TBI - Charitymaeprosper

February 2, 2023February 1, 2023

Lightning Strikes Memoirs 2021 February 3-4

Feb 3

530 woke several times in night to use restroom. Woke suddenly from terrible nightmare. Feeling very groggy from migraine ex’s.

700 migraines sure do take a lot out of a person. Slight bloody nose.

230 trip to Wal-Mart. Needed few groceries. Also chose to get needed items for church instead of treking downtown to Sam’s. Able to walk behind buggy, but struggled with pushing and controlling direction of buggy after Jordon put bottled water on bottom.

330 letting Jordon drive home. My anxiety levels are high! I can tell we haven’t been anywhere much lately. Let me clarify, Jordon is overall good driver. I get nervous even if Joe or I am driving. My brain kicks into hyperdrive…I envision defensive driving and what other drivers are going to do or car is going too fast for my liking. So many things could happen. I try to stay calm. I hum hymn in brain or quote Scripture. I pray a lot! Still my nerves are in flight or fight mode.

I have recently by accident discovered a new coping mechanism to help reduce my anxiety levels while riding in car. Joe was driving other day and I inadvertently picked up one of those squishy orange pieces that you plug your ears with to dampen sounds. I started squishing it to see what shapes I could make. This in turned took my focus off the road and helped to keep me calm enough that I didn’t once yell or scream. I noticed it upon reaching our destination. I mentioned I needed a larger one. Dezirae found a Yoda-shaped squishy toy at the thrift store the other day. We washed it and it has become my new riding companion while traveling.

700 chatting with friend via a texting. Discovered our CPA charges a lot more. May try a new one this year. It’ll save bunch of money.

In most cases it’s best to chat via phone, but with TBI it’s easier for me to chat via texting/messaging. I have difficulty comprehending what is being said because it takes all my energy to focus on person speaking and trying not to get distracted on whatever else is going on around me. This way if I don’t understand what was said I can ask Joe to interpret for me. It saves for lot less confusion.

1030 surprisingly had less pain today. Still got tired after activity but not terrible.

Headache it tolerable. Neck hurts. Hands ache. Skin itchy especially neck area. Low back aches. Legs ache. Lower lft leg slight tourniquet tightening feeling with minor numbness down leg to foot. Feet freezing. Toes sting. Ears humming. Muscles stiff.

Night meds taken.

1115 chest starting to hurt something aweful.

Feb 4

530 forgot to hang keys up from yday. Woken to ask where I put them.

700 bad headache. Going to try to sleep it off.

800 bad headache still here. Not sure why so sleepy. BP slightly elevated 128/89. Going to drink some herbal tea to see if that’ll help.

Headache has eased ever so slightly. Wondering if something’s a muck and need to get it back in balance

Info from LS&ES support group…try a supplement called PEA. This helps regulate glial cells in the brain.

A lightning strike can cause these cells to go haywire! I’ll send you a link. I’m (Matthew an ND (Naturopathic Doctor) so this is what I do. https://vitalitus.com/product/pea/

Could glial activation be a factor in migraine?

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19036526/

Glial Cell Activation and Neuroinflammation: How They Cause Centralized Pain

https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/pain/other/glial-cell-activation-neuroinflammation-how-they-cause-centralized-pain

http://doctoryourself.com/naturedoc.html

1145 severe pain in center of chest!!!

Bent over to touch toes to pop chest back in place – small pops.

Feet freezing! Putting wool socks on.

300 took longer to help Dezi with her English. Kept getting off topic. Head pounding more. Brain & vision feel blurred. Eyes dancing rapidly.

400 headache won’t quit. Yawning a lot today.

My headache is affecting my speech. Saw a DG bag on side of road and tried to say “DG point for me – bag in ditch.” Instead, I said “DG point for me gab for me.” Ugh.

Heading to church. Have lots to do to get ready for services next week.

720 head hurts so much that my eyes feel like it’s going cross-eyed. Face feels flushed. Cheeks feel hot.

1100 still have migraine. Took night meds. Taking relpax. Only take it as last resort because it makes me drowsy.

March 5, 2022February 25, 2022

Lightning Strikes – Journal Entries 16-17 March 2020

March 16

800a rough night up every few hours. Whole body aches like my muscles have shrunk and I am stretching them back out as I move. Good thing is that it’s clearer for me to breath this morn.

Headache. Neck tight. Shoulders tight and hurt. Entire back hurts. Rt hip hurts. Hands achy and swollen. Legs ache. Feet tingly. Feel like I broke a fever in my sleep.

Muscles eased up some as I began to move around. Still having trouble with cramping/spasms if I move wrong.

1.30p Joe decided to go check on getting service for Rae’s phone. We have to get it unlocked first. While we were out decided to go grocery shopping. Shocked out how empty the shelves were. Only shelves barely touched were milk & candy aisles. Outing wore me out. Feel like crashing. Jordon offered to put food away for me. I took nap for couple hours. It was peaceful sleep.

721p still having trouble with bloody nose lft side. Made Creamy Garlic Tuna Pasta (aka Tuna Noodle Casserole) for dinner. It was a nice twist to how I normally make it.

1136 there’s an app on my phone that I’m learning to utilize. I’ve been able to drink 100oz water two days in a row. Yeah! It helps remind me when I should drink more water. Eventually need to figure out how the rest of the app works.

Nose still slightly bloody lft side. Need to find charging cord. Upper back hurts. Neck tight. Slight headache. Scalp itches think my psoriasis is acting up. Low back & rt hip throbbing. Lft leg tourniquet tightening feeling. Feet tingly. Hands achy & swollen. Tired but wide awake.

March 17

1159p can’t seem to get my nosebleeds under control. Ugh. Major headache.

Tbi mtg this morning. News that one of the people had tumor on back of brain that inoperable. She died on her birthday. How sad. I don’t even remember what she looks like because I have trouble remembering all their names. I came away spiritually, emotionally, & physically drained. Teresa informed me that she put my name in for a TBI study at USA with the therapy students for three days. Will be working with physical therapy and occupational therapy students and may even get to work with speech therapy students.

Major headache right now. Inside I’m excited about it but I feel so drained right now I don’t know how to show it.

How do I counsel a person who stands for everything I don’t? Who I feel is mad at God for things that happened in her past. I can see the anger in her eyes and it hurts me that she’s hurting and depressed. If I’m truly honest with myself, I battle with depression as well. I know I need to encourage myself in the Lord as David did. I sometimes feel so alone.

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October 9, 2020October 7, 2020

Journal Entries 23-24 October 2018

October 23

7:00am – had trouble sleeping last night. Woke at 7:00am. Have TBI group today. Can only stay till 12:30 bc Joe has to work midday.

Once I got there, spoke with Theresa about paperwork from ss oho? Let atty know about attending tbi mtg. She said she’d write a leter if needed. I asked her for biz card bc I lost her info.

Two guys & a gal from USA came today. They come to help us out but are also learning from us. Stephen drew picture of brain and broke down different areas trying to explain each units functions. I was surprise that several of other attendees knew what part of their brain was injured. I must’ve had a lot of areas inured bc I resonate with several things.

I told them I’d like to pick their brains sometime. I have lots of questions I’d liked answered but can’t seem to remember them when necessary or how to word them to make sense.

They had us play a new game to me. I think it’s called Two Truths and a Lie. I didn’t understand what they were asking at first. Jameson gave example. I don’t remember all I wrote, but when it came to my second fact I wrote…I survived being struck by lightning. They were both shocked at that one. They started asking a bunch of questions. I answered the best I could before getting interrupted. I figure I can just print out list of symptoms to help them out. Had to set alarm on phone so I wouldn’t be late leaving. Arrived at home a few minutes before Joe had to leave for work.

My brain hurts after all that workout.

Need to rest. Sat for 30 minutes or so in livingroom. Not working. Can’t focus. Brain hurts all over. Fingers and hands numb, tingly, and aching. Legs and feet hurt. Whole body aches. Neck tingly burning up and down spine. Feel like I’m going to pass out. Feeling weekish. Need to go lay down for a while.

Ended up sleeping for 65 minutes. Woke up to phone ringing. Brain foggy couldn’t figure out where phone was though on bed next to me. Time to make the cookies.

Symptoms: brain hurts & foggy, neck chilly tingly, hands swollen and achy, calves crampy, whole body aches to bones, tired but wide awake.

11:17p – stinging nerve pain in legs from waist to toes, low back pain, hands swollen and achy, brain hurts, eyes sensitive to lights, tired but wide awake, every wrinkle in clothing is agitating my skin, rt neck hurts.

https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/64/6/763

October 24

8:36a – woke up later that usual whole body aches. Made bed. Not hungry but ate bowl of cereal. Started research for Joe. Thirsty so I go to get drink. Decide that cabinets are dirty. In cleaning them, decided they need fresh paint. It was very hard to stir paint. It hurt my arms. Need to take a break. Started load of laundry. Stir paint again. Brush not working well. Found small roller. Took off handles. Painted four cabinet doors above stove. My arms are throbbing and I’m out of breath. Load of wash is done. Throw in dryer. Stared water for new load. Not enough clothes need more. I’m tired and need to rest. It’s a little after 12 kids need to eat. Made Dezi pb&j. Made Tara chicken sandwich. Made myself pb&j. Sat to eat. I’m exhausted.

Holly came over to see if we were ready to go. Told girls to get ready to go. We’re going to Orange Beach. Enjoyed my “earthing” time at beach. Tara fed bird from her hand. I’m plum exhausted. My body aches and I’m starting to get a headache. Hands swollen and ache. Feet ache to bones. Skin itchy. Indigestion.