Cruel & Unusual Punishment

**mIgRaInEs**

    I have suffered from migraines for a couple years now. While we are unsure as to wether the onslaught of my migraines is directly related to my Pots Syndrome, it is a side effect of the disease over all. It just happens that I began suffering from migraines a couple years before we think I became sick.

    A side effect of the disease that I do suffer from is that I am now allergic to all OTCs (over the counter medications, specifically pain medications). Before I became sick, I could take Advil, Aleeve, Tylenol, etc. Now, I am unable to takes these meds without having an allergic reaction. This makes dealing with my migraines hard, and very painful. On the positive side, my pain tolerance has increased.

    I have learned some holistic treatments to help with the pain of migraines. Smelling cayenne pepper helps relieve the pressure in the head, and helps ease the pain with some migraines. Others can be soothed by eating Chinese hot and sour soup. If these remedies don't work, drinking tea, coffee, or anything with caffeine may help to release the pressure. If none of those options work, there are two options left, wrapping your head in an ice pack and lying still, or facial/head massage on pressure points (there is also a pressure point between your thumb and pointer finger that will help relieve a headache when massaged).

    Sometimes the pain is just so bad, there is nothing to do but crawl into bed in a dark room and hope for sleep. At these times, wetting wash cloths and freezing them and then laying them over your eyes can help ease the pain in your head. Getting your neck and shoulders to relax is also another good way to help soothe a head that feels like it is going to explode. Heat packs are very helpful with this. I use cloth bags with rice in them that I heat up in the microwave.

    As always, drink lots and lots of water whenever you are in so much pain. It is important to take good care of the rest of your body while your head is in anguish. 

    I have been up all night with a horrendous migraine. I have taken my prescription meds, and they didn't do anything but take the edge off of the pain for a little bit. I have tried everything in my 'bag of tricks.' Now, I guess it is just a waiting game for it to go away. Woohoo.

Foot massage...anyone?? hehe.

Cupcakes & Hot Cocoa.

K

<3

[[[Pots Treatment...Water]]]

Water is YUMMY!!

As part of my treatment for Pots Syndrome, I am supposed to drink as much liquid, specifically water, as possible (gatorade is extremely good too, as I am on an extremely high salt diet as well...in other words, as much salt as I can eat in one day...salt on everything). This can be daunting some days, I just don't want to drink anything, or I want other liquids that just simply aren't as good for me. So I have taken a couple measures to make my water diet a little more bearable. 


I use my Starbucks cold drink tumbler everyday for water, I LOVE it. It goes everywhere with me. It is perfect for liquids and ice. Especially for me since I keep it by my bed at night and it goes in the car with me and into stores and such. I also knock it over and it doesn't leak. I don't have to open and close it all of the time like I do with my nalgene (which I still love and use frequently...great for traveling, specifically at the airport and camping). 


I have always been somewhat of a 'water snob.' But, I am even more-so now that I am drinking it constantly. I refuse to drink DeKalb water or Sycamore water unless it is filtered (yes, I really can tell a difference)...at least I can admit it right?? Also, I really can tell a difference between bottle water brands. I know it's weird. I prefer Ice Mountain. I LOVE ice water.


Having to drink it all the time I have experimented with different flavors in water...lemon and lime are both good, lime is the best of the two in my opinion. 


This summer Caribou had this fantastic tea, white tea with lime and mint...it was fantastic. I was so sad to see it go at the end of the 'seasonal' period. So I did experimenting and was able to make it at home, not as perfect as Caribou, but it was still good. Then, I tried it without the tea and came up with the best 'water recipe' that I have tried so far.

I have been drinking water with mint and lime...it is amazing. Rip some fresh mint leaves and sprinkle them over some ice cubes, squeeze some lime juice over the ice cubes and add water....YUM! Very refreshing and so much better for you then soft drinks and other sugar filled drinks. It will also quench your thirst. Try mint and time with tea and a little bit of sugar for another delicious drink.

Stay Hydrated.

K

<3

Snow White

Snow White

[Sleeping in a Coma]

These last few days I have felt like Snow White, waiting for my true love's first kiss to come wake me out of my deep catatonic, poison apple induced, coma. It's not as fun, or romantic as is looks in the Disney movies. No blooming foliage, or curious furry friends...just lots of exhaustion and un-fun meds to take. Also, trust me, when sleeping that deep....no girl's make-up looks that perfect, nor does one's hair stay neatly in place. HA. Any girl but a Disney princess would wake up looking like a raccoon with a mess on top of their head, just waiting for a deep condition treatment and some major TLC.

Adorable, I know, but now sure about wanting to wake up next to that in the morning...or anything having to do with love's first kiss.

Sometimes with Pots, I don't have a choice about what I do. The exhaustion takes over and I just have to rest. No matter how much I want to do whatever it is that is going on. 

For example, I love snowboarding. Otto went snowboarding with a couple friends last weekend and I was supposed to go with them. Unfortunately, I was just too tired.

I also LOVE photography, which I haven't been doing any of because I have been too 'busy' spending all of my energy on school. Which, trust me, isn't a lot of energy.

The list just goes on and on...

Sweet Dreams.

K

<3

The Works

      Finals are this week. One of the many problems I am having is that I can barely stay awake long enough to eat, studying is not even on the horizon. Which is not my usual problem (usually I can't sleep at all). Two of the days that I had planned to spend studying and working on a project I have due...were spent in bed, literally unable to stay awake. 

      No matter how hard I tried to force myself out of bed, I couldn't get up. When my body does this, there is nothing I can do about it. Even caffeine can't keep me awake. This happens a couple days a month usually. There is nothing I can do about it, no way to tell when these days are coming.

      I hope my body will gets its priorities in order. I need to be awake for my test tomorrow and my brain needs to be clear so I can think. After all, if I am there for the test, but my brain is foggy (as is known to happen with POTS), I might as well just have skipped the test all together.

      Trying to get through school with this disorder has been an adventure. I have had to accept that I currently do not have the ability to perform at the level that I used to, and take one day at a time. I have be doing better and better as the treatment has continued; but I get frustrated as I just want to be my 'old self.'

      I should probably be studying right now and not taking the time to write this, but I find it easier to take time to sort things out in my head.

      I am ready for Christmas break!! Also, for the week in Florida my Mom & I will be spending in with my Grandpa (as we do every year). Hopefully, the sun and my Grandpa's wit will help me to feel better to face another semester of school.

Sleeping on My Text Books,

K

<3

P.S. Audrey Hepburn is AmAzInG! Especially as Holly Golightly.

"You could always tell what kind of a person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you. I must say, the mind reels."

-Holly Golightly