The change...Part 3 - Mary Bonner

A few weeks ago I started sharing a portion of my story. You can read part 1 here and part 2 here.

I first got sick the night of Friday, September 19th and went into the hospital on Wednesday, September 24th and went home on Saturday, September 27th.

Getting home from the hospital did not turn out to be the magic fix I was hoping it would be. I still had this raging headache. One long continuous headache. It NEVER went away.

I needed sunglasses in my house because the light bothered me.

Every step I took made my head pound.

I could not turn my head without pain.

I could not read a book. I certainly could not look at a computer screen.

I could watch television a little, but mostly I just slept.

John, rarely left my side at the hospital. He was there everyday, but there were major transitions going on at work and I knew he needed to be at work on Monday morning.

Three friends volunteered to check on me throughout the day. One of them is a blogger and you can find her here. They rotated in and out that first week I was home. Bringing dinner and doing whatever needed done around the house.

I was still taking some serious pain medication and my headaches were not getting better.

Meanwhile, my boss was being EXTREMELY understanding. She told me to come and go as I needed and if I wasn’t able to get to the office at all, then please let her know. Otherwise, I was to do whatever necessary to take care of my health. That was to be my first priority.

While in
the hospital, my heart rate went very low and a cardiologist was called
in to evaluate me. I had a follow-up appointment with him on October
10th and was still having daily headaches. Debilitating at times. He suggested I see a neurologist and to follow-up with the infectious disease doctor that saw me in the hospital. (My heart is fine, although I did have to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours and I DO have a follow-up with him in April!)

I made those phone calls as soon as I got home that day. The infectious disease doctor told me that I should be 100% better and headache free by then. She had never had a patient that still had headaches almost a month out.

When I called the neurologist I was told they could see me in March. That was 5 LOOOONG months away!

If I did not already HAVE a headache that day, those two phone calls would have GIVEN me one!

If you are kind enough to be reading this series,

thank you.

And hang in there…the very best part is coming up!