To recap my week, it started off with a delivery driver who wasn’t supposed to go down a narrow dead-end road where we have a rental cottage development. The company renting the last house in the lane normally meets him at the highway to take deliveries so who knows why he decided to drive down a dead-end road that day. He proceeded to back up in the driveway to turn his truck/trailer around and completely tore up the driveway, the yard, and the road. My husband was furious and actually raised his voice at the idiot, which is really quite uncommon. The guy had the nerve to try to blame all the mess on him, which was really funny because my husband was with Orkin in one of the other houses. When my husband raised his voice at him, he jumped out and pulled out his phone and yelled he was calling the cops. Hubby just said good.

That resulted in a police report which is okay with us because I plan on using it to get their insurance to pay for the damaged yard and driveway. If the guy had not been so impatient, to begin with, my husband would have backed the trailer up and turned it around for him with no damage, but he was one of those people who couldn’t ask for help. It’s really sad when you think about it. We all have our strengths and weaknesses and opportunities come up when you should let the pride go by the wayside and ask for help. So, because this guy was a hothead, we now have a police report and I will be speaking to his boss.

Second up in my week was my monthly blood work. With my Leukemia, my doctor ordered monthly blood work. When I began the drug therapy, my blood platelets took a nose-dive, which was good, but recently they have begun to climb again. He had warned me that if this blood work showed an increase, he would be increasing the meds. I’ve also been having a lot of trouble with the trigeminal nerve on the right side of my face. It is a nerve that comes from the brain and goes through the skull and feeds the top, middle, and bottom of your face. Then, there about a gazillion small nerves off of those nerves. This is the fourth episode in a year and a half, each more severe than the previous.

The drug of choice up until now has been Gabapentin. It successfully helped the nerve to calm down the first three times I took it. This past time, in May, was very different. I suffered memory loss, had trouble speaking, and couldn’t carry on a conversation or remember what I said from one sentence to the next. It was extremely scary to feel these things happening. In the middle of all this, I had a severe allergy attack and poison ivy. My allergies trigger the nerve so it becomes a lose/lose battle unless I can get my sinuses under control.

I suffered from nerve pain 24 hours a day for more than four weeks. I began the Gabapentin and the side effects started. At that point, I went to urgent care and sat down for a long chat with a doctor. The sinus issues weren’t getting better and unless the sinus issues cleared, the nerve was not going to calm down. One exasperated the other. We decided on a course of steroids beginning with a shot – which by the way, cleared up the poison ivy within hours – and then continuing with a steroid five-day pack. It took about four days, but the nerve finally begin to relax but the pain never fully subsided.

Any time anything touched the right side of my face, I had severe pain. I have learned to wash my face using certain motions and staying away from especially sensitive areas. I have learned to eat without triggering the nerve. I have learned how to sleep, not make certain facial movements, etc. The list goes on. I can’t scratch or rub my nose and we all know that when your nose itches, you need to scratch!

I’ve seen an allergist and we couldn’t pinpoint any triggers for my sinus attacks. My doctor mentioned that we may have to check in with a neurologist at some point (as in when I find the courage.)

But, a lot of things happened this week. A group of us are participating in the 54-day novena for our nation and we say the Divine Mercy each day. I received blessings this week from the prayers. My platelet count was down from last month and the nerve pain has almost subsided. I am very blessed.

For several months now some friends that hubby plays music with wanted to have a father/son jam session. That finally happened yesterday along with some great company and wonderful food. They enjoyed themselves and we got to listen to some great music.

 

That was my week. Thanks for visiting and I wish you a wonderful week ahead.

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