Monday, August 31, 2015

I'm late on posting this...

So. 

It's been 13 weeks and 5 days with no seizures, petite seizures, flashes, etc. I can't say headaches/migraine because believe it or not, I actually was back in the hospital about 2 weeks ago - for 2 days!
 
It actually was nothing neurologically-related (which is great), but I was hospitalized with viral meningitis! This seriously would only happen to me. 

I woke up at 3am with a horrendous migraine. No flashes, but I couldn't see. I couldn't focus my eyes and it was the most unbearable pain I've ever had. Dave got me my migraine medication and it took the edge off just enough for me to fall asleep. When my alarm went off, I could barely function, but I was determined to get to work (I actually started a new job at the end of July and I was only two weeks into my new job).  Regardless of whether or not I could see. Ha.

My new boss is amazing. He saw me and immediately said to me, "I can see it in your face. You've got a migraine. Go home." I had 2 calls and a training I was supposed to be on hat day, so I wanted to make it through the first call before going home. ...I didn't. I made it about 45 minutes at work before throwing in the towel and going home.

After sleeping until 3pm, I attempted to eat something. I couldn't lift my head off the kitchen table while I was trying to force the food into my mouth. It really was so much pain. I still really couldn't see, either. Dave was messaging with my neurologist (our hospital has basically a texting system for the doctors) and they gave a few suggestions but said if it didn't get better to go to the hospital. We ended up going. I not only had this headache, but a fever (101.9) and a stiff neck - the symptoms of meningitis. 

Once they determined that I had meningitis (via spinal tap. Awesome), I was admitted. They ran a bunch of blood work to figure of what kind because it can be caused by several different things. The most common for it is herpes, enterovirus (basically the worst common cold ever) and Lyme disease. It was determined that mine was caused by enterovirus, which happens to basically 1 in 10,000 people. So of course it's me. Lol. As the doctor said, "it's just very shitty luck."

The treatment for viral meningitis is basically pain management and waiting it out. The reason they kept me in hospital for two days is because they were waiting for my fever to break and seizures can be a side effect of viral meningitis, so they just wanted to make sure that I was getting better, not worse.

As much as this sucked, I'm relieved with this. It wasn't neurological. It would've happened regardless or not I had epilepsy. My medication is still working and now I'm 3.5 months out with no problems. I only had a headache for 3-4 days after I left the hospital and felt a little nauseous and sore from the spinal tap.

I don't need to ever do that again. But again, it wasn't neurological and I'm totally thankful for that.