Tupeak Hope

So today I come home from my second overnight sleep study in three weeks with more questions than answers. To say I am frustrated, confused, and even a bit defeated would all be accurate. This may seem confusing when you read why below, but I promise to make sense of it. It’s important to keep in mind that medicine is rarely simple and especially for those of us with multiple or complex medical conditions it gets increasingly complicated.

Time is a finite thing when it comes to our lives regardless of whether we are healthy or ill. None of us know how long we will have on this planet before our time is up. This is a fact. Also a fact is that while many of us do not wish to talk about it we really need to be having the difficult discussions with our family about what we )and they) may desire should either become unable to make or communicate decisions regarding their medical care on their own.

Zebras #AtoZChallenge There is nothing more frustrating as a patient than having a provider look at you and summarily discount your symptoms as ‘impossible’. It is very common that we are hesitant, even afraid, of that which we do not understand. It is also true that those trained to diagnose and treat us could and should be held to a higher standard. It is to them we look when our body revolts against us in ways which we do not understand.

Vertigo #AtoZChallenge During the month of April this blog has focused on a number of general topics as they relate to chronic illness. Today we are going to touch on a specific issue, because all of the other topics I chose for the letter V just didn’t sit well with me. So in order to remain relevant and in an attempt to touch on something new each day, we will delve into the dizzying world of vertigo.

Pain Management #AtoZChallenge In keeping with yesterday’s post regarding the use of opiates in treating pain, I thought for today’s post I would focus on non-narcotic alternatives to address your pain. Please realize that as with everything I write, the things I share are in no way personalized medical advice. You bear full responsibility for any actions you take regarding the information you read here. Furthermore, I suggest that you discuss any idea with your physician prior to implementation.