way decent when  I woke up today, but I got dizzy moving around too much (made scrambled eggs for breakfast.  Started taking Plexus Nerve today.

Dezirae helped me put mission bulletin board up this afternoon at church.  My chest is now hurting from lifting my arms too much.

Had trouble focusing to play the piano at church tonight.  My eyes kept following Joe around instead of focusing on hymnal. Ugh!

10:01pm – Chest muscles starting to feel chilly inside out.  Can’t find anything on internet to explain.

Each time I get this sensation it lasts just about an hour.  Each time has also been when I lay down either to rest a while or to go to sleep.  Makes me a bit nervous so I stay awake longer.

August 28, 2017

8:25am – My arms feel heavy, slight headache, watery eyes, sneezing, bloody nose, eyes hurt, whole body hurts, out of breath when I got dressed, freezing but no fever, feel bloated.

4:10pm- I’m exhausted!  heart beating fast, left hand feels funny, sinuses hurt, slight headache.

 

My mom told me about a lightning strike support page that I could contact for more information.

It is www.lightning-strike.org.  I sent them an email today to reach out.  Hopefully, I can get some direction as to how to move forward in healing.

excerpt from email sent –

“I am currently suffering with following side effects: constant muscle pain, muscle spams, extreme fatigue, extra sensitive to light, loud noises, & touch, memory loss, easily confused, lack of concentration, frequent headaches, sporadic involuntary muscle jerking, stiff joints,  difficulty walking (feel like I’m in middle of choppy ocean on boat), dizziness, impaired speech, difficulty understanding things, elevated blood pressure (higher than normal), hightned senses, etc.

My primary doctor has subscribed muscle relaxer and pain medicine. I hate taking medicine. 

Up until last week, I had to wear sunglasses all the time because the lights hurt my eyes.

I saw eye doctor two weeks ago.  He check and said he didn’t’ see any permanent damage, and thought that my symptoms were neurological.

I see info on internet on statistics from lightning strikes, but nothing on recovery for victims.  It’s been frustrating because I can’t go and do like I once could.  It’s not only effecting me, but also my family and friends.  I’m supposed to be teaching classes starting next week and I’m not sure if I’ll be up to it.

 

10:38pm – received care package from a sweet friend today.  It was a handmade wreath and homemade soaps.  I really needed the encouragement today.

I’m missing my son whom we took to college over the weekend.  My husband got laid off.  I’m hurting, exhausted, and can’t think straight.

Heard from a friend I haven’t seen in years.

I actually talked in person to friend whom sent the care package.  Sweet friend.

Have to make notes on everything because I’m having trouble remembering things.

August 26, 2017

6:39am – Didn’t hurt as bad as I thought I was going to from the trip when I woke up.  Able to take a shower without help.  Still getting dizzy when I move too fast.  Pain level at a 5 right now.

11:00am – Entire back and butt hurt, left hand & elbow hurt, brain foggy feeling, trouble speaking.

Figured out after talking with the Lyons that all my symptoms resemble fibromyalgia.

5:00pm – My back is hurting bad all over… trying not to show it, buy my eyes won’t quit tearing.  Sharp pain through middle of chest.  Bright lights starting to hurt eyes.

I think this trip is already a bit much on me.  Need to stay strong for my son.  He needs to go to college.  I don’t want him to put his plans on hold because of me.  With God’s help, I’ll manage to get through this.

Thankful that we were able to spend time in sweet fellowship with Greg & PJ Lyons, and family before dropping Jakob Smith off at college.

💡I know what stores need to do for customers…they need a checkout lane just for handicapped people.  I have to use a wheelchair when I go to the store.  Walking too much causes too much pain and I tire quite easily.

August 27, 2017

It’s official! Jakob is beginning his college days. The family is on an emotional roller coaster right now, but we have peace that he’s where God wants him.
P.S. I didn’t know it was going to be this hard. God’s got this! We love you, Bubba ( Jakob).

6:39am – Woke up with my heart beating hard and fast, lower back near butt throbbing.  Stuffy nose.

7:04am – I was crying this morning (I’m on an emotional roller coaster right now).  Joe asked me what was wrong.  I told him my heart was hurting.

9:04am – My eyes are hurting & I have a headache.

 

 

August 23, 2017

8:00am – Had rough night.  Chest hurt some in middle of night.  Periodic ringing in rt ear.  Cold – had to wear socks to bed.  Woke up with eyes feeling crusty, mild pain, and slight bloody nose.

10:53am – Made breakfast & cut Joe’s hair.  I’m sore, tired, and starting to get a headache.  Need to rest a while.  Made Homemade Bisquick Mix.  Right lower back now cramping.  Applying heating pad.

8:50pm – Went to Lighthouse tonight so Jakob can say goodbye to his friends.  I enjoyed being able to sing.  Mrs. Bowser called me a trooper (Had to ask Joe what she meant by that later).  I guess it’s good.

During services, a young man behind us was rubbing hymnal on back of pew.  I wanted to turn around and tell him to STOP, but I held my peace – not only could I feel the motion in ALL my muscles, but the noise irritating me (like finger nails scratching a blackboard!!!).  All my senses seem magnified – noises are extra loud, lights are too bright, I can feel tiniest hair fall on my skin!

Both Mrs. Sanchez’s asked how I really was doing.  Told them that I have my good days and my bad days.  The hardest part for me in not being able to go like the energizer bunny I was.  I just can’t do much without wearing out easily.  Older Mrs. Sanchez (her name eludes me at the moment) said, “So you feel like you’re on the backside of the desert?”  To which I replied, “Yes. (Didn’t know what she meant until later).  Told them I’m claiming Lamentations 3:22-23 “It’s of the Lords mercies that we are not consumed…”  For me that is literally!  ha-ha.

August 25, 2107

10:00am – woke up in pain and right foot had sharp pain when I first stepped on it.  Got a bit dizzy moving too fast trying to get ready for the trip today.

*We take Jakob to college today.  I’m not ready for this let alone being able to wrap my head around all my difficulties right now.

2:03pm – My thighs and lower back are throbbing.  Have small headache.

We’re having fun at my expsense (one of my symptoms from recent accident is memory loss).
I told Joe I want that type of snot grass around our church sign (I couldn’t remember what it was called). Dezirae & Joe started cracking up laughing. Dezirae replied, “You mean monkey grass?”
I replied, “Yes. That grass looks like it has snot on the top.”
Joe says, “I’m not laughing with you. I’m laughing at you because that was funny.”
At least, I can heal with humor. 😃

August 20, 2017

9:50am – woke up late.  I forgot to set the alarm, I hurt all over, headache.  When I close my eyes, I see kaleidoscopes with many colors – making me feel dizzy.  Woke up tired.

3.40pm – Muscles in my left foot are fluttering.  Head hurts when I lay flat.  I’m exhausted, but headache is gone for now.

August 21, 2017

Woke up hurting.  Muscle spams in back.

I can feel the rattling of the thunder in my back.  Took pain rx before noon.  Need to take another.  Left foot feels funny.  have had to use bathroom more than normal.

Thought I was feeling fairly decent and decided to change my bed sheets, wash them and remake my bed.  That was a mistake!  I hurt so bad by end of day I was sobbing!

My husband put me in an Epsom salt bath to ease the muscle pain and then iced my back.  While I was in tub, my left elbow felt like the end was ripped off and gushing blood, but nothing was wrong with it.  My skin is really ashy.  I’m really thirsty.  Joe massaged my back with lotion and then iced it down.

I took both a pain Rx and a muscle relaxer before bed.  Hurt so bad I couldn’t fall asleep until after 12:30am.

August 22, 2017

Once I fell asleep, I actually slept all night.  Woke with a headache and still hurting but not to the point of crying. Could hardly move.  I’m so tired.  Left elbow hurts.  Eyes watery.  Stuffy nose.  Feel weak.

5:15pm – So much to do to help get our eldest son, Jakob, ready for college.  We leave on Friday.  I’m not ready.  I’ve overdone it and can hardly move.  Ugh!  Lord, please help me.

11:06pm – Headache finally eased somewhat.  Thankful that one day my trials will all be over.  Don’t know why, but I’m craving oranges like crazy!