In my gut (both literally and figuratively) I feel that I'm fine. When something is wrong, the hairs on my arms usually stand up.

I think my rhetorical question was more a point of my reassuring everyone else. I did promise the doctor that if there was any more blood, anywhere, I'd ASAP to the emergency room.

Meredith, have you found what causes the migraines? Mine are brought on by barometric pressure so there is nothing I can do but move someplace where the weather never changes.

Dianne, I'm not sure that place exists.

There are three main reasons for my migraines:
1. not enough sleep. This is usually on weekends when I have to wake up too early to sell at a craft fair. Going to bed earlier doesn't help, because I'm a night person and just won't fall asleep. If the weather is cool, then I usually can control the migraine with drugs. If hot, I'm SOL.
2. too hot. This is both weather, and too much exertion. If my body gets overheated to a certain point, my head "explodes" and there's no going back. Because of this, I cut out most of my summer craft shows, and won't hike in the summer unless I'm somewhere cool.
3. degenerative arthritis in my neck. I stretch and use a variety of creams, but it doesn't always work. Somedays I wake up with this, and again -- SOL.

Migraines are such a b-tch. It's like flushing large chunks of life down the toilet. Then, other people deal with other nasty issues. Ya just do your best.

I call migraine days, lost days, because that's exactly what happens. My hubby can tell just by looking at me because I get those migraine eyes.

I hate to say this because it might break the spell but it's been a long time since my botox injections but I haven't had another migraine yet. Maybe it did something permanent? Would that be great or what?

Could they do surgery on your neck?

Hmmm, Dianne....maybe it took that part of your brain and froze it solid....thus no migraines!! hehehehe Hey....you may be on to something here....a modern medical miracle! You'll be rich and famous! Have you ever considered that Sammie's squawk may be doing you in? I'm sure that happens here.
Seriously, I had migraines through what I call my "lupus years"...when the disease was really bad in the late 80's and 90's. Horrible. But as I've aged, it's happened less and less, thankfully.

neck surgery is a MAJOR undertaking, cutting into the spinal cord. If it goes wrong, you can be paralyzed for life.

I wouldn't do that unless all other options were exhausted.

ALL options were exhausted...
my cord was being injured, I was loosing my ability to breathe, walk, talk, stand, and move. I was in the type of pain they call "end stage cancer pain," and it was surgery to save my life, twice. The first surgery collapsed.

You don't know fear until you put your neck on the table for someone you don't know to cut it.

They saved my life, but the pain stayed and one arm is very weak. I have some spinal cord issues because of the pain but I was very lucky to have survived at all. I would not have even made it to the level Christopher Reeves did.

dancer

My sister had to perform the heimlich maneuver on me twice for one piece of dry meatloaf. The first time did not work. The meat flew 15 feet. I was in my early 20's.

It change my life in such a way that I cannot eat meat alone...especially meatloaf. Plus, if ANYTHING gets stuck in my throat, I start to panic. Even a pill.

However, I have made strides in this as well. I can now take pills..with LOTS of liquids.

VERY scary and I am indebted to my sister for my life.

Dancer, I can't even imagine the fear. To have no other options like that. I'm glad you survived but know that it hasn't been an easy journey.

I almost feel like driving out to Arizona just to give you a big hug. But I'm kind of a big brute anyhow so maybe we're better off cyber
(((((( D A N C E R ))))))

Thank you so much, Meredith. I am on a slow climb up and out of all of it. It's not easy, it just isn't.
dancer