Scrapping Through The Pain Of Trigeminal Neuralgia: A New Type Of Project

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

A New Type Of Project

Okay....the weather is horrible here. It is so hot the boys and I actually fried an egg on the sidewalk! With it being so hot and humid around here that means my TN pain has been off the charts. I am doing well enough avoiding any nasty pain meds but that means I spend a lot of time in a dark, quiet room, laying down. Not fun at all.

Anyway, my kids will often come in and sit with me. This gives me such comfort I don't even have words for how much I get from them just being with me. I started thinking that I wanted to do something to give them comfort, too.

I have wanted to learn how to quilt for sometime now, so I decided that is what I would do. I got books from the library, read everything I could find on the internet, and then took the plunge , so to speak.

I started out VERY basic as you can see. I made some mistakes... but my son loves it!! I purchased the cat themed fabric, he is a cat lover, and then used old, out-grown clothing of his that I had been saving for no real reason...or maybe I was, who knows, to make the other squares.

I found it very theraputic to sew, yes I did everthing by hand! I am already starting a second quilt for my middle son. His will be sports themed. I will again purchase some fabric, but I also have a ton of old sports related shirts I can use as well. I will post when that one is done.

Any quilters out there? Would love some ideas on different styles and patterns.

2 comments:

AnonymousSeptember 17, 2011 at 8:01 AM
what a cool idea for a quilt.

so sorry to hear about your medical condition. It must be so very painful. I had shingles (which is in no way near what you suffer from) and the nerve pain I felt in my scalp was unbelievable...your condition must be 100 x's more painful...and at least shingles go away....take care of yourself..sounds like you have a great family support system....praying for you and a medical break through Mary HK
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Trigeminal NeuralgiaSeptember 20, 2011 at 12:16 AM
This condition causes so much pain, I can totally understand you. I'm glad to see you have some comfort in your life, it is so important in dealing with Trigeminal neuralgia.
Pain killers are not the only way to go, did you check any other treatment options?
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Learn A Little About My Condition

TN (Trigeminal Neuralgia) Description / Definition
TN (Trigeminal Neuralgia) is a nerve disorder of unknown origin that causes sudden shock-like facial pains, typically near the nose, lips, eyes or ears. It is said to be the most excruciatingly painful human condition in the world.
The disorder, also called tic douloureaux, is named for the three-part (trigeminal) nerve that supplies sensations to all parts of the face.
However, because the trigeminal nerve is involved does not establish the diagnosis as being TN.
The earliest description of trigeminal neuralgia can be inferred by Galen who was born in AD 81.
TN (Trigeminal Neuralgia) is a disorder of the fifth cranial (trigeminal) nerve that causes episodes of intense, stabbing, electric shock-like pain in the areas of the face where the branches of the nerve are distributed - lips, eyes, nose, scalp, forehead, upper jaw, and lower jaw.
A less common form of the disorder called "Atypical Trigeminal Neuralgia" may cause less intense, constant, dull burning or aching pain, sometimes with occasional electric shock-like stabs.
Both forms of the disorder most often affect one side of the face, but some patients experience pain at different times on both sides.
Onset of symptoms occurs most often after age 50, but cases are known in children and even infants. Something as simple and routine as brushing the teeth, putting on makeup or even a slight breeze can trigger an attack, resulting in sheer agony for the individual.
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is not fatal, but it is universally considered to be the most painful affliction known to medical practice. By many, it's called the "suicide disease."
Initial treatment of TN is usually by means of anti-convulsant drugs, such as Tegretol or Neurontin. Some anti-depressant drugs also have significant pain relieving effects.
Should medication be ineffective or if it produces undesirable side effects, neurosurgical procedures are available to relieve pressure on the nerve or to reduce nerve sensitivity.
Some patients report having reduced or relieved pain by means of alternative medical therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic adjustment, self-hypnosis or meditation.
Trigeminal Neuralgia is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that TN, or a subtype of TN, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
It is estimated that 1 in 15,000 people suffer from TN, although those numbers may be significantly higher due to frequent misdiagnosis. 1 in 5,000 are thought to suffer from some type of facial pain.
The exact cause of TN is not fully understood

Scrapping Through The Pain Of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Invisible Illness

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

A New Type Of Project

2 comments:

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