Things are changing: medical updates
Ah, medical updates. I love that I have a blog because there’s the aspect of getting to write about how I have been. If you are someone who has dealt with unknown health problems, feel free to embark on this journey with me.
Where I’ve been
Now, my autoimmune disease has been in remission since July 2024. Although I’ve been in “remission,” I still have health problems that I do not know where they’ve come from.
Over the past year, my migraines and neck pain have gotten progressively worse. I’m not sure about the influence of my high school head injury or if it is prolonged sitting working at a desk, but the pain has been more debilitating than ever.
I used to get hives and have psoriasis patches all over my face. This seemed to have subsided. My acid reflux has been in better management. I know my triggers are especially when I eat before
I had a sleep study almost a year ago now, and I got 0 answers beyond mild restless leg syndrome as to why I wake up feeling unrested. Why do I wake up feeling like God dumped me in the middle of the ocean and I don’t see land in any direction I look?
I have seen neurologists that ruled out myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis. I have gotten x-rays to rule out any gross structural issues. I have gotten more blood tests to look at my electrolyte levels. I cried at an allergist appointment after he said it was all in my head. I was in the ER for a severe migraine attack that we feared could be a stroke.
Although I felt better (relatively speaking), it was emotionally and physically draining going in and out of appointments. (Blog post on learning to be okay with not knowing answers: here)
Where I am now
It is funny because my Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) has been in remission. Mentally, I have been in a better place. Physically, we are still ALL over the place. Despite this, I do believe that things would be much worse if I did not have such a strong foundation mentally.
I see some patterns that remind me of when I was first diagnosed. I increased my caseload with students, which has drained my schedule. I also can tell that some of my biggest triggers include sitting/standing at a desk and looking at a computer all day (even though I LOVE my job). The pain in my neck has been triggering my migraine. And it is debilitating.
It leaves me out cold. And the recovery is beginning to get harder and harder. I can see myself relying on caffeine to get me through my days. The fatigue is looking like I am struggling to keep my eyes open. I haven’t had heartburn like this in so long. I know I do not have it as bad as others but I know I do not have it easy.
baby hive forming on the tip of my nose
Today, I got hives on my face. That hasn’t happened in I don’t even know how long.
Going forward
I love being transparent with you. Even if not everyone reads these more personal articles. I want to prioritize breaks. I’ve been laying on my bed in between sessions to simply breathe and give my neck a break. I am going back to the rheumatologist because I am concerned if that hasn’t been evident. I hope to continue going to my chiropractor since I feel so good when I’m doing physical therapy and getting traction/adjustments.
One thing that I know for sure is that I need to get clear on my passion projects. For my outside life, I need to have a direction to turn to so I don’t get overwhelmed. It’s a lot with me wanting to build a podcast and blog, sell games/lesson plans, film and edit YouTube videos, and post on social media to help build a following. Add trying to be social on top of that.
Giving myself grace is something that I hope to continue as I make my way through this next chapter of my health story. I hope you enjoyed this read, and I’d love to have you back for more.
