I don't mean sucide by any means~ but I was thinking about this for the last few months. For a short while I had a nice clean vacation from my attacks. Went back to hiking, climbing and camping~ Pow Wows and sweat lodge retreats. My life was as full as I could grasp it. Granted the Steriod therapy left me with cushings I was on my way back to health through alternative methods. Then things fell back to cycles, worse than before the steriods. I have declined so many invitations out, scared to do the high risk things I loved (and got me back to a smaller me) This alone is frustrating, but I see myself without my 'survival kit' and it haunts me. I am only 30, and I stopped my carefree camping for a week~ or two if it sounded good. Because what if I run out of this, or that...what if I am reaching post on Monkey face wall and I hit an attack? Deadly I tell ya.
Would like to hear your coping thoughts, or even better~ how you still travel and explore away from the cities meds and treatments. When you don't have 'downtime' to get through an attack. I am still trying to hold onto I will do these things~ either supplements that are more portable. Or...heaven forbid steriods for another free year or two.
If this isn't posted in the right area I apologize, I had a hard time telling if this went here or somewheres else.

Thank you for your speedy response. True, I don't want to be a limited like that, nor do I want to head out unprepared. I suppose its just doing what it takes to do what I want~ even if thats being more prepared. I have done that in a few areas of my life...even though simple, simple never promises to be easy. I will have something to really chew on in anycase.
Trying to work up courage for summer solistice camping.
Thank you again.

Hi arcticspirals,
I think every one is different with how they cope with life I think of my self as one of the lucky ones as im not chronic and my hits last around 30-40 min not 1-2 hours. How do i cope well i see it this way in 24 hours i get hit 3 times thats 120 min (2 hrs) of pain the rest being pain free (apart from the shadows wich are just annoying) wich i try to make the most off. I don´t sit around waiting for the next one to hit or worrying about how high it will go i try not to think of it at all. Don´t get me wrong it does get to me and ive had some really bad days when a bullet started to look good but on those days i think of all the people and children with problems and diseases that make mine pale in comparison (this isn´t doing any damage to me physically) i´ve seen alot of things in my life, 2 tours of Bosnia with the army, and ive seen people with nothing left physically and mentally so on bad days i try to think of what i do have eg: a good loving wife, a roof over my head, food in my stomach (and a stomach to digest it), clothes on my back (even if there not designer).

thats how i deal with this and as stated earlier i will control this and not let it control me

mark (eats nails and shits napalm  )

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See? While you were busy scrolling down, I was busy living life.

It's really that simple.

Make it a great day. Now, I've got about a half a hundred things to do.

Quote:

thanks Brew thats about 5 seconds of my life i wont get back

Roflma

mark (when life is shorter ahead than behind every second counts)

I do not leave home without an abortive when I am in my cycle.

What Barb said!!!  I was episodic for20+ yrs, and chronic now for several.  I would have to figure it up to be sure.  I dont' even bother paying attention to it anymore.  I used to be able to tell you about every cycle, what I did for it, how bad it got, etc., but while Iwas doing all of that I let the good things that were going on, as Lefty mentioned, get away.  I do think being chronic makes it easier because I know I have to deal with it every day, so I don't dread it on PF times, but I determined I'm going to live life until I die.  I will live live to teh fullest of my ability.  That may not be as full as it once was, but as the country song says, "I'm as good once as I ever was!"   Since I went chronic I have driven in 47 of the lower 48 states.  I have driven around Rhode Island several times, but necver through it.  I've also been in each of the lower Canadian provinces except Quebec.  Granted it was working, but I have seen some COUNTRY!!!  I've gotten some funny looks in truck stops while dancing in the parking lot, and I've been checked out by the police when I was dancing in my seat on the side of the road, but I went. 

Life is not something that happens to you.  It is something you CHOOSE!

God said it to the nation of Israel ( in the book of Deuteronomy) this way.  "See, I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing.  Therefore, chose life that you may live..."  I have chosen life.

Jerry

Thank you for your responses, I am thinking this may be what my low tides are. And after all, I made it this far right? Started when I was preteen.
There are always choices, reflection is indeed a beautiful thing though. I made it years without abortives at all, and no preventives. Does that mean I am pampered now? Oh goodness no one answer that.
Booking weekend fun and carrying on!

arcticspirals wrote on Jun 17^th, 2009 at 10:58pm:


We all hit low points with CH.  I've had times (thankfully not lately), where it seemed like CH was getting out of control, and I was punch drunk from exhaustion, due to night after night of having my sleep wrecked while aborting Kip 8 and Kip 9 attacks.  There was the "wonderful" Xmas Eve 2007 Kip 10 attack, when NOTHING worked to stop the CH, and I spent the next 2 plus hours pacing, screaming, crying, going through a box of Kleenex in about a half hour (blowing my nose).  There were other Kip 10 attacks, where I fleetingly wondered if I shouldn't just take a headlong dive off of my apartment's balcony.  Things like this really can bring you down.  But, I keep on keeping on.  I have too many things in life I enjoy doing, to let some stupid CH dictate how I live my life.  I keep on going, and carry my abortives with me at all times - even when I'm out of cycle, since I've had CH cycles start with a bang courtesy of a Kip 8 or Kip 9 attack, during times of the year, when I typically haven't had cycles in the past.  After all, what else can I do?  Life goes on.

Hugs,
Ellen

P.S. - Agostino, is Dr. Baine your headache specialist?  If he is tell him Ellen says Hi.  He was my headache specialist before he moved to Madison.

Thanks all! I took the kids out for birthday fun at Enchanted Forest~ local theme park and a childhood favorite. Decided I had to try~ and glad I did. Timberlog ride, ice mountain and even the perfume filled water show. Had a time out after the haunted house adventure thought that was gonna be the end but sent the kids out to another ride and lucky me~ only 30 min long and kip 4~ not even a tear breaker.  woot!
Thanks for the encouragement, camping is back on the schedule!

arcticspirals wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2009 at 10:15pm:

YAY!! Good for you!!!!

Articspirals - Am glad to read through this thread and see your confidence on venturing out is building. My husband carries the O2 tank and imitrex when we go out. If he feels a CH coming, he just excuses himself and goes out to the car, sometimes I haven't even realized he's left but when he's missing I know where he's gone.  He likes to be alone so I let him be. I guess the point is be prepared, and live on! Don't let this thing deprive you and your family, you suffer enough when you have to, live on the rest of the time!

Cathi_Pierce wrote on Jun 22^nd, 2009 at 9:28pm:

hey Cathi, I'm new to the site.I'm episodic just started cycle day before yesterday. I'm in Portland, is there a group here? I would be interested. thanks